Measurable outcomes achieved within 18 months
Revenue Growth
Year-over-year increase
Online Sales
In 18 months
Online Orders
Processed successfully
Repeat Customers
Customer retention rate
"Coastal Treasures" (name changed for privacy) had been a fixture on the Garden Route for over a decade. The owner, Maria, had built a loyal following with her curated selection of locally-made gifts, artisan crafts, and unique homeware items. But by early 2023, the business was in trouble.
The reality: Foot traffic had dropped 45% since 2019. Rising rent costs were eating into already thin margins. And watching younger competitors thrive with online stores felt like watching the future pass her by.
Maria had tried DIY website builders. The result? A clunky site that looked dated, ranked nowhere on Google, and generated exactly zero sales in six months. She was ready to give up.
"I felt like I'd missed the boat. Everyone told me I needed to be online, but every solution I tried either cost a fortune or looked amateur. I was spending money I didn't have on something that wasn't working."
Here's exactly what we built and why
We built a custom e-commerce store (not Shopify, not WooCommerce) that captured the warmth and personality of Maria's physical shop. The design featured high-quality product photography, storytelling about local artisans, and a visual style that stood out from template-based competitors. Every element was designed to build trust and encourage purchases.
We identified 50+ keywords that tourists and locals actually search for: "gifts Garden Route," "handmade crafts Mossel Bay," "unique souvenirs South Africa." We built dedicated landing pages, optimized product descriptions, and created a content strategy that established Coastal Treasures as the authority for local artisan goods. Within 6 months, they ranked on page 1 for 15 key search terms.
With 67% of traffic coming from mobile devices (tourists researching on their phones), we designed mobile-first. Large touch targets, simplified navigation, Apple Pay and Google Pay integration, and a checkout process that takes under 60 seconds. The result: mobile conversion rates jumped from 0.8% to 4.2%.
One of Maria's biggest frustrations was selling items online that had already sold in-store. We integrated her point-of-sale system with the website for real-time inventory sync. Now, when something sells in the shop, it's instantly updated online. Zero overselling, zero disappointed customers, zero manual work.
We built automated email sequences: welcome series for new subscribers, abandoned cart recovery, post-purchase follow-ups, and seasonal campaigns. The abandoned cart emails alone recover an average of R18,000 per month in sales that would have been lost. The email list grew from 0 to 3,200 subscribers in 18 months.
From struggling storefront to thriving online business
Deep dive into Maria's business: customer profiles, best-selling products, competitors, and goals. Developed comprehensive e-commerce and SEO strategy. Set up analytics and baseline measurements.
Custom e-commerce platform built from scratch. Product photography guidance and catalog setup (200+ products). Mobile-first responsive design. Payment gateway integration (multiple South African options).
On-page SEO for all product and category pages. Google Business Profile optimization. Schema markup implementation. Local citation building across 25+ directories.
Soft launch with existing customers. Staff training on order management. Email capture popup and welcome sequence activated. Social media announcement strategy.
Monthly SEO content creation. Conversion rate optimization based on data. Email marketing campaigns. Seasonal promotions and new product launches. Continuous performance monitoring.
In the 18 months following the launch:
The bigger picture: Maria was able to hire two part-time staff members, expand her product range, and is now planning to open a second location. The online store didn't just save her business - it transformed it into something bigger than she'd imagined.
"I thought I was too late to the e-commerce game. Verto Media showed me that it's not about being first - it's about doing it right. My online store now generates more revenue than my physical shop ever did, and I'm reaching customers I never could have before. They didn't just build me a website; they built me a future."
What made this transformation successful
Understanding that tourists research on mobile devices shaped every design decision. Your website must be built around how your customers actually behave, not assumptions.
SEO takes time, but it delivers sustainable, free traffic. Starting the SEO strategy from day one meant organic traffic grew consistently month over month.
The 68% repeat customer rate is the real success story. Email marketing and excellent customer experience mean every new customer becomes a long-term asset.
Inventory sync, abandoned cart emails, and automated follow-ups save hours of manual work while generating revenue around the clock.
Whether you're a local retailer, service business, or have a product to sell online, we can help you achieve similar results. Let's discuss your goals and create a strategy for your business.
No obligation | Custom strategy | Honest assessment