FreshFit
From Shopify fees to full ownership
FreshFit is a direct-to-consumer fitness apparel brand that was paying Shopify $40K+ annually in platform and transaction fees. They came to us wanting full control over their e-commerce experience—and to stop bleeding money to platform fees.
Project Overview
The Challenge
Death by a thousand fees
FreshFit was growing fast, but their costs were growing faster. Here's what they were dealing with before coming to us.
$40K+ in Platform Fees
Between Shopify Plus subscription ($2,000/mo), transaction fees (2.9% + $0.30), and app subscriptions, they were hemorrhaging money every month.
3.2s Average Load Time
Their Shopify theme was bloated with apps and custom code hacks. Mobile performance was even worse losing customers before they could browse.
Limited Customization
Custom size guides, product bundling, and subscription options all required expensive apps or weren't possible at all within Shopify's constraints.
Inventory Sync Issues
Multi-warehouse inventory was a nightmare. Stock levels were often wrong, leading to overselling and customer complaints.
Poor Analytics
Shopify's built-in analytics weren't enough. They were paying for additional analytics apps that still didn't give them the insights they needed.
Platform Lock-In
Years of customer data, order history, and product content trapped in Shopify. The thought of migrating was paralyzing.
The Solution
A complete custom e-commerce platform
We built FreshFit a custom Next.js storefront and admin dashboard that they own completely no monthly platform fees, no transaction cuts.
Custom Storefront
Lightning-fast, beautifully designed, built for conversion.
- Sub-second page loads – Average 0.8s vs previous 3.2s
- Custom size guide – Interactive fit finder with body measurements
- Product bundling – "Complete the look" with auto-discounts
- One-click checkout – Returning customers skip the cart
- Mobile-first design – 68% of their traffic is mobile
Admin Dashboard
Everything they need to run their business, nothing they don't.
- Real-time dashboard – Sales, orders, inventory at a glance
- Multi-warehouse inventory – Accurate stock across 3 locations
- Order management – Batch processing, auto-routing
- Custom reports – Cohort analysis, LTV, product performance
- Team permissions – Role-based access for 8 team members
Platform Screenshots
Technical Implementation
Frontend
Next.js 14, React, Tailwind CSS
Backend
Node.js, PostgreSQL, Redis
Payments
Stripe, Apple Pay, Google Pay
Hosting
AWS, Cloudflare
The Process
7 weeks from kickoff to launch
Here's exactly how we delivered a complete e-commerce platform in under 2 months.
Discovery & Planning
Week 1Deep dive into their current Shopify setup, pain points, and wishlist. Mapped every feature they needed and prioritized ruthlessly.
- Shopify data export strategy
- Feature prioritization matrix
- Technical architecture design
- Timeline & milestone agreement
Design & Prototype
Week 1-2Designed the storefront and admin UI. Built interactive prototypes so they could experience the new platform before we wrote production code.
- Storefront wireframes & mockups
- Admin dashboard design
- Mobile-first responsive design
- Interactive Figma prototype
Development
Week 2-6Built the storefront, admin dashboard, and all integrations. Weekly demos every Friday so they could see progress and provide feedback.
- Core storefront (products, cart, checkout)
- Admin dashboard with all features
- Stripe payment integration
- ShipStation fulfillment integration
Migration & Launch
Week 6-7Migrated 12,000 products, 45,000 customers, and 3 years of order history. Zero downtime cutover during a quiet Tuesday night.
- Full data migration from Shopify
- SEO redirect mapping (1,200 URLs)
- Team training sessions
- 24/7 launch support
The Results
Numbers that matter
Here's what happened in the 6 months after launch.
From 1.8% to 2.4%. Faster page loads and better UX directly translated to more sales.
Down from 3.2s. 75% faster pages mean customers actually wait around to buy.
Platform fees eliminated. Only standard Stripe processing fees (2.9% + $0.30).
No more platform lock-in. They own every line of code and all their data.
Before vs After
Before (Shopify Plus)
- $2,000/month platform fee
- 2.9% + $0.30 transaction fees
- $500/month in app subscriptions
- 3.2s average page load
- 1.8% conversion rate
- Limited customization options
After (Custom Platform)
- $0/month platform fee
- Only Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30)
- No app subscriptions needed
- 0.8s average page load
- 2.4% conversion rate
- Unlimited customization
See It In Action
Watch the app demo
See how the FreshFit storefront and admin dashboard work together.
Ready to own your e-commerce platform?
Stop paying platform fees that eat into your margins. Let's talk about building a custom solution for your business.