Key Project Highlights:

• Corra delivered a Progressive Web App on Magento Commerce and an elevated redesign for global skincare brand Elemis. 
• We met a tight timeline by leveraging FWRD, a full PWA accelerator built to easily integrate with Magento Commerce Cloud. FWRD expands the official PWA architecture of Magento Commerce (PWA Studio) with a variety of robust front-end features and integrations that help cut cost and risk for our clients.
• Corra’s teams followed an agile approach focused on key MVP deliverables to implement an elevated, mobile-first experience on schedule.

PWA TECHNOLOGY MEETS PRESTIGE SKINCARE  

Corra is pleased to announce the launch of a Progressive Web App for luxury skincare company Elemis. Acquired by L’Occitane International in 2019, Elemis is the number one independent skincare brand in Britain. 

Elemis’ science-backed skincare products and cutting-edge patented technology are globally renowned, and the goal for the new site experience was to reflect this reputation. Earlier this year, the brand was in the process of kicking off their migration project with a different agency, when they realized that a PWA implementation would have drastically improved their customer experience.

Together with Corra, they were able to quickly define the deliverables included in the MVP and determine how to get to the finish line as soon as possible, while limiting project risks. To push the project to production faster, Elemis leveraged Corra’s PWA accelerator, FWRD. The solution includes everything merchants need to be able to kickstart their PWA implementation, including a full integration with PageBuilder, state-of-the-art PDP and PLP templates, a streamlined checkout experience with mobile-friendly payment methods, and much more. 

“

A Progressive Web App is hands-down the best way to construct a scalable, SEO-friendly, future-proof ecommerce site today. The Elemis.com site is lightning fast on every device and beautiful on every viewport.

Michael Harvey, Chief Strategy Officer, Corra

With FWRD, after the initial page loads, Elemis’ shoppers experience the site as fast as if they were using a mobile app, even when they have limited connection. 

“

Our goal with Elemis was to deliver a high-end experience that is as elevated as their brand and their products. Brand, collection, and product storytelling take center stage as the customer proceeds through the shopping journey.  

David Yates, UX Lead & Omnichannel Strategist, Corra

WHY PWA FOR ELEMIS? 

More than 60 percent of Elemis’ customers access the site via mobile, and the percentage is even higher in Europe where Elemis’ headquarters are located. In spite of the high traffic, conversion rates on small screens were suffering. Creating a mobile-optimized experience was of paramount importance for the brand to thrive for years ahead.

A mobile app would have checked all boxes but, like many other brands, Elemis simply can’t justify the investment of building an app for both iOs and Android in addition to maintaining their responsive site. Enter the perfect combination: PWAs. By launching a PWA, Elemis was able to combine the discoverability of the web with the capabilities of an app, without the investment and barrier to entry an app requires. Because PWAs pre-cache parts of the site, the result is a super-fast experience translating to engaged visitors, increased conversions, and better SEO rankings. 

Through their new PWA, Elemis is also able to better serve the many brand loyalists that periodically visit the site to restock on their favorite skincare products. These shoppers will be able to quickly save the site on their home screen and enjoy a fast, app-like experience without having to download an app from the Apple or Google Play Store. 

In addition to being designed with mobile users in mind, the improved experience will keep customers engaged with product recommendations, before and after demonstrations, and free samples dynamically picked based on products they have in the cart. In parallel, the Elemis team will be able to improve their internal operations with better control over their content and fewer manual processes.

Elemis has stepped into the future with an experience that will support their business for years to come, and the Corra team is excited to continue assisting them in their efforts to deliver more innovative features. 

If you would like an introduction to the benefits of PWA, watch Corra’s video: Progressive Web Apps Explained in 3 Minutes.

Don’t forget to follow us on Linkedin for more PWA updates – Corra has 6+ Progressive Web Apps launching in the coming months!