Overview
Forgewell sells fitness equipment ranging from small accessories to large gym machines. The existing Shopify store had grown organically over time, but the product catalog structure hadn’t kept up. Pages were slow, upsell opportunities were missed at checkout, and adding new products had become a manual, error-prone process.
The Challenge
A technical and UX audit of the existing store revealed why growth had started to strain the platform.
✓ The product catalog wasn’t structured to scale, making it hard to add new categories or variants without breaking existing pages.
✓ Bulky, uncompressed product images were slowing down load times across the site.
✓ There was no way to offer bundles, so customers buying a bench also had to search separately for weights.
✓ Related product suggestions were missing at key decision points.
✓ Mobile shoppers, who made up a large share of traffic, were experiencing the slowest load times.
Our Strategy
The plan focused on two priorities. First, rebuild the product catalog architecture so it could scale without breaking. Second, add bundling and upsell options while improving page speed across the store.
Phase 1: Catalog Rebuild for Scalability
✓ Restructured product data, categories, and variants so new inventory could be added without manual rework.
✓ Rebuilt metafields and tagging systems to support filtering as the catalog grows.
✓ Standardized product templates so equipment types, from accessories to machines, followed a consistent structure.
Phase 2: Bundles, Upsells, and Speed Optimization
✓ Added bundle options so related equipment could be purchased together at checkout.
✓ Introduced upsell placements on product pages based on commonly paired items.
✓ Compressed and optimized product images across the catalog.
✓ Rebuilt slow-loading theme sections and removed unused scripts weighing down page speed.
Results
✓ Page load speed improved meaningfully across both desktop and mobile.
✓ Bundle purchases became a regular part of the average order.
✓ The catalog now supports new product additions without breaking existing pages or filters.
Client Testimonial
“Every time we added new equipment, something on the site would break. Now we add products without worrying about the rest of the store falling apart.”
— Operations Lead, Forgewell
Key Takeaway
A growing catalog needs a foundation that grows with it. Forgewell’s results show that fixing the structure underneath a store often does more for speed and sales than adding features on top of a shaky base.