In 2009, twin brothers Adam and Ryan Goldston launched APL (Athletic Propulsion Labs), a revolutionary athletic footwear brand committed to innovation and performance. After transitioning from Magento to Shopify, APL has experienced significant improvements in site performance, customer experience, and international expansion, achieving results such as:
- Increases in conversion rates, average order value, and repeat customers.
- Successful expansion into physical Flagship retail locations and over 90 international markets.
- The ability to launch features in minutes versus weeks.
The challenge: Navigating rapid growth with limited platform flexibility
APL was on a rapid growth trajectory which began to reveal limitations with their Magento platform. The time it took to develop and deploy custom code became increasingly burdensome, and it wasn’t uncommon for the brand to experience issues with their checkout.
APL recognized the need for a more nimble and heavily supported platform that would allow them to improve site performance, provide white glove customer service, improve conversion rates, cater to returning customers, and facilitate their expansion into retail and new international markets.
The challenges of managing a growing brand on a rigid platform prompted APL to seek a solution that would allow them to focus on their core mission without being constrained by technical limitations.
On our previous platform it would have taken us weeks to make even the simplest of changes.
The solution: Shopify provided the support and flexibility needed for growth
After thorough research, APL chose Shopify for its alignment with their core values of innovation, performance, and excellence. The platform offered the scalability and support from the client success team that was critical for their growth.
“Shopify embodied so many of our core values as a brand,” NJ explained. “We could grow and do it in a rewarding partnership with the advantage of the ever-expanding technical expertise and white glove customer care team Shopify had to offer.”
The transition to Shopify allowed APL to focus on their business goals without the constant worry of scaling, especially during high traffic events. They experienced immediate wins, including increases in average order value and repeat customer rates, as well as significant international expansion.
As far as the features that’ve had the biggest impact on their business, NJ said that while it’s hard to narrow it down, these five stand out:
- Ease of website development: “We’ve been able to add features swiftly and automate processes thanks to Shopify’s app ecosystem and powerful API, giving us excellent value for our development costs.”
- Website uptime: “The entire tech stack is fully managed and hosted by Shopify, so we no longer have to worry about server management.”
- Helpful support: “When you need it; Shopify's support team is available 24/7.”
- Production management: “Everything from adding products to managing inventory and syncing with other systems and marketplaces is straightforward. Things just integrate seamlessly.”
- Checkout: “A checkout that prioritizes speed and convenience for customers while minimizing friction during the purchasing process.”
The ability to easily launch new features, applications, and integrations as well as to swiftly make changes in minutes, hours, or days is a game changer.
The result: Transformative changes across the business
Since migrating to Shopify, APL has seen transformative impacts across their business including using Shopify POS to hit the ground running with the launch of The World of APL Flagship stores in LA and New York.
