Louie | Case Study Premium feed. Premium platform. Maximum impact.

Imagine you have a product that customers love, but your e-commerce platform is holding you back and can't keep up. This is exactly the situation Louie.pet found itself in - a Czech manufacturer and online seller of premium pet food.

• Client: Louie.pet

• Industry: E-commerce, pet food & supplies

• Company size: Medium-sized e-shop (turnover approx. 3+ million for 2024)

• Duration of cooperation: From 2025 - present

Louie.pet has established a strong position in the domestic market, but just at the moment when it was ready for expansion and further development, it hit a technological ceiling. The e-commerce platform - a patchwork of various modules that was sufficient at the beginning - could not keep up and became an obstacle to growth. Every change required weeks of development, technical barriers blocked expansion into new markets, and low data accuracy (accuracy at the level of 30-50%) drastically reduced the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

This situation required a strategic platform change. At ui42, we are partners for both transformation paths – whether it's custom solutions like our CMS BUXUS, or an optimized transition to flexible platforms like Shopify, which was the ideal choice for Louie.pet due to its scalability and support for expansion.

Why did we choose Shopify? Shopify is not just "another platform". It is the fastest-growing e-commerce technology in the world, supporting more than 5 million active e-shops in 170+ countries. A platform suitable for both emerging e-shops and established brands like Gymshark, Converse, and Mattel. 

• Complete ecosystem where you find everything you need: Online platform, POS, AI marketing, payments, logistics, and analytics. 
• Deployment speed with unlimited customization and enterprise features.
• Flexibility: Ability to customize the e-shop largely independently by your own team without the need for a programmer's intervention + 16,000 apps on the Shopify store. 
• Adaptability: Thanks to the open ecosystem of apps and API, which allows unlimited expansion of functionalities.
• Global DNA: 100+ payment gateways, multi-currency, language mutations, and automatic tax calculation.

• Shopify invests in the future: Investments exceed 1.3 billion USD in research and development.
• Flexibility and adaptability: An open ecosystem of apps and APIs allows unlimited expansion of functionalities.
• Advanced reporting included: Comprehensive analytical tools and detailed reports already in basic plans.
• Elimination of vendor lock-in risk: Ability to flexibly change service providers without commitment.
• Robust security and reliability: Free SSL certificates, PCI compliance ensure a secure and stable environment.

For Louie.pet, we at ui42 designed a strategy that utilizes the full potential of Shopify while respecting the unique needs of the client. It wasn't just about a technical migration from a custom solution – we wanted to create a robust environment that would support their ambitions for international expansion and efficient operation.

1. Seamless Migration to Shopify Without Downtime

We preserved the original design and all functionalities. Customers did not notice any change in design, but the backend power changed dramatically.

2. European Expansion

We launched Louie.pet on Shopify in four countries: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, and Austria. The German and Austrian markets were completely new for the client, instantly opening doors to international customers.

Apart from the initial launch, the e-shop was designed and prepared to open additional countries and language versions within a few hours.

3. ERP Integration at Shopify Enterprise Level

We developed a custom middleware solution that can seamlessly and efficiently connect any third-party systems (ERP, CRM, marketing tools,...) with Shopify. In the case of Louie.pet, we integrated the Pohoda ERP system for a smooth flow of information on orders, inventory, and customers.

4. Integration of Shopify Payments

We implemented Shopify Payments and a range of local options. For maximum conversions and a better customer experience across all markets, we introduced dynamic switching and testing of payment methods according to country preferences (e.g., different in Germany than in Slovakia), which significantly accelerated checkout processes. 

5. Marketing Precision

Thanks to the setup of scripts, pixels, datalayer and optimization of product feeds, we dramatically increased the efficiency of marketing campaigns. The key was significant improvement in Meta tracking accuracy: from the original 30-50% we achieved almost 100% accuracy. This transformed marketing from "throwing darts blindly" to precisely targeted and measurable activities, which form the main part of marketing expenses.

6. Inventory Automation

While the old system required manual inventory management, with Shopify we introduced complete real-time automation. This step not only significantly increased operational efficiency but also paved the way for complex product bundles (linked with single SKU) with automatic price allocation, optimizing strategic sales options and margin measurement.