When TRY eCommerce (formerly Frend eCommerce) designed and launched the first online shop for Camilla Pihl Wear in 2020, the brand had an online turnover of a few million and big ambitions. The goal was to create a strong brand and grow significantly in Norway.

In 2020, budgets were limited, but Camilla Pihl wanted a solution that could scale with them. We chose Centra as the eCommerce platform and WordPress as CMS.

We chose WordPress as CMS for content management and Centra as the eCommerce engine to handle products, orders and all shop operations.

The result was a cost-effective online shop that delivered on sales and brand experience whilst matching their ambitions at the time.

 The results spoke for themselves. Sales increased by 134% just four months after launch.

"The collaboration has been smooth, educational and inspiring. We've received excellent advice and solutions throughout the process, and the result is an online shop we're incredibly proud of."

Therese Bleken Merling, (former) Brand Director at Camilla Pihl. 

Success brought new challenges

Neither TRY nor Camilla Pihl anticipated the incredible growth ahead. Camilla Pihl has become one of the fastest-growing Norwegian clothing brands.

With that growth came new challenges:

• Performance
• Design freedom and flexibility
• Editorial capabilities and efficiency
• Efficient international scaling
• Multi-currency, multi-language, delivery and payment options
• International localisation

These challenges stemmed primarily from our initial CMS choice: WordPress.

Beyond the technical requirements, the Camilla Pihl team wanted to explore how design could strengthen their brand and create a new content universe. We connected them with three design agencies we work closely with – they chose Bleed.

"It's a great compliment that Camilla Pihl chose to stay with us even when their needs changed and they needed to replace technology. Most companies change suppliers at that point."  

Dennis Nilsson, Commercial Manager at TRY eCommerce 

Moving to Storyblok and our eCommerce accelerator 

WordPress was the right choice initially – it matched their needs and budget. But since then, both Camilla Pihl and the technology landscape have evolved. We recommended replacing the CMS and frontend to support their new ambitions.

Put simply, the following can be said about the technical solution: Factory functions as a synchronisation service between the different systems and tools Centra as the eCommerce engine Storyblok as CMS (Content Management System) A completely new frontend built on React and Next.js. We have used the eCommerce accelerator framework as the starting point for the entire frontend In addition, we have integrated with a range of other business applications.

"With eCommerce accelerator, you get a robust, advanced and state-of-the-art online shop – faster and at a third of the cost."  

Alex Kylen, Tech Lead at TRY eCommerce 

What exactly is eCommerce accelerator?

eCommerce accelerator is TRY eCommerce's own solution for creating faster, cheaper and better online shops using headless technology. It's a ready-made package with integrations, components and most of what you need to run an online shop.

The accelerator consists of two modules: Factory and Storefront. Factory is an integration service – an "orchestration layer" – that connects the CMS, frontend and eCommerce engine. It's essential for all headless online shop setups and a crucial part of the technical architecture.

Storefront is a library of pre-built functionality, including blocks, product pages, category pages, filtering and shopping basket. eCommerce accelerator strikes the perfect balance between off-the-shelf solutions and full customisation. With all core components pre-built, we avoid starting from scratch – saving us time and you money.

A partnership that extends beyond launch

A key success factor has been our collaborative approach. We hold frequent status meetings and workshops, maintaining direct dialogue between our consultants, developers and Camilla Pihl's eCommerce team. We also use shared systems that give all parties full visibility on progress and delivery.
This creates a solid partnership and delivers results.

Results

New opportunities for efficient international scaling A perfect balance between brand building and sales Efficient management of products and content.

Looking ahead

We've worked closely with the Camilla Pihl team since 2020. We're proud of what we've built together and excited for what's to come.

Are you curious about what TRY eCommerce can do for you and your business? Get in touch with us!