E-commerce
Lumora Skin
High-Performance D2C Skincare E-commerce
52% conversion lift · £340K revenue in first 90 days · 0.8s LCP
- Next.js
- Stripe
- PostgreSQL
- Node.js
- GA4
- TypeScript
The Project
Overview
Lumora Skin entered a crowded D2C skincare market with a premium positioning and zero existing digital infrastructure. They needed an e-commerce experience that matched the luxury quality of their products — fast, frictionless, and engineered to convert first-time visitors into repeat buyers. We built every pixel and every line of code from scratch: no themes, no page builders, no compromises on Core Web Vitals.
The Challenge
The Problem: Premium Brand, Generic Platform
The client had been operating on a templated Shopify store that loaded in 4.2 seconds, scored 41 on Lighthouse Performance, and had a checkout abandonment rate of 79%. Their brand commanded £80–£180 product prices, but the site experience was communicating budget. Customers were arriving and leaving without buying.
Pain Points Before Engagement
- 4.2 second load time — premium customers left before seeing the product
- Lighthouse Performance score of 41 — failing Core Web Vitals on mobile
- 79% checkout abandonment rate with no recovery flow
- No subscription billing — repeat purchases were manual and unpredictable
- Zero post-purchase email sequence — retention was entirely accidental
The Solution
Built for Speed, Engineered for Retention
We rebuilt the entire storefront on Next.js with image optimisation, edge caching, and a custom checkout flow integrated directly with Stripe. The subscription billing layer uses Stripe Billing with a customer portal for self-managed plans. A post-purchase email sequence handles the first 30 days of the customer relationship automatically.
Sub-1s Load Experience
Images served via Next.js Image component with AVIF/WebP formats, lazy loading below the fold, and priority hints for LCP elements. Static pages with ISR for product listings. Result: 0.8s LCP on mobile.
Ingredient Transparency Module
Interactive ingredient explorer showing sourcing, clinical evidence links, and percentage concentrations — a direct response to customer research showing ingredient education was the #1 purchase driver.
Subscription Billing
Subscribe & save option at checkout (10% discount, cancel anytime) powered by Stripe Billing. Customer portal embedded in the account area for plan management without contacting support.
Checkout Abandonment Recovery
Cart abandonment email triggers at 1 hour, 24 hours, and 72 hours via automated flow. Personalised with the specific products left in cart. Recovered 18% of abandoned carts in the first month.
Post-Purchase Retention Sequence
7-email sequence across 30 days: order confirmation, dispatch, delivery, day 7 usage tips, day 14 review request, day 21 reorder prompt, day 30 loyalty reward. Automated, personalised, measurable.
Under the Hood
Technical Delivery
Technology Stack
- FrontendNext.js 14, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Framer Motion
- CommerceCustom cart engine, Stripe Checkout + Billing, Stripe Customer Portal
- DatabasePostgreSQL — orders, customers, subscriptions, reviews
- EmailAutomated sequences via transactional email API (Resend)
- AnalyticsGA4 with enhanced ecommerce events, GTM, Meta Pixel
- DeploymentVercel Edge Network, Image CDN, ISR product pages
Engineering Highlights
- 0.8s LCP on 4G mobile — top 5% of e-commerce globally (Lighthouse)
- INP under 60ms — passes Core Web Vitals across all device classes
- Stripe integration handles subscriptions, one-time purchases, and refunds in one system
- 18% abandoned cart recovery in month one via automated email flow
Measurable Outcomes
The Results
Conversion Rate
+52%
vs. prior Shopify store baseline
Revenue (90 days)
£340K
from zero — new storefront, new platform
LCP
0.8s
mobile, 4G — passes Core Web Vitals
Cart Recovery
18%
of abandoned carts recovered by email flow
Lighthouse Score
97
Performance — up from 41 on prior platform
"The new site loads before the old one even started rendering. Our customers noticed immediately — and so did our revenue."
Founder
Lumora Skin
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