Clay Kyiv

From Craft to Clicks: Bringing Artisanal Business Online with Shopify

About the client

Clay Kyiv is a Ukrainian ceramics brand known for its handcrafted decorative items made from clay, including vases, tableware, and candles. Rooted in ethical craftsmanship, the brand collaborates with family-run workshops and local ceramic artisans. By using locally sourced materials and small-batch production methods, clay kyiv supports the local economy while promoting a sustainable business vision centered around artisanal quality, affordability, and environmental responsibility.

Service provided: Shopify Development and Customization

Business Challenge

After successfully carving out a unique position in the handcrafted ceramics market, clay kyiv faced challenges in effectively translating their artisanal brand identity to the digital environment. They needed a reliable development agency to build an SEO-optimized website with an improved UI/UX within a tight timeframe.

Technical challenges: With limited in-house technical skills,  clay kyiv needed expert assistance to migrate their store to Shopify and fully use the platform’s capabilities, all while working within the constraints of a free theme.

The brand expression needs: The client required an online store that effectively conveyed their unique handmade, artisanal character, creating a digital experience that reflected the craftsmanship behind their products.

Functional requirements: Enhanced product storytelling, visual merchandising, and intuitive navigation were essential features to highlight the qualities of handcrafted items and drive conversion rates.

The Solution

Grodas assembled a dedicated engineering team to help clay kyiv launch a compelling digital presence that would reflect a unique brand’s vision and values.

Project Discovery and Planning

To establish solid project foundations, the Grodas team initiated a discovery phase, gathering all the requirements to determine the solution that would align with the client’s expectations.

• Theme and app selection: A thorough assessment allowed us to identify and implement the best Shopify apps for customer engagement and store functionality, focusing on intuitive navigation, user review integration, optimized checkout processes, and enhanced visual merchandising.

• Requirements documentation: The team created detailed specifications for the store setup and customization, aligning technical possibilities with clay kyiv's unique brand requirements.

• Feature prioritization: To maximize impact within the project constraints, our experts developed a structured roadmap for rolling out key features.

Development and Implementation

During this stage, our engineers executed a detailed technical strategy to bring clay kyiv's digital presence to life:

• Store setup: The Grodas team provided end-to-end development to get clay kyiv’s online store up and running, handling all technical aspects so the client could focus on their craft rather than setup challenges.

• Theme customization: Our engineers made creative adjustments to align the digital experience with clay kyiv's unique aesthetic and brand values, ensuring the website reflected the handcrafted nature of their products.

• Website loading speed optimization: From the start, we prioritized keeping the website fast and responsive. By optimizing performance at every stage, we ensured visitors could browse effortlessly, helping clay kyiv turn more clicks into customers.

Project Management Excellence

The Grodas team orchestrated smooth project coordination from kickoff to launch, maintaining structured communication channels and holding collaborative planning sessions to keep stakeholders informed without overwhelming them with technical details.

• Transparent communication: We eliminated guesswork through consistent updates and milestone tracking, allowing clay kyiv to remain focused on their core activities with full visibility into project progress.

• Collaborative planning: Our team translated clay kyiv's artistic vision into actionable technical requirements, ensuring their unique brand identity remained at the center of every development decision.

• Efficient workflow: We introduced an effective feedback process that captured clay kyiv's artistic vision while taking care of all technical details, turning ceramic artistry into an eCommerce achievement

Working closely with clay kyiv, the team transformed their vision into a functional Shopify store that effectively pitched their unique products to a digitally savvy audience. The implementation successfully balanced technical requirements with brand authenticity, creating an online presence that resonated with customers seeking handcrafted ceramic art.

Long-Term Partnership

What started as a store setup project turned into a lasting collaboration. For the past two years, the Grodas team has continued to support clay kyiv with ongoing tasks and has continuously improved store performance. This partnership allows our client to focus on their business while their eCommerce presence grows with them, keeping their online identity as authentic and impactful as their handcrafted ceramics.

Technologies and tools we used:

Development technologies: HTML5, JavaScript, CSS3, Liquid, Shopify API

Project management tools: Jira, Slack, Google Workspace

What Our Client Says

"They are great! They were not interested in extra tasks to earn more money, on the contrary, they suggested what could be optimized."

Owner, clay kyiv