Argon Audio originated from HiFi Klubben. For many years, it was the store's own brand. The products were developed in collaboration with experienced employees and based on customer input.
Five years ago, Argon Audio became an independent company. The products are still sold in HiFi Klubben stores across five countries, but the rest of Europe has also become an important part of the strategy over time.
Argon Audio is particularly known for its active speakers, but it also sells a large number of traditional passive speakers, subwoofers, and turntables (a trend that is not yet at its peak). All products offer a range of features that ensure a great sound experience, both at home and for those who consider good sound to be a science. Argon Audio excels in serious hi-fi, where price, user-friendliness, and design are in harmony. The mission is to spread high-quality products at a good price.
However, the focus is still on everyday use, and all speakers are therefore easy to use and integrate into the home decor.
In addition to great sound and its many accompanying features, Argon Audio also focuses on design. The speakers exude Scandinavian simplicity, minimalism, and an eye for detail. They should not stand out, appear bulky, or out of place. Therefore, with any speaker from Argon Audio, you will discover how a great sound experience and sleek design can go hand in hand.
For Argon Audio, the goal is to bring this cohesion to the rest of Europe, especially in markets where HiFi Klubben is not present. In the past, this was achieved through a large number of backends in Shopify dedicated to each market. However, today the approach is fortunately different. With a need for a more efficient expansion strategy and localized websites that encompass everything from language to currency, Argon Audio has replaced the multiple backends in Shopify with a unified backend using Shopify Markets.
"At Argon Audio, we have one particular requirement - we want a technical partner and not just a Shopify agency that takes over and executes everything. We want ideas, creativity, high expertise, and above all, honesty.
Therefore, we were looking for a collaborator who, from day one, was capable of discussing the technical aspects of Shopify. At Argon Audio, we have significant experience with Shopify and a general technical background, so it's important to find a partner who can understand our level of competence and challenge us where it makes the most sense, while also being open to receiving challenges from us. And we found that partner in Mads from MCB.
Throughout the process with Mads, we have managed to create a really great solution based on efficient collaboration. There have never been unnecessary meetings, and ideas - even those requiring custom solutions have been quickly executed."
MIKKEL PAPE, MARKETING & ECOMMERCE MANAGER AT ARGON AUDIO
Argon Audio previously had multiple backends to maintain as traditional multi-stores. Such a setup provides flexibility but also administrative challenges and additional costs. It involves more manual work, repetitive workflows, and reduced efficiency. That's why Shopify Markets is an ideal option, especially when Argon Audio aims for further expansion in Europe.
Shopify Markets is an e-commerce solution that now exists as a standard suite of features in all Shopify shops. It allows for international scaling from the same backend. From there, you can customize store layouts for local conditions, calculate duties and taxes, and manage the complexity typically associated with international trade.
In addition to transitioning from multi-stores to Shopify Markets, Argon Audio underwent a store relaunch with a customized theme. Although there are various Shopify themes available, Argon Audio needed additional functionality.
This need is particularly evident with data-driven and dynamic product templates and landing pages. This means that Argon Audio no longer has to build a new template for each product. Instead, the same template is used, including in different language versions.
All product pages feature the same selectable objects, ensuring a streamlined display while making it easier to adjust individual objects across products. This also simplifies the addition of new products, additional information, and translations for different language layers.
Argon Audio's products are complex, and often it's the small features that differentiate them. Therefore, it can be challenging to get an overview of the differences between models. Hence, a simple comparison of specifications becomes necessary.
In the chosen Shopify theme, there was already a standard comparison function. However, it was not comprehensive and required manual work. Therefore, the function has been further developed to dynamically display data fetched from MetaFields and styled to match the overall look of the store.
All data is associated with a product. The information that was previously placed in the theme is now placed on the product itself, making the handling more flexible. This is done through a brand new feature called MetaObjects, to which MCB granted Argon Audio early access. This involves central data that can be used on both products, landing pages, and other modules.
In the new custom theme, adjustments and additions have also been made to both the main menu and sub-menu.
The main menu invites users into an inspiring universe with environmental images instead of the traditional text-based view. The images are displayed through product grids, aiming to highlight content and lifestyle images throughout the store to support Argon Audio's brand value.
The sub-menu intends to nudge users and direct them to the relevant sections. It appears on all product pages. Given that these pages can be extensive and require scrolling, especially on mobile devices, the sub-menu enhances user-friendliness by allowing users to jump between different sections. This can include reviews, specifications, or FAQs.
According to MCB and Argon Audio, the answer is 'yes'. Internally, Shopify Markets is the ideal solution for scaling and expansion while being economically advantageous, time-efficient, and streamlined in its workflow.
It is a revolution from Shopify, but also something that will revolutionize the way we do international business.
The solution with Shopify Markets is still new for Argon Audio, but with an increase in conversion rates, the results for the store look positive. This can be attributed to the new and updated design that focuses on user-friendliness, nudging, and creating a pleasant atmosphere through visual materials. Additionally, features such as international language, currency, and delivery options that cater to the specific target audience, along with the credibility provided by reviews from reputable audio magazines and highlighting FAQs, contribute to the favorable outcomes.
Now, a few months of adjusting to new habits and making small tweaks to the store are ahead after the major transformation. The new structure needs to be incorporated, and the strategy needs to be developed for even more European markets, which can be made easier than ever with a simple approach to localized pages.
Argon Audio is ready. So, the question is, is Europe ready?
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