New e‑commerce with department-specific carts for DFS Ship Shop
Donsö Fiskeredskap Skeppsfurnering (DFS) has over 70 years of experience delivering marine products and equipment to fishing vessels and maritime services. With a strong focus on quality and service, their webshop Ship Shop plays a central role in simplifying customer purchases.
Their previous e‑commerce solution was both buggy and difficult to manage, creating challenges for both customers and internal processes. DFS needed a platform that is user-friendly, high-performing, and tailored to the specific needs of the business. Together with Webbhuset, a composable solution was developed in Fusion Storefront – a customized version of DFS's webshop. The solution is optimized for future changes and supports department-specific carts, making it both flexible and sustainable for continued growth.
Previous limitations and inefficiency
DFS previously had an e‑commerce platform built on Magento, but managing products was both time-consuming and inefficient. Information had to be manually updated in both the company's business system and Magento, leading to unnecessary extra work and increased risk of errors. Additionally, the user experience was frustrating for customers as the site was difficult to navigate, had poor performance, and often logged out users automatically.
During the initial study, it became clear that DFS needed a stable, fast, and user-friendly webshop with a few well-adapted features – including an efficient solution for the vessels' purchasing processes.
DFS's new e‑commerce – built for simplicity and growth
Webbhuset approached the project with the ambition of creating a platform that met DFS's needs and resolved their previous challenges. The solution was built in Fusion Storefront, a composable architecture optimized for future changes, providing DFS with a flexible and sustainable e‑commerce platform.
The new webshop offers several key improvements. The checkout has been simplified with a UX design that minimizes the number of steps for a smoother purchasing experience. Navigation has been improved with an optimized category structure and clearer product listings that make it easier for customers to find what they need. The visual upgrade ensures that the webshop follows DFS's graphic profile and provides a unified expression.
One of the biggest benefits of the new platform is that DFS now has a flexible solution where they can easily manage their products in a spreadsheet integrated with both business system Visma and Webbhuset's CMS. This has minimized administration and created a system that is scalable and easy to further develop. In addition to improved navigation and performance, one of the biggest changes was the new structure for the vessels' purchases – a solution where different departments can manage their orders separately.
With an improved user experience, clearer navigation, and department-specific carts, Webbhuset's solution makes the purchasing process smoother for the crews of the vessels.
More efficient purchasing process with department-specific carts
In addition to building a new e‑commerce that was stable, fast, and user-friendly, there was an additional need to create a solution for department-specific carts. To meet this, a structure was developed where each vessel can divide its purchases into three separate carts based on department: deck, engine, and galley.
When a ship logs into DFS's webshop Ship Shop, users can choose to create a joint cart for the entire vessel or distribute orders among the three departments. This allows different people to add products to the respective cart over an extended period without completing the purchase immediately. At the end of the month, a responsible individual, such as a chief engineer, can review and finalize all purchases.
This structure has made the purchasing process more efficient by keeping products organized and clearly divided between departments. Instead of giving each employee their own login, the entire vessel now has a shared account with the ability to categorize purchases in the different carts. This not only simplifies the use of the webshop but also creates better overview and structure in the vessels' purchasing processes.
From idea to finished solution with a focus on user experience
The project was successful thanks to close collaboration between Webbhuset and DFS. By working iteratively and testing different interfaces early in the process, the team could ensure that the solution truly met DFS's needs.
The close dialogue between Webbhuset and DFS was crucial for creating a smooth and efficient e‑commerce experience. Clear communication and a shared understanding of the challenges allowed the project to be executed with high precision and quality.
To optimize the user experience, the team focused on creating a fast and intuitive webshop where customers can easily navigate through the inventory, add products to the cart, and save favorites. Special emphasis was placed on developing a powerful search function and a clear category structure.
The new webshop was launched in the fall of 2024 and has received positive feedback from customers. The platform is built to handle DFS's unique needs and can easily be adapted as the business evolves.
Visit DFS's new e‑commerce Ship Shop.
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