Case Study · Shopify Replatform

How CarBahn Doubled ConversionAfter Replatforming to Shopify

Red Van migrated CarBahn from WordPress and WooCommerce to Shopify to fix slow load times, low conversion, and abandoned carts. Since launch, CarBahn has recorded its biggest online sales month ever, with conversion twice its previous rate and a 105% increase in organic search traffic.

Who is CarBahn?

CarBahn is the premier destination for BMW, Audi, and Mercedes tuning, engines, and vehicle modifications, founded by world-class performance engineer and driver Steve Dinan.

CarBahn designs and sells best-in-class aftermarket upgrades, from engine modifications to suspension enhancements, engineered for optimal performance and reliability. Its customers range from executives and luxury commuters to young DIY car enthusiasts, which means the storefront has to serve both a considered high-ticket purchase and a fast, confident parts reorder.

What problem did CarBahn need to solve?

CarBahn's WordPress and WooCommerce storefront could not deliver the cohesive customer journey, site speed, or ecommerce performance its direct-to-consumer growth plan required.

Slow load times and limited search capabilities hindered the customer experience. Conversion sat well below industry standard, and a disjointed experience between the commerce and content platforms left sales on the table. A notable volume of unconverted carts signaled real intent meeting friction and a lack of trust at checkout. The platform was not built to scale as demand grew, which made further investment in the direct-to-consumer (D2C) business hard to justify.

Requirements that defined the project

Replace WordPress and WooCommerce with a modern commerce platform
Improve site speed and on-site search
Lift a conversion rate sitting below industry benchmark
Reduce cart abandonment and rebuild trust at checkout
Lay groundwork for ERP integration for pricing and inventory
Scale the D2C business without replatforming again

How did Red Van solve it?

Red Van replatformed CarBahn from WordPress and WooCommerce to Shopify, then rebuilt the storefront around speed, navigation, and checkout.

The work went beyond deploying new infrastructure. Red Van advised on third-party integrations and commerce operations so the launch established a foundation for long-term growth rather than solving a single problem. The new site was also prepared for an ERP integration that will automate pricing and inventory management as the catalog expands.

What the project included

Shopify Migration

Full migration of catalog, content, and customer data from WordPress and WooCommerce to Shopify, activating Shopify's modern ecommerce capabilities on a faster, more reliable platform.

Storefront and Navigation Rebuild

A modern storefront optimized for speed and ease of navigation, so customers can find and buy the right performance parts without the friction of the previous experience.

Checkout and Payment Expansion

Broader payment options including Venmo, PayPal, and Shop Pay, plus Shop Pay purchase financing, to reduce checkout friction and convert high-ticket intent.

Abandoned Cart Recovery

Shopify's native abandoned cart program activated to recover the carts that previously went unconverted on the WooCommerce site.

ERP-Ready Architecture

Groundwork laid for an ERP integration to automate pricing and inventory management as CarBahn's product line grows.

Strategic Commerce Consulting

Guidance on third-party integrations and commerce operations, so CarBahn launched with a platform decision it will not have to revisit in two years.

What were the results?

CarBahn recorded its biggest online sales month ever shortly after launch, setting record highs in revenue, order count, conversion rate, and traffic. Conversion came in at two times the previous rate, with a dramatic increase in average order size. A 105% increase in organic search traffic, driven by the upgraded site architecture and steadily improving SEO rankings, brought more qualified demand to the new storefront.

Conversion rate two times higher than on the previous platform
105% increase in organic search traffic
Shopify's abandoned cart feature contributing 10% of site demand
Biggest online sales month in company history
Dramatic increase in average order size
Steadily improving SEO rankings from upgraded site architecture
Broader payment adoption across Venmo, PayPal, and Shop Pay
Less time spent on storefront upkeep, more on product development

What once ran on a fragmented WordPress and WooCommerce stack now runs on Shopify, with faster pages, higher conversion, and a team spending its time on products instead of storefront maintenance. Shop Pay purchase financing is expected to convert more of the remaining abandoned carts as adoption grows.

“This is the website we've been waiting for all along. This site makes telling the story of CarBahn even easier and gives our customers access to the performance they've been waiting for and an experience they can trust.”

Zachary Burgeson, Chief Marketing Officer, CarBahn

Frequently asked questions

Why did CarBahn move from WooCommerce to Shopify?

CarBahn moved because its WordPress and WooCommerce site had slow load times, limited search, a conversion rate well below industry standard, and no clear path to scale. Shopify gave CarBahn a faster platform, native abandoned cart recovery, and broader payment options that supported its direct-to-consumer growth plan.

What results did CarBahn see after replatforming to Shopify?

CarBahn recorded its biggest online sales month ever after launch, setting records in revenue, order count, conversion rate, and traffic. Conversion doubled against the previous site, organic search traffic rose 105%, average order size increased, and Shopify's abandoned cart feature now contributes 10% of site demand.

Does replatforming to Shopify hurt SEO?

It does not have to. CarBahn's organic search traffic increased 105% after moving off WordPress, with rankings improving steadily. The gain came from cleaner site architecture, faster load times, and disciplined URL and redirect planning during migration. Migrations lose traffic when that planning is skipped, not because of Shopify.

Can Shopify handle an automotive aftermarket catalog and ERP integration?

Yes. Red Van built CarBahn's Shopify store around its performance parts catalog and laid the groundwork for an ERP integration to automate pricing and inventory management. Shopify's product management tools also cut the daily storefront upkeep CarBahn's team previously absorbed, freeing time for product development.