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FTATV web design concept

Challenges Faced

With a growing reputation in firearms training, FTA needed a robust digital presence to match its expanding course offerings and distinguished brand. Their previous Drupal-based site, while foundational, lacked the flexibility to support their growth. The platform’s outdated design and limited mobile optimization restricted FTA’s ability to engage users across devices and didn’t fully showcase their industry expertise or appeal to new audiences.

As FTA expanded its class variety, the older platform couldn’t accommodate diverse course types or an intuitive enrollment process, making it difficult for users to easily navigate options. The website’s lack of modern SEO practices also limited FTA’s search visibility, impacting their ability to reach a wider audience in an increasingly competitive field.

The previous website also lacked user-friendly features and an engaging user experience. Prospective customers exploring training options couldn’t easily navigate between the courses, services, or educational content. Our redesign goal is to incorporate features and interactive elements that educate users on FTA’s offerings while keeping them engaged. By creating a seamless experience, we aim to make it easy for users to learn about FTA’s expertise, services, and diverse training options, a vision the previous site could not fully support.

Partnering with MAKDigital, an experienced BigCommerce agency, FTA worked with our BigCommerce developers to smoothly transition content from Drupal to BigCommerce. This complex data migration included transferring essential content—such as a large library of video resources, detailed course information, and customer data—onto a new, scalable platform while preserving data integrity. FTA also aspired to foster community interaction through forums and other interactive tools, which required a flexible platform like BigCommerce to support these new engagement features. This combination of growth goals and brand prestige necessitated a modern platform that could scale with their expanding audience while reinforcing FTA’s authority in the firearms training industry.

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Custom Templates + Webpages:

Services Completed:

Applications & Integrations:

FTATV BigCommerce Case Study
  • Home Page
  • Category Page
  • Product Page

Actions Taken

To address FTA’s challenges with their outdated Drupal website, we executed a comprehensive migration to BigCommerce, a platform capable of supporting FTA's expanding training business. Our BigCommerce developers managed the seamless transfer of critical data—including course information, schedules, photos, videos, and customer details—ensuring complete data integrity and building a stable foundation for future growth.

Our expert BigCommerce designers crafted a modern, responsive layout using BigCommerce Stencil to provide flexibility and customization options. The layout emphasizes FTA’s authority in firearms training, offering an intuitive course catalog and a streamlined enrollment process. With BigCommerce speed optimization and a mobile-responsive approach, the website ensures fast load times and accessibility across devices, enhancing user experience.

To further enhance functionality, we introduced custom features to engage users and streamline navigation. A custom gallery with infinite scroll allows FTA to display extensive visual content, while category pages present classes as lists or within a calendar view, making it easier for users to find suitable schedules. Additionally, custom product pages enable users to enroll fully or reserve courses with a $50 deposit, offering flexibility and improving the sign-up process.

We also developed a React-based side cart, designed to provide seamless real-time updates without requiring page redirects, allowing users to complete sign-ups without frustration. For added security, we implemented Rewind, which automatically backs up data, ensuring quick recovery if needed.

This fully optimized BigCommerce website, complete with enhanced navigation and speed features, equips FTA with a dynamic digital presence, positioning them as a leading provider in the firearms training sector.

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Custom Features & Functionality

  • Tailored Mega Navigation: A personalized mega navigation system designed to enhance user navigation.
  • Specialized Sold-Out Product Page: An exclusive product page template for sold-out items, offering alternative product options.
  • Personalized Searchanise Integration: A custom implementation of Searchanise for instantaneous search and advanced product filtering.
  • Instant Account Signup Popup: A swift account signup popup created as an independent React component, simplifying the account creation process.
FTATV BigCommerce features list

Expected Results

With the newly optimized BigCommerce platform, FTA is well-positioned to establish a dynamic digital presence that aligns with their expanding course offerings and authority in firearms training. By modernizing their user interface, enhancing mobile responsiveness, and integrating BigCommerce SEO practices, we anticipate a boost in sales, improved search rankings, increasing FTA's visibility to new audiences.

The intuitive navigation, enriched with custom features like the side cart, infinite scroll gallery, and streamlined enrollment options, will likely foster greater user engagement and course sign-ups. Additionally, the educational elements within the site are expected to boost user retention, encouraging prospective clients to explore FTA’s expertise comprehensively. The robust, user-friendly design creates a more cohesive customer journey, which is expected to solidify FTA’s reputation as a leading provider in the competitive firearms training industry.

With our BigCommerce Retainer Services, FTA can rely on ongoing support and optimization, ensuring their website stays competitive and performs at its best. Regular data backups via Rewind also secure the site’s stability and reliability, empowering FTA to grow confidently in a competitive digital landscape.

Website redesign wire-frame

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FTATV.com BigCommerce Website Redesign and BigCommerce Platform Migration: Everything You Need to Know About the FTATV.com Digital Transformation

  • Why did Firearms Training Associates (FTA) decide to migrate from Drupal to BigCommerce?

    FTA's existing Drupal-based website was outdated, difficult to manage, and lacked essential eCommerce features needed to support their expanding course catalog and growing customer base. BigCommerce offered a modern, scalable solution that could streamline their operations and enhance the overall customer journey.

  • What were the key challenges FTA faced with their previous Drupal-based website?

    The Drupal-based website struggled to handle the increasing volume of course enrollments, manage a growing library of video content, and provide a seamless user experience. It was also cumbersome to manage and lacked the necessary eCommerce features to support FTA’s growth.

  • How did the migration to BigCommerce improve FTA’s online platform?

    The migration to BigCommerce provided FTA with a robust, scalable platform that included a user-friendly course catalog, a simplified enrollment process, and robust eCommerce capabilities. The new platform also ensured the website was mobile-responsive, improving accessibility for learners on various devices.

  • What custom features were implemented on the new FTA BigCommerce website?

    Several custom features were developed, including a Custom Gallery React Component for infinite image scrolling, a complex dropdown navigation menu with category images and a calendar schedule, and various custom category views to display products as classes or as a calendar schedule.

  • How did the new website design reflect FTA’s brand identity?

    Leveraging BigCommerce’s Stencil theme framework, the website was redesigned to reflect FTA’s professionalism and expertise in firearms training. The design incorporated a clean, professional aesthetic with bold typography and impactful imagery, aligned with industry standards to convey authority and trust.

  • What role did BigCommerce’s built-in features play in the website’s success?

    BigCommerce’s built-in eCommerce features were crucial in ensuring secure transactions, effective inventory management, and robust customer relationship management. These features helped streamline FTA’s operations and improve the overall customer experience.

  • How did the new platform enhance FTA’s customer engagement?

    The new platform included features like a custom product page that allows for both full course purchases and deposits, as well as a custom React component for the side cart. Additionally, the platform's design incorporated community engagement elements, such as discussion forums, to create a more enriching learning environment.

  • What was the impact of the migration and redesign on FTA’s business?

    The successful migration and redesign equipped FTA with a modern, scalable, and user-friendly eCommerce platform. This transformation enabled them to expand their reach, better serve their growing customer base, and establish themselves as a leader in the digital firearms training landscape.

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