How Atlas built a ‘simple’ CPG store

A behind-the-scenes look at how we rebuilt Atlas' Shopify store to maximize AOV and create repeat customers.

Hey, it’s Cam from Platter 👋 

Instead of the usual listicle-style issue I send on Thursdays, I’m mixing it up and going behind the scenes with Atlas, one of the latest brands we’ve worked with.

Before we dive in, a quick note on something important happening at Platter👇

Support Ben and fight cancer together

Our Co-Founder and CEO, Ben, is stepping into the ring for Haymakers for Hope NYC XIII, a charity boxing event raising funds for cancer research.

We’re inviting a select group of partners to join us as VIP Sponsors for the event — it’s a unique and meaningful evening for a cause that hits close to home.

The Story Behind Atlas

Atlas was founded by James Oliver. He was training for Ironmans, traveling, trying to eat clean, and couldn’t find a protein bar that wasn’t full of junk.

So he started making his own. Literally by hand. He kept making them for himself… and eventually, for others too.

James selling bars from the trunk of his car.

The brand got traction pretty quick. They built an ecommerce store and started selling on Amazon. Over time, Amazon started to scale. But that channel comes with some tradeoffs. They weren’t able to offer bundles or subscriptions.

The homepage of the original store.

The Struggle

When James connected with the Platter team, he was running on a Shopify store he’d built himself. It worked, but it wasn’t performing well enough.

He described his old store as "slapped together" and “messy and clunky”. There were functional and branding issues with their existing website. The UI of the bundle builder was reliant on a third-party app that made it really clunky.

So, it was time to start fresh and rebuild.

The Strategy

The goal was simple — educate visitors and turn them into repeat customers.

We rethought the entire user journey, centering it around the Build Your Bundle page page to get the highest possible AOV. Unlike Amazon, this is where Atlas could really increase order size with their “Buy 4, Get 1 Free” incentive.

This all started on the homepage. The primary CTA in the hero drives customers to their bundle builder. And content below the fold is paired with a secondary CTA nudging them to build a bundle and get one free.

Atlas’ new homepage.

The Design

The Platter design team took a minimalist approach to the new Atlas store. The previous site was colorful and busy, so they wanted to create a clean, simple aesthetic that would let the product stand out.

One key design element was the "Free Box" indicator in the bundle builder. This visual cue helped highlight the "Buy 4, Get 1 Free" offer in a clear and visual way.

Atlas’ bundle page.

Beyond the bundle builder, the team also focused on educating customers throughout their shopping journey. On the product page Atlas highlights the natural ingredients.

Ingredient section below the fold on Atlas’ product page.

Second ingredient section below the fold on Atlas’ product page.

The Development

Under the hood, the Atlas store had some unique technical requirements. The team had to get creative to accommodate their specific bundle logic.

For example, they built custom functionality to ensure customers could only purchase subscriptions with the same frequency. This prevented headaches for the Atlas team when it came to fulfillment.

Custom subscription functionality built for Atlas’ cart.

We also developed a clever cross-sell feature that only showed flavor variants not already in the customer's cart.

Cross-sell logic in the cart to ensure only SKUs not in the cart are recommended.

Although it looks simple, the build went far beyond standard Shopify theme work to deliver the store Atlas was looking for. It’s a great example of how Platter can use our unique technical expertise to solve complex problems for ecom brands.

The Feedback

It’s only been a month since Atlas published their new store in September, but the early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

In James’ own words:

“This is the best quality of work we’ve received from a web design agency.”

"This is the exceptional execution that perfectly captures the Atlas brand strategy."

"You’ve been the best agency we’ve worked with, and that’s saying something.”

Wrap Up

The Atlas project showcases how Platter can take a brand from a homemade Shopify site to a high-performing, custom-designed ecommerce experience.

If you’re thinking about building (or rebuilding) your Shopify store, reply to this email or book a call.