Overview
Surplus Furniture and Mattress Warehouse, a leading Canadian retailer, had built a reputation on offering quality furniture and mattresses at unbeatable prices across nearly 50 locations. But while their in-store operations thrived, their Magento 2 online platform lagged behind. Customers faced broken Quickview functionality, ineffective category filters, and incompatible configurable product tools like the Flexity calculator. Cross-sell features like “Complete Your Room” were constrained, and checkout integration with Moneris, coupled with DynamicsNAV syncing, demanded extensive customization. Email campaigns via Mailchimp lacked consistency, and operational inefficiencies were quietly eroding revenue.
WebDesk Solution approached the project not as a simple redesign, but as a full-scale digital transformation. Our goal was to optimize the Magento ecosystem, integrate third-party tools seamlessly, and streamline both frontend and backend operations. By combining advanced UX design, custom Magento development, and enterprise-level ERP integration, we aimed to deliver a high-performance, scalable online experience that enhanced conversion, operational efficiency, and overall customer confidence.
Approach
Matt and Mark knew that in an ecosystem this complex, even a small change could ripple across dozens of locations and disrupt operations. The Magento platform powered 49 stores with independent inventory, location-based pricing, and interconnected data flows. Rather than rushing a redesign, WebDesk started by unpacking the full system complexity, documenting dependencies, and identifying friction points from both a technical and customer perspective.
We focused first on stability, ensuring that all backend operations, from inventory to financing options, remained intact, then gradually introduced optimization and enhancement. By developing a structured, retainer-based partnership, we could take full ownership of the ecosystem, establishing trust and providing transparency.
As the project evolved, WebDesk applied a holistic strategy: reengineering category and product pages for confidence and discoverability, developing a multi-step checkout that supported store-specific logistics and dual payment methods, and creating backend tools for scalable cross-selling. Third-party integrations like Moneris, DynamicsNAV, and Mailchimp were optimized to flow seamlessly with Magento. Every enhancement was guided by usability, performance, and operational control, resulting in a platform that felt intuitive to customers yet sophisticated behind the scenes.
Challenges
Fragmented Category Discovery and UI Undermining Purchase Confidence
Surplus Furniture’s category pages, intended as the starting point for most customer journeys, were fragmented and inconsistent, creating significant friction during product discovery. Quickview features frequently failed or were disconnected from the product pages, forcing customers to leave the category view to evaluate products. Filters were poorly aligned with inventory logic, leading to zero-result searches and wasted effort. Combined with inconsistent UI across navigation, category, and product pages, customers struggled to understand pricing variations, financing options, or availability. This fragmented experience slowed decision-making, weakened trust, and directly affected conversion potential, requiring a comprehensive, user-focused redesign.
Outdated and Incomplete Checkout Flow Jeopardizing Customer Experience
The standard Magento checkout could not accommodate Surplus Furniture’s complex multi-location operations. Each of the 49 store locations had unique pickup rules, hours, and delivery options, yet the checkout lacked dynamic visibility for these store-specific details. Customers were often left guessing which store their order would come from or how much delivery would cost, increasing the likelihood of failed transactions. Adding dual payment methods, credit cards, and Flexiti financing, without disrupting the flow further complicated matters. The lack of backend configurability forced manual updates and increased operational risk, requiring a flexible, guided, multi-step checkout experience that combined clarity, control, and scalability.
Fragmented Offline Order Payments Increasing Operational Risk
Surplus Furniture’s offline orders were largely disconnected from the online Magento system, creating risks for both the business and its customers. Without a secure, integrated workflow, customers struggled to pay for in-store or phone orders online, while internal teams faced inconsistent records, delayed revenue recognition, and higher administrative overhead. Sensitive payment data had to be handled carefully, but no automated system existed to reconcile transactions with DynamicsNAV or Moneris. This lack of integration increased operational friction, risked customer trust, and left the company vulnerable to errors, necessitating a secure, real-time API-driven solution that linked offline order payments directly to the backend ecosystem.
Backend Limitations Restricting Cross-Selling and “Complete Your Room” Functionality
Surplus Furniture’s default Magento backend lacked the flexibility to support advanced merchandising features like “Complete Your Room.” Category-based cross-selling was constrained, making it difficult for administrators to curate complementary products efficiently. This limitation impacted average order value, reduced upsell opportunities, and restricted the ability to create dynamic product pairings. Without backend controls for flexible grid management, scaling the cross-selling strategy across multiple product categories became error-prone and time-consuming, creating operational inefficiencies while preventing the site from maximizing its revenue potential.
Misalignment Between Product Availability and Frontend Presentation
Inventory management inconsistencies meant that clearance items with zero stock remained visible and even purchasable on the frontend. With DynamicsNAV as the central ERP, real-time stock synchronization with Magento was absent, resulting in failed orders and frustrated customers. This misalignment not only harmed user experience but also increased refund requests and operational strain on fulfillment teams. Surplus Furniture required a robust solution that could automatically reconcile ERP data with frontend availability, protecting customer trust, reducing administrative burden, and ensuring the website consistently reflected accurate product availability.
Key Metrics
Solutions
Unified, Intuitive Shopping Experience for Faster, Confident Purchases
WebDesk Solution completely reimagined Surplus Furniture’s shopping journey, transforming category and product discovery into a seamless, confident experience. The Quickview functionality, previously unreliable, was rebuilt from the ground up to mirror product detail pages, displaying high-resolution images, pricing variations, Flexiti financing options, and product availability in real time. Sidebar filters were reconfigured to align dynamically with inventory and product logic, eliminating zero-result searches and guiding users to relevant products instantly.
Beyond functionality, the interface was modernized with a clear visual hierarchy and deliberate layouts. Product cards now surface essential information such as warehouse versus clearance pricing, monthly payment options, and stock availability, enabling shoppers to make informed decisions without leaving the category page. Category landing pages and the homepage were redesigned to enhance discoverability, highlight ongoing promotions, and guide visitors through a logical, conversion-focused journey. Product pages were enhanced with larger galleries, interactive zoom, and a structured breakdown of key features and financing options.
These improvements were not just cosmetic; they fundamentally restored customer confidence, accelerated decision-making, and reinforced trust in the brand. By turning browsing into a guided, intuitive experience, Surplus Furniture’s platform now converts interest into action efficiently, setting a foundation for higher engagement, repeat visits, and sustained growth across all locations.
Secure Bi-Directional NAV ERP ↔ Magento API with Moneris Checkout for Offline Orders
To address the challenges of offline orders across 49 locations, WebDesk developed a fully secure, bi-directional API connecting Magento, DynamicsNAV, and Moneris. Offline orders, which previously caused friction and operational errors, are now automatically detected through scheduled cron jobs that identify pending payments. Customers receive a secure email with a dedicated checkout link, which first verifies authenticity via Order ID, name, and ZIP code.
The checkout page integrates a Moneris iframe for secure payment, allowing customers to choose full or partial payments. Completed transactions are immediately synchronized with DynamicsNAV across all locations, updating paid and outstanding balances in real time. This eliminated manual tracking, reduced administrative overhead, and mitigated the risk of lost or mismanaged payments.
The system was designed for scalability, supporting multiple stores with distinct configurations and operational rules, while providing Surplus Furniture staff full control over workflows without developer intervention. The secure, automated process ensures that offline orders no longer disrupt operations, improves accuracy, and maintains customer trust, creating a reliable bridge between physical and digital commerce.
Custom, Multi-Step Checkout Engine for Clarity, Flexibility, and Backend Control
WebDesk Solution engineered a fully custom, multi-step checkout tailored to Surplus Furniture’s operational complexity and customer journey. Step one dynamically pulls store-specific data from the Magento backend, presenting current store hours, pickup options, and third-party delivery rules. The interface highlights the store name, address, and phone number, ensuring customers have complete clarity before placing an order.
Customers choosing delivery can add instructions or notes, while the checkout intelligently calculates costs and availability per store. Step two presents a visually balanced order summary, showing cart details alongside the selected payment method (Credit Card or Flexiti financing). Switching between payment options is seamless, and no information is lost or duplicated.
Every element, from spacing and typography to backend configuration, was intentionally crafted to maintain usability and reduce friction. Administrators can update store hours, delivery details, and messaging without developer support, giving Surplus Furniture operational autonomy at scale. This custom checkout combines clarity for customers with flexible backend control, transforming a previously rigid and error-prone flow into a reliable, scalable engine optimized for both conversion and operational efficiency.
Custom Backend Product Grid Empowering “Complete Your Room” Cross-Selling
WebDesk developed a robust custom backend module to address Surplus Furniture’s limited cross-selling capabilities. The “Complete Your Room” feature, previously constrained by Magento’s default grid, was redesigned to allow dynamic, category-based product pairings. Administrators can now select categories, define product bundles, and adjust grid layouts without coding, enabling seamless merchandising that scales across multiple product lines.
On the frontend, customers experience visually cohesive, logically organized bundles that encourage higher-value purchases. The module also supports promotional overlays and inventory-aware selection, ensuring products displayed are in stock and relevant. By automating and simplifying backend workflows, Surplus Furniture can maintain consistent cross-selling campaigns while freeing staff from error-prone manual updates.
This solution not only improves average order value but also strengthens the brand’s ability to guide customers toward complementary products, creating a richer shopping experience and reinforcing the perception of a curated, professionally designed store. The platform now supports scalable cross-selling strategies that grow alongside the business.
Automated Dynamic Inventory Control for Accurate Stock Visibility
Surplus Furniture faced frequent issues with clearance items or zero-stock products remaining visible on the frontend, confusing customers and creating failed orders. WebDesk implemented an automated synchronization module linking Magento to DynamicsNAV. The system continuously monitors stock levels and automatically removes out-of-stock clearance items from the frontend.
This approach eliminates manual updates, reduces errors, and ensures customers only see available products. By maintaining accurate, real-time inventory visibility, Surplus Furniture protects customer trust, reduces refund requests, and enhances the overall shopping experience. Administrators gain operational confidence, knowing inventory presentation aligns with physical stock at all times.
Additionally, the solution was designed with scalability in mind. As new locations, warehouses, or product lines are added, the module adapts seamlessly, ensuring accurate product visibility across all categories and stores without additional development effort. The result is a consistent, reliable, and automated process that minimizes friction, operational strain, and revenue risk.
Integrated, Intelligent Pricing and Promotions Engine for Maximum Revenue
Recognizing the complexity of managing pricing and promotions across 49 locations, WebDesk implemented a fully dynamic pricing and promotion engine within Magento. This engine allows Surplus Furniture to define advanced rules based on product attributes, customer segments, order quantities, bundles, seasonal campaigns, and conditional logic.
The system automatically applies discounts, bundles, and promotional offers across all storefronts and touchpoints, ensuring consistent and accurate pricing for every customer. Marketing and sales teams can experiment with campaigns without developer intervention, enabling rapid responses to market trends and seasonal opportunities.
Beyond automation, the engine tracks promotional effectiveness, delivering actionable insights that optimize revenue generation. By eliminating manual updates, operational errors are reduced, and administrative overhead is minimized. The platform now balances operational control with revenue optimization, giving Surplus Furniture the tools to maximize profitability while maintaining an exceptional, seamless customer experience.
Outcomes / Results
Conversion Rate: Increased by 7.82% within the first month post-launch
The website redesign and improved user experience helped visitors move through the purchase process more smoothly. As a result, conversion rates rose by 7.82% in just the first month, showing stronger alignment between user intent and actionable pathways.
Customer Engagement: Improved by 9.34% within 30 days
Enhanced storytelling, intuitive navigation, and responsive layouts encouraged visitors to explore more content. Within the first 30 days, overall customer engagement increased by 9.34%, indicating that users were spending more time interacting with the brand.
Order Volume: Increased by 18.21% within the first quarter post-launch
With clearer product presentation and simplified checkout flows, customers completed more purchases. Over the first quarter, order volume grew by 18.21%, reflecting both improved usability and higher customer confidence in the website.
Average Order Value: Increased by 15.76%
Strategically structured product options, upsell placements, and a more engaging experience led to larger purchases. This contributed to an average order value increase of 15.76%, demonstrating the site’s effectiveness in driving higher-value transactions.
Conclusion
WebDesk Solution transformed Surplus Furniture’s Magento 2 ecosystem into a scalable, intelligent, and customer-focused platform. By addressing fragmented category discovery, backend limitations, offline order friction, checkout complexity, and inventory challenges, we rebuilt the platform around clarity, trust, and operational efficiency.
Customers now enjoy an intuitive shopping journey from discovery to checkout, while admins maintain full control over multi-location operations, cross-selling, and inventory management. The platform supports complex payment flows, third-party integrations, and dynamic promotional strategies, all within a future-ready Magento framework. Surplus Furniture can now scale confidently, increase conversion, and deliver a premium shopping experience that mirrors its in-store reputation.
