Boston Proper Cuts Costs and Boosts Conversion with Shopify Migration

Project Background

Since 1992, Boston Proper has built its reputation on print catalog sales for women over forty. The brand focused on head-to-toe looks and printed a catalog that drove the majority of its revenue. Yet as online shopping grew, the team saw sales shift to digital channels. By 2021, their CFO, Adrian Miramontes, realized the existing custom codebase was too tied to catalog logic. Adding new features required months of work. A fresh infrastructure was needed.

Key Challenges

Their in-house platform allowed total control over checkout, but updates moved at a snail’s pace. The code had become a tangled mess. Every time the team tried to add a new payment method or tweak the checkout flow, it took 6 to 9 months. That delayed launches, hurt conversion rates, and increased costs. Marketing, inventory, and customer data couldn’t sync smoothly because everything was built around legacy catalog models.

Choosing a New Platform

After evaluating Salesforce and BigCommerce, Boston Proper settled on Shopify Plus. They valued the mix of ready-made features, an app ecosystem, and robust architecture. Adrian explains they wanted to run a retail business, not a tech shop. With Shopify, they could launch new features in minutes instead of waiting months. P3 Media came on board to manage the migration project, coordinating website, ERP, and warehouse integration simultaneously.

Implementation and Rollout

In a coordinated effort, the internal team and P3 Media moved product data, customer records, and order flows onto Shopify. They used the platform’s native checkout and extended it with apps. A loyalty program powered by Yotpo added point earning at checkout. Inventory and shipping updates flow automatically between Shopify and the warehouse. The change took weeks rather than the traditional development cycles they knew before.

Results and Impact

Within months, Boston Proper saw a 4% jump in checkout conversion. Operating costs dropped by hundreds of thousands annually thanks to lower software fees. A new SEO audit reported a 21% rise in domain rating and a 200% lift in backlinks since the migration. On-site health scored 98 out of 100, signaling minimal technical issues. The brand now focuses on marketing, assortment planning, and new growth projects instead of firefighting legacy code.

Lessons Learned

By shifting from a homegrown system to a managed commerce platform, Boston Proper learned that relying on external experts and a standardized infrastructure can accelerate growth. Development cycles shrank, costs fell, and collaboration improved. Even brands with deep legacy roots can make a swift transition if priorities are clear and the right partner is in place. The focus should remain on customer experience, not on endless code maintenance.

Next Steps

Looking ahead, Boston Proper plans to exploit Shopify’s checkout extensibility, add personalized promotions, and refine its digital-first approach. The move freed up resources to test fresh ideas, whether updating mobile design or launching international storefronts. For any retail brand stuck on outdated tech, this shows how a platform swap can open doors to faster innovation and better customer experiences.