How Shock Surplus Boosted Sales 900% with Shopify Migration

Background: Breaking Down Suspension Complexity

Shock Surplus was founded in 2012 by Sean Reyes, who noticed a gap in how suspension parts were sold. At that time, online listings often lacked context—buyers saw a part number and price but had no clear path to know if it fit their vehicle or would improve ride quality. Sean’s approach was to pair each listing with targeted education: videos, how-to guides, and detailed spec tables. Starting on eBay let him validate demand quickly, but his team knew early on they needed a standalone store to build a brand and offer custom tools.

The Challenge: Custom Build Becomes a Bottleneck

By 2018, growth stalled. Peers had recommended a custom platform built from the ground up, but that six-month timeline stretched into an 18-month saga. As features rolled out, new bugs appeared. During critical Black Friday and Cyber Monday events, site errors cost thousands in lost revenue and customer trust. Updating product data required manual CSV tweaks, and managing orders across systems added human error. Each hotfix felt like a temporary patch on a sinking ship.

Switching Gears: Shopify Plus in 30 Days

Frustrated by endless maintenance, Sean’s team evaluated Shopify Plus. The results were immediate: a polished storefront ready in days, a secure environment without server worries, and a fully integrated one-page checkout. Moving catalogs, customers, and order history only took a few exports and imports. Shopify’s unified admin meant the backlog of feature requests vanished and the team saw uptime improve overnight.

Tailored Fitment and One-Click Purchases

Beyond speed and stability, Shock Surplus layered on specialized apps. A year/make/model fitment app dynamically shows only compatible shocks, springs, and hardware. This feature slashed return rates and boosted conversions—customers felt confident they’d get the right part. ConverMax delivered a one-click purchase experience that felt native. Rich media—embedded videos, interactive spec sheets, and customer photos—lived alongside products, turning technical complexity into clear choices.

Results: 900% Growth and Operational Relief

From 2019 through 2023, Shock Surplus saw sales climb 900%. Average order value doubled as savvy buyers added matching components and upgrades. Shop Pay Installments added a 4% revenue boost by letting customers split payments. Financing through Shopify Capital kept inventory stocked and shipping fast. On the back end, the team spends less time in code and more time on marketing, content, and support. The change freed up bandwidth to plan new features instead of fighting fires.

Next Moves: Scaling Education and Global Reach

With a rock-solid foundation, Shock Surplus now focuses on expanding its education hub and testing new conversion paths. Plans include targeted email series, localized storefronts, and a loyalty program. They’ll A/B test product page layouts and deepen integrations with shipping partners. The core lesson is clear: move away from unstable custom stacks, adopt a unified environment, and invest in customer confidence to transform a niche operation into a growth engine.