First Ascent

The challenge

First Ascent’s new webshop needed to integrate with their back-end Sage database to sell diverse products from a range of brands. At the same time, they were repositioning to become the tech and outdoor experts in an industry of lifestyle retailers. Dealing with external data is tricky in Magento – especially with bundled and customisable products.

What we did

We thoroughly researched extensions, then chose the Magmi data importer for its simple flexibility with product listings. After plugging in Magmi, we built a web store that lets First Ascent manage their product data in Sage, then present it for sale through Magento. It’s easy to categorise and combine product information and add features like loyalty schemes and discounts. We also provided training and support so First Ascent could run the site themselves.

First Ascent sell highly technical, pro-level products, while many of their competitors focus on outdoor-branded clothes. Our design sets them apart as the outdoor experts, incorporating photography and the prestigious Alpine Club logo to reinforce their credentials in skiing, climbing and related sports.

Also, our SEO team set up hundreds of page redirects to make sure First Ascent didn’t lose their place in the search results when the new site went up. This meant that customers who’d bookmarked a particular page on the old site didn’t get a ‘not found’ error when they visited it – they were automatically taken to the equivalent page on the new site instead.