Fitstore24 is the brand for cycling, strength training and fitness equipment in Austria and now, with the integration of FactFinder’s Web Components, they’re ready to take on the future of eCommerce. In line with the company’s sporty image, the go-live, with the world’s leading search technology, was achieved in record-breaking time: just 7 working days.  
 
As a result? The average order value has increased by 29%, and in the area of mobile shopping, by an incredible 55.6%.  

The origin story

Founded in Austria in 1996, Fitstore24 has blossomed from its humble beginnings into a beloved family business, now boasting over 90 dedicated employees across its branches in Vienna, Lienz and Villach. More than just physical stores, Fitstore24 has expanded its reach through its online storefront, adapting to the digital age where online shopping has become the norm. Today, it stands proudly as Austria’s premier specialist in cycling retail, seamlessly merging eCommerce operations in both the B2C and B2B sectors, while also boasting its own production facilities. In addition to offering a wide array of sports and fitness equipment, Fitstore24 ensures customer satisfaction with a dedicated hotline for inquiries in both Austria and Germany.  
 
Before FactFinder’s integration, spearheaded by Mario Zanier at Fitstore24 – who oversees digitization and automation – the online shop utilized an external search feature. “But due to the traffic and the higher demands, it was no longer adequate,” Mario notes. He shares a familiar struggle among online retailers with the previous on-site search engine’s shortcomings, highlighting a frustrating user experience: “There was a lack of elementary functions, such as navigation and after-search navigation. There was no way to display the category pages from a search, and we had problems mapping all the automatic optimizations, for example, according to stock levels or delivery times.” Mario further explains the challenge posed by Fitstore24’s extensive range of filters and combinations, stating, “The old search didn’t have the capacity to map all of them correctly.” 

Accelerating delivery time

Mario highlights additional challenges faced by Fitstore24, particularly with searching manufacturer article numbers. “Since we always work with manufacturers’ article numbers, and they are very different, we constantly had to struggle with extremely bad article number search results.” The inability to use regular expressions compounded the issue, leading to many incorrect results even when searching for specific article numbers. This, combined with poor mobile usability — a major concern in the era of smartphones and tablets — significantly hampered the customer experience. Moreover, executing consultant campaigns was “absolutely impossible,” and analytics were severely limited. 

Mario also sheds light on the industry-specific challenges, noting the importance of technical data in bicycle searches. Customers often look for specific features like battery or frame size, or parts such as a “suspension fork,” with Fitstore24 managing around 10,000 items updated hourly. At the time, the pandemic-induced shortages made delivery time the most crucial filter, emphasizing the need for up-to-date search data to avoid customer frustration. 

Web Components enabled the integration of FactFinder in record time

In December 2020, Fitstore24 dramatically upgraded its on-site search capabilities by transitioning to FactFinder Next Generation, integrating the platform through Web Components in an impressive span of just 7 working days, including testing phases. “That was probably the fastest FactFinder integration ever,” Mario Zanier remarks with a chuckle. The choice for Web Components over API integration was clear for Mario: “95% had to do with pure front-end development. If there are new components, the integration goes much faster.” 
 
He highlights the benefits of Web Components, noting, “Despite the fast and easy integration, we still had full control over the layout and design. We were able to control the after-search navigation and filters very efficiently via the shop templates. That was a major plus point, compared to other search providers.” Post-integration, all category pages and even data-heavy product lists are managed by FactFinder, significantly reducing server load. “This has relieved the load on our servers noticeably,” Mario adds. “The shop pages now build up faster, so usability and the customer experience have also been improved.” 

“Almost 50% of our turnover is generated via search and navigation.”

The integration of FactFinder Next Generation has swiftly proven to be a game-changer for Fitstore24. Mario shares remarkable stats: with 200,000 unique monthly visitors, the brand processes about 30,000 on-site search queries. Within this traffic, 6.5% engage in search sessions and 20% utilize filters. The impact on revenue is significant: “Almost 50 percent of our turnover is generated via search and navigation. The average order value has reached EUR 748, marking an overall increase of 29%, and a staggering 55.6% rise in mobile transactions.” 

The enhancements extend beyond financials. The streamlined search and navigation have cut search times by 16%, and even more so on mobile, by 21%. Customers now browse 25% fewer pages to find what they’re seeking, with a 40% reduction on mobile devices. 

Looking ahead, Mario is eager to unlock further potential with FactFinder. Plans include launching advisor campaigns for guided shopping experiences, like a virtual “Bike Advisor,” and introducing automatic cross-selling for accessories. With FactFinder Next Generation in place, Mario is optimistic about doubling sales, confident in the synergy between Fitstore24 and FactFinder to reach new heights. 

The results:

  • +29% AOV 
  • +55.6% AOV mobile 
  • Quicker loading times 
  • Automatic search engine optimization 
  • Less burden on the eCommerce server 

About Fitstore24

Fitstore24.com, a premier destination for fitness and sports enthusiasts, is run by Fitstore24 ZANIER GmbH. Rooted in Debant/Lienz, Austria, and established in 1996, the company has carved a niche for itself in the sporting and fitness equipment market. At Fitstore24, customers can explore an extensive collection tailored to cycling, endurance training, aerobics and strength training — truly a haven for anyone with a passion for fitness! 

About FactFinder

FactFinder is the European leader in eCommerce product discovery and search. We help over 2,000 online shops worldwide like MyTheresa, Intersport, OBI, Stihl and Elkjøp Nordic increase revenue by 20-33% with outstanding shopping experiences. By combining human and artificial intelligence, we understand every shopper‘s intent from the first click. We call that authentic intelligence. Smarter algorithms and human expertise create a union that will always give a competitive edge. Every day millions of B2C and B2B shoppers find what they are looking for with FactFinder – fast, personalized and with joy. #