Project Description

Bernard Hats

Project: Bernard Hats

Role: Founder, Lead Developer & E-commerce Manager
Timeline: 2013 – Present

Project Summary

bernardhats.com is a niche e-commerce venture I conceived, built, and manage from the ground up. The project’s goal was to create a premier online destination for hat enthusiasts, offering a curated collection of new, vintage, and custom-made hats. As the sole founder and developer, I am responsible for all aspects of the business, including the technical architecture, website development, product sourcing, inventory management, and digital marketing strategy. It serves as a real-world demonstration of my ability to build and operate a successful online retail business.

The Challenge & Opportunity

The primary challenge was to enter a competitive online market and create a user-friendly shopping experience for a highly specific product line. This required a platform capable of handling a complex and constantly changing inventory with numerous variations like size, color, brand, and style. The opportunity was to leverage my e-commerce and SEO expertise to build a strong brand that could attract and retain a dedicated community of hat buyers, from fans of classic Stetsons to collectors of rare vintage pieces.

My Solution & Process

I chose WordPress with the WooCommerce extension as the foundation for its flexibility and powerful e-commerce capabilities. My process involved:

  1. Custom E-commerce Build: I developed a custom, mobile-responsive theme to create a unique brand aesthetic and an intuitive user experience.
  2. Complex Inventory Management: I implemented a robust system to manage product variations, allowing customers to easily select from different sizes and styles. This included setting up detailed product categories, tags, and filters to improve product discovery.
  3. Sales & Marketing Integration: I configured advanced e-commerce features seen on the site, such as “Sale!” pricing, “Add to Wishlist” functionality, and “Quick View” modals to streamline the shopping process and drive conversions.
  4. SEO for E-commerce: I architected and executed a comprehensive SEO strategy focused on ranking for specific hat brands and styles (e.g., “Smithbilt Cowboy Hats,” “vintage Dobbs fedora”). This involved optimizing all product and category pages, as well as creating targeted content to attract organic traffic.
  5. Full Business Operations: Beyond the technical build, I manage all day-to-day operations, including payment gateway integration (Stripe/PayPal), shipping logistics, customer service, and performance analytics.

Project Details

Core Skills & Services Delivered:

  • E-commerce Strategy & Development
  • WordPress & WooCommerce Customization
  • Full-Stack Web Development
  • SEO for E-commerce
  • Inventory & Product Management
  • Digital Marketing & Brand Building

Key Technologies Used:

  • Platform: WordPress, WooCommerce
  • Languages: PHP, JavaScript, HTML5, CSS3
  • Tools: Google Analytics, Search Console, Payment Gateways (e.g., Stripe)

Project Link: https://www.bernardhats.com