RONA, Canada’s leading home‑improvement retailer, saw a clear opportunity to elevate its digital experience. By introducing intuitive search, streamlined product discovery, and a refreshed interface, the brand aims to transform browsing into a friction‑free journey that converts more visitors into satisfied, loyal customers.
Ascendis stepped in with a structured, phased approach focusing on driving conversion, sales and increasing retention
work phases
01.
Foundational Design System & Content Pages
Created a flexible design system that keeps the shopping experience smooth, making the brand feel reliable and encouraging customers to come back.
Organized content for product details to be clearer, helping customers make confident buying decisions, convert and increase sales.
Structured the design layout to guide customers, reducing confusion and making it easier for them to find what they need—leading to fewer drop-offs and abandoned carts and driving conversion
02.
PLP & PDP Optimization (Product Listing & Product Detail Pages)
Enhanced Search & Navigation: Introduced a natural language search functionality, making it easier for customers to find what they need, leading to higher conversions
Refined Filtering & Layout: Moved filtering to the top with pill-shaped filters, improving ease of use and reducing bounce rates
Increased Product Visibility: Expanded product display rows, ensuring customers could see more options at a glance, reducing frustration and improving purchase rates
03.
Homepage & Department Pages Redesign
Reimagined the Homepage to highlight promotions and DIY solutions that directly connect with customer needs, leading to a 30% increase in homepage conversion rates
Integrated more whitespace and intuitive visual cues, making it easier for shoppers to discover relevant products and complete their projects
Shifted from a purely transactional layout to a practical and solution-focused shopping experience, ensuring customers could quickly find products that match their specific projects
04.
Cart & Checkout Enhancements (incomplete)
Initial optimizations were made, but a full redesign was postponed due to budget limitations.
Future work planned for streamlining the checkout experience to reduce friction and abandoned carts (lowering risk of lost revenue).
Plans for improving account management features to encourage repeat business and loyalty (increasing retention).
Rona now has a future-proof design system that allows them to scale efficiently and maintain a modern, user-friendly website (lowering risk of outdated experiences).
The results
30% increase in homepage conversion rates after implementing the new design (driving sales).
Higher engagement with DIY content, helping customers confidently complete projects and increasing repeat visits (increasing retention).
Lessons for Other Businesses
Rona’s decision to move to a full-scale, phased redesign unlocked new growth opportunities for them.
A modern design system is a long-term asset. Creating a scalable, user-friendly design framework ensures consistency and prevents future clutter.
Engagement drives sales. By focusing on customer needs and project-based discovery, Rona turned its website into a practical, conversion-focused tool, improving customer experience, conversion and boosting revenue.
