2 days
From takeover to launch
~80%
Inherited mid-build
100+
Change requests cleared
On Time
Launch date met
About the Client
This WooCommerce store sells one of the country’s best-known energy drinks, plus branded apparel and accessories. Customers can filter products by gender, add products to a wishlist, use quick view, and pay by card or local bank transfer.
The launch mattered beyond the website. A national brand had already committed to going live, with an audience waiting for the store to go live.
The Challenge
The store was roughly 80% complete and in the client’s final review when the developer stopped responding.
More than 100 requested changes were still open. There was no documentation, no walkthrough, and no clear record of what was finished.
The client had already chased every available contact. The launch date stayed fixed.
At that point, the priority wasn’t starting a new build. It was working out what existed, fixing what didn’t, and getting the store live without moving the deadline.
Our Approach
There was no one to explain the code or confirm what remained. We worked from the store itself and moved through the project in order of launch risk.
-
Mapped the inherited build
We reviewed the WooCommerce setup to establish what had been completed and what was still missing. -
Cleared 100+ change requests
We worked through the client's outstanding review list one item at a time instead of leaving unresolved changes for after launch. -
Finished the remaining functionality
We completed the parts of the store the original developer had left unfinished. -
Tested the full buying journey
We ran QA across the catalog, product types, cart, and checkout, including drinks, apparel, and accessories. -
Launched on schedule
The store went live on the original date, 2 days after getting the store's access codes. There was no launch delay to communicate to customers.
The Outcome and Value
The full catalog went live: drinks, apparel, and accessories. On time and without visible handover problems to explain after the launch.
For the client, the value was simple: the launch date held.
They didn’t need to restart the project, find another developer, or push the campaign around a missed deadline. The existing investment in the store was finished instead of being written off.
The project also removed the immediate operational risk. The open change list was cleared, the checkout was tested across the different product types, and the store was live rather than sitting at 80% with an unknown completion date.
Before & After
Metric
Before
After
Developer
Went dark mid-build
Replaced and store finished
Completion
~80%, stalled
Full catalog live
Change requests
100+ outstanding
Cleared in 2 days
Launch deadline
At risk
Met on the original date
Tech and Tools
WordPress
WooCommerce
Services Provided
- WooCommerce development
- WordPress development
- Card payment gateway integration
- Local bank payments integration
More case studies
Explore related projects.
eCommerce & Retail
50% drop in sales after a migration fixed by recovering the redirects.
Want results like these for your business?
A stalled build, broken checkout, or unfinished migration doesn’t always mean starting again.
Start with a free audit. We’ll tell you what needs fixing first, what it will take, and where the risk is.
