In 2013, Ruben and Charlotte started Villa Hoera from a workspace behind their home in Eindhoven. What began as a love for unique and sustainable toys grew into a mature business with an extensive assortment, its own business location, and over 1,400 five-star reviews. But the webshop on Mijnwebwinkel began to feel restrictive.
They weren't just looking for someone who could help technically, but someone who understood who Villa Hoera is. SYSO provided a complete rebranding and a seamless migration to Shopify. Want to read along?
What is Villa Hoera?
Villa Hoera is an online toy store for parents who make conscious choices. No mass-produced items, but a carefully curated assortment of unique, sustainable, and beautiful toys. Brands like Moulin Roty, Grapat, Jellycat, Maileg, and Grimm's form the core of their offering, with imagination, creativity, and sustainability as guiding principles.
What started in Ruben and Charlotte's backyard grew into an established webshop with its own business location in Eindhoven, from where orders are packed daily, with the free gift-wrapping service acting as a personal calling card. Villa Hoera is more than a shop: it's a place for parents with taste and children with imagination.
The result
Moving a webshop is never a small step. Especially not when an entire curated assortment needs to be transferred, the brand's image needs to be rethought, and everything needs to continue functioning seamlessly for existing customers.
At Villa Hoera, we looked at the complete picture. What makes this brand unique? How do you translate that into a new visual identity that fits the next phase? And how do you ensure the transition goes smoothly, without customers noticing anything?
Through conversations and intake, we identified the essence of Villa Hoera: unique toys, personal service, and a warm, recognizable look that resonates with the target audience. The result is a Shopify webshop that does what Villa Hoera needs: clear navigation through a large assortment, a distinctive atmosphere not found with competitors, and all technical integrations in order.
The rebranding
After years in business, Villa Hoera had a clear identity, but its visual presentation was due for an update. The brand had grown, and its appearance needed to evolve with it.
The challenge: to create a fresh look that reflects Villa Hoera's warmth and uniqueness, without losing the recognition built up over the years. Through mood boards, sessions, and discussions, SYSO developed the new branding that hit the mark immediately.
The Shopify webshop
The webshop is built with Shopify, the platform we have been using for professional webshops for years. It's an excellent SaaS e-commerce solution that grows with the business and comes standard with extensive marketing possibilities.
Moving from Mijnwebwinkel requires careful planning, especially when a complete assortment needs to be transferred and continuity for existing customers must be maintained. This is precisely what SYSO specializes in. All products have been migrated, including redirects to preserve the established SEO ranking.
The result: a webshop that finally gives Villa Hoera the space to show who they are. More brands and categories visible on the homepage, customers finding their way better through the large selection, and a personal atmosphere that enhances Villa Hoera's unique character.
We asked Ruben and Charlotte from Villa Hoera a few questions
When and why did you start Villa Hoera?
In 2013, we started Villa Hoera in the workspace behind our garden. Alongside our work as independent designers and with the arrival of our two daughters, our interest in unique, sustainable, and beautiful toys grew.
After years of growth, we moved our warehouse from the backyard to a beautiful business location in Eindhoven, where we now happily pack all orders daily. Despite enormous growth, the focus remains on selecting truly unique toys and providing the personal (gift-wrapping) service we aim to deliver.
What do you consider your absolute favorite product (category) from the assortment?
That's a tough question because we only sell products we genuinely love ourselves. But if we have to choose, the beautiful cuddly toys from Moulin Roty and the open-ended toys from Grapat are definitely our favorites.
What made you decide to enlist SYSO?
We were not only looking for a party that could technically help us with the migration from Mijnwebwinkel to Shopify, but also for someone who understood who we are and what we want to project. Mariko and her team flawlessly grasped that, and the look and feel they created perfectly matches us!
What are you most happy with regarding the restyling and new webshop?
We can now showcase many more of our brands and products via the homepage and the numerous categories. Customers now find their way better within the large selection, while the webshop still exudes its own personal atmosphere.
Can we know what your future plans are?
With this new webshop, we can expand further! We will be adding many new brands and products to the assortment, and we will further develop all the possibilities that the new system offers.
Would you recommend SYSO and why?
Mariko and her team are technically proficient and very up-to-date with the latest developments. For us, it was great that Mariko quickly understood who we are and what we wanted. Within a few sessions, Mariko already surprised us with a completely new look and feel, and it was a bullseye!
Then came the technical part and the full migration, which we found very exciting. Mariko helped us very well with that and was quick to solve problems.
Thank you, Ruben and Charlotte!
We look back with a good feeling on the rebranding and relocation of the Villa Hoera webshop. It was special to work on a brand that has stood for individuality, quality, and personal service for over ten years. The step from Mijnwebwinkel to Shopify was significant, but the result is absolutely impressive: a webshop with its own atmosphere, room for growth, and an appearance that matches who you are. Your passion for unique toys is palpable in everything you do, from the personal product selection to the free gift-wrapping service that customers appreciate time and again. We are following Villa Hoera closely and are curious to see how the brand further develops. Good luck!
🔥 Are you also ready for a new Shopify webshop or a rebranding that truly suits you? Take a look at sellyourstuffonline.nl or schedule a no-obligation introductory meeting.
