Over the Top Cake Supplies
From digital mess to Platinum success. See how we re-architected a multi-location brand into a frictionless "Creative Hub," earning an Olympic-gold-level award for making class scheduling and product education look easy.
Shannon Hernandez
Copywriter, Project Manager, Producer
http://shannoncomms.com/
Paul Alanis
Videographer, Photographer
http://alaniscreative.com/
Rhonda Negard
Web Designer, Web Developer
http://fatdogcreatives.com/
Over the Top Cake Supplies is a premier destination for baking enthusiasts, offering professional-grade supplies, expert-led classes, and creative inspiration. With multiple physical locations, they serve a diverse demographic ranging from "first-time bakers" to seasoned culinary professionals.
The Challenge
The Multi-Location Friction Point: Managing a brand that is both a retail storefront and an educational hub is a classic architectural challenge. The client was facing "Decision Fatigue" from their users: Scheduling Complexity: With different classes at different locations, users were getting lost in a "PhD in frustration" trying to book a seat. Product Education Gap: Inexperienced bakers didn't just need products; they needed to know what the tools were and how to use them. The "DIY Disaster" Vibe: The previous site was a digital mess that didn't reflect the high-quality, inspiring environment found in their physical stores.
The Strategy
Reducing Cognitive Load: The goal was to transform the site into a "Frictionless, Sugar-Fueled Machine." Using William Lidwell’s principle of Hierarchy, we restructured the navigation to ensure that the most important actions—booking a class or finding a tool—were never more than two clicks away. We moved away from "just a storefront" and toward a Creative Hub that builds confidence through clarity.
Project Scope
Winner: Platinum HERMES Creative Award (Overall Web Design)
Multi-Location Class Scheduling Architecture
Non-Transactional Product Showcase System
Custom Recipe & Educational Content Post Types
UX/UI Design Optimized for High-Conversion Booking
The Solution
Integrated Class & Product Systems: We leveraged a high-performance stack—including strategy from Shannon Communications and development support from Ryan Waterbury—to build a site that functions as smoothly as tempered chocolate. Streamlined Multi-Calendar System: We engineered a simplified navigation path to two distinct class calendars. Users can now filter by location instantly, removing the friction of accidental cross-city bookings. The "Visual Pantry" Showcase: While not a traditional e-commerce site, we built a comprehensive product showcase. High-resolution imagery and clear branding help beginners identify "magic cake dust" and professional piping tips with ease. Recipe-as-Resource Engine: We implemented a custom-formatted recipe section. These aren't just "ancient scrolls" of text; they are step-by-step, mobile-optimized guides designed to inspire immediate experimentation and drive foot traffic to the stores for supplies.
The Result
A Platinum-Awarded Creative Hub: The project earned the Platinum HERMES Creative Award for Overall Web Design—the "Olympic Gold" of the digital world. By replacing a "DIY disaster" with a structured, intuitive system, we elevated the brand’s credibility and turned the website into a true operational asset. It proves that when you do web design the right way—with clarity, simplicity, and restraint—you create a site that people don't just visit; they use.
A Masterclass in Frictionless Multi-Location UX
