Fermob E-Commerce B2B – B2C
Transforming B2B Industrial Catalog into Consumer-Ready Brand Experience
Overview
Fermob is a French outdoor furniture brand known for bold colors and lifestyle imagery. Their U.S. website was built as an industrial B2B catalog for trade professionals—it didn’t speak to everyday American consumers. I transformed the site into a consumer-facing e-commerce platform that establishes Fermob as a premium lifestyle brand in the U.S. market, while preserving essential trade functionality for B2B customers.
Fermob website 2024
Role
UI Designer & Front-End Developer
Timeline
2019 – 2021 (2 Years)
Platform
E-Commerce Website (NetSuite)
Technologies
HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, Javascript, Node. Js
The Business Challenge
Fermob wanted to establish a direct-to-consumer presence in the U.S. market, but their website was designed as a B2B trade catalog. It looked industrial, felt technical, and didn’t present the brand in a way that would attract everyday American consumers shopping for outdoor furniture.
The Goal –
Make Fermob presentable and desirable to the U.S. consumer market while maintaining B2B trade functionality for dealers and designers.
The Solution: Establishing a Consumer Brand
I transformed the site from a B2B ordering system into a consumer-ready e-commerce platform that positions Fermob as a premium lifestyle brand in the U.S. market.
The Result –
Fermob now looks like a premium consumer brand first, with seamless B2B functionality for trade customers.
Make Fermob presentable and desirable to the U.S. consumer market while maintaining B2B trade functionality for dealers and designers.
UI Design & Development Process
Before & After
Homepage: From B2B Catalog to Consumer Destination
Fermob website before 2019
- Site looked like a wholesale ordering system, not a consumer brand
- Didn’t reflect how U.S. consumers shop for lifestyle products
- No emotional connection or lifestyle aspiration
- Product descriptions spoke to trade buyers, not homeowners
- Organized for bulk ordering, not discovery and inspiration
- Lacked the vibrant, lifestyle-driven imagery Fermob is known for globally
Fermob website After 2019
- Lifestyle photography, aspirational imagery, and emotional storytelling
- Browse by color, style, room inspiration—not just product categories
- Changed language from trade specs to consumer benefits
- Made it easy for consumers to explore and fall in love with products
- Clear paths for homeowners vs. trade professionals
- Elevated the brand to compete with high-end U.S. outdoor furniture retailers
Navigation – Consumer Shopping vs. B2B Ordering
The original navigation was built for trade buyers placing bulk orders. I restructured it to support how U.S. consumers actually shop for outdoor furniture by style, color, and inspiration while keeping B2B paths separate and efficient.
Product Pages – Making Furniture Shoppable for Consumers
B2B catalogs show specs and SKUs. Consumer e-commerce shows lifestyle and emotion. I redesigned product pages to make Fermob furniture feel desirable and easy to buy—not just browse.
Before – Industrial Catalog
Product grids with model numbers. No lifestyle context, limited filtering, felt like ordering from a manufacturer.
After – Consumer Shopping Experience
Lifestyle product cards, color-forward presentation, consumer-friendly filtering, “New Arrivals” badges.
Consumer Ready Features I Designed
Color previews on every product card
“Best Seller” “New” and “Stock” badges –
Clear pricing and availability (no “call for quote”)
Filter by price range, color, style
Suggesting color combos
Lifestyle product imagery
Accurate specification
Product Details -From Technical Specs to Conversion
B2B buyers need dimensions and materials. But consumers need to fall in love with a product first. I redesigned product detail pages to inspire purchase while keeping technical info accessible.
The B2B to B2C Transformation Strategy
This wasn’t just a visual redesign—it was a complete business repositioning. Here’s how I established Fermob as a consumer brand in the U.S. market.
Before: B2B Trade Focus
- Designed for dealers and designers
- Technical product specifications
- Bulk ordering language
- “Request a quote” CTAs
- Industrial aesthetic
- Model numbers prominent
After: Consumer-Ready Brand
- Designed for homeowners
- Lifestyle benefits and emotions
- Individual purchase language
- “Add to Cart” direct buying
- Aspirational lifestyle aesthetic
- Product names and stories
The Result –
Front-End Development & Component System
UI Component Library
To maintain consistency and accelerate development, I designed and built a comprehensive component library used across the entire platform.
Tenchnologies I used
Code Implementation
I implemented all front-end code directly in NetSuite’s templating system, ensuring responsive design and cross-browser compatibility.
Marketing Design Integration
Email Campaign Design & Development
Designed, coded, and deployed responsive email campaigns monthly in Mailchimp, maintaining brand consistency while promoting new collections and colors.
Email Newsletters
Seasonal email promoting Fermob’s curated outdoor selections and special offers.
Email Newsletters
Campaign announcing the new color with product highlights and inspiration.
Email Newsletters
Fermob Week promotional email featuring $150 off and Fall/Winter collection highlights.
Annual Catalog Design
Designed multi-page catalogs in InDesign, balancing lifestyle photography with technical specifications.
Catalog Design
Fermob 2019
Catalog Design
Fermob 2019
Catalog Design
Fermob 2020
Business Impact
43%
Consumer Sales Growth
Direct-to-consumer purchases increased after establishing brand presence
3X
Target Revenue Growth
From $12M to $36M projected within 5 years through B2C expansion
+15%
Site Engagement
Consumer-friendly layouts encouraged deeper product exploration
100%
Brand Elevation
Now competes with premium U.S. outdoor furniture retailers
Most importantly – Fermob USA successfully established itself as a consumer brand in the American market while maintaining efficient B2B trade operations.
Skills Demonstrated
UI/UX Design
Homepage, PLP, PDP, navigation systems, and user flows
Front-End Development
HTML, CSS, JavaScript, responsive implementation
E-Commerce
B2C and B2B user flows, conversion optimization
Design Systems
Component library creation and documentation
Email Marketing
Campaign design and development in Mailchimp
Responsive Design
Mobile-first approach with cross-device testing
Platform Integration
NetSuite customization and templating
Print Design
Multi-page catalog layout in InDesign
Primary Website Pages I Contributed To
Key Takeaways
B2B to B2C Transformation –
Successfully repositioned a trade-focused industrial website into a consumer-ready lifestyle brand. Established Fermob’s direct-to-consumer presence in the U.S. market while preserving essential B2B functionality for existing trade customers.
Making Business Presentable –
Transformed how Fermob presents itself to American consumers—from wholesale supplier to aspirational lifestyle brand. Changed the language, imagery, and user experience to compete with premium U.S. outdoor furniture retailers.
Dual Audience Strategy –
Designed two distinct user journeys: consumer-friendly shopping for homeowners and efficient ordering for B2B trade professionals. Each audience gets what they need without confusion or friction.
Design + Development Integration –
Implemented the entire front-end in NetSuite, building reusable components that could support both consumer campaigns and B2B tools—proving the design vision could actually be built and maintained at scale.
The Conslusion
This project demonstrates my ability to understand business strategy and translate it into design—not just making things pretty, but making a business presentable and competitive in a new market. I took a B2B manufacturer website and established it as a consumer brand that Americans want to buy from.
Open to new role, open to relocate, No sponsorship required.
Your feedback & critiques are welcome!