Case study Direct client
Footprint Shoes
A bespoke WooCommerce store for a preloved footwear brand
0
Licensed plugins underneath it
No annual fee, nothing that stops working if a licence lapses
2
Domains, one store
prelovedshoes.co.uk redirects rather than competing
- Client
- Footprint Shoes
- Sector
- Preloved and second hand footwear
- Services
- Ecommerce design and WordPress development
- Engagement
- Fixed scope build, launched June 2026
The challenge
Footprint sells preloved footwear, mostly running and lifestyle trainers from brands like Saucony, Salomon, Hoka and New Balance. Every item is one of one. There is a single pair, in a single size, in a specific condition, and on second hand stock the condition matters to the buyer as much as the size does.
Nothing off the shelf handles that especially well. A standard shop template treats stock as interchangeable and leans on the brand name to do the selling. The brief was a store that made buying second hand feel considered rather than cheap, and one Daniel could run himself once it was live.
The approach
A bespoke theme rather than a page builder. Every section of the homepage is a field Daniel edits, from the four rotating hero images down to the copy above the product rows, so nothing on the front page needs a developer to change.
Condition sits on the product card next to the size and the price rather than being buried in the description, because on preloved stock that is the deciding detail. The shop grid is tuned per breakpoint down to two products a row on phones, where most of the browsing happens.
The build runs on free plugins only. The site settings live on a native WordPress settings page rather than a licensed add on, so there is no annual fee sitting underneath the site and nothing that stops working if a licence lapses.
The launch
Footprint went live on 24 June 2026 at footprintshoes.co.uk.
The domain moved across without a break in email. That was the part worth getting right, because the business runs on Microsoft 365 and a careless cutover takes the mailbox down along with the website. The second domain, prelovedshoes.co.uk, redirects to the main one so neither name is wasted and neither competes with the other in search.
Payments went live the same day, with daily payouts to the bank rather than a weekly wait. Prices are stored inclusive of VAT, so the number on the product card is the number at the checkout.
What clients say
In their words, not mine.
Aaron built our online shop from scratch and it was the first time the brand actually looked like us online. Every pair we sell is a one off and he built the shop around that, so people find the right size and condition quickly. He handled design and build end to end, sorted the pricing and VAT properly, and I can add new pairs and update the site myself without going back to him every time.
Aaron built our website and now looks after the search side of it, and it's the first time anyone's shown us numbers that mean something. Enquiries from people searching for the coatings we actually do, rather than our name, have roughly doubled in six months. He built a page for exhaust ceramic coating that ranks on its own, and every month we get a short report in plain English saying what changed and why. Straightforward to deal with, and he tells us when something isn't worth doing.
Aaron has been excellent to work with. His WordPress development skills are first class, with a strong understanding of both the technical side and the practical needs of a live e-commerce website. He works quickly, communicates clearly and, most importantly, knows how to diagnose and fix problems without making things unnecessarily complicated. We've used Aaron for a range of WordPress development work and I've always found him knowledgeable, reliable and easy to work with. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an experienced WordPress developer.
We use Aaron for development we would rather not hand to a junior. The work comes back the way it was specced, on the date he said, and it goes out under our name without us having to check it twice.
