Duncan Toys Case Study
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Playtime, Reimagined: How Duncan Toys Modernized Its Ecommerce Experience with Shopify

How we helped Duncan Toys migrate from a legacy ecommerce setup to Shopify, modernizing their site experience, improving backend efficiency, and setting the stage for scalable growth.

About Duncan Toys

For over 95 years, Duncan Toys has been synonymous with innovation and fun. But as consumer expectations evolved, their legacy ecommerce system couldn’t keep up. Managing content, products, and promotions had become cumbersome—and the site wasn’t optimized for mobile, where the majority of traffic now originated.

When Duncan partnered with Zettler Digital, the goal was clear: build a modern, flexible Shopify store that could serve both the brand’s rich heritage and its modern product line with equal ease.

The Challenge

A Beloved Heritage Brand Limited by Outdated Tech

Duncan’s previous ecommerce platform lacked the flexibility and speed required to meet the expectations of today’s customers. Managing product catalogs and promotions was a slow, developer-dependent process.

On top of that, the existing site wasn’t optimized for mobile, analytics were limited, and the backend made it difficult for the internal team to make simple updates or launch new initiatives quickly.

Key challenges included:

- Outdated platform restricting design and functionality

- Inefficient content management workflow

- Poor mobile optimization and performance issues

- Limited visibility into analytics and campaign effectiveness

The Solution

A Complete Shopify Migration Focused on Speed, Flexibility and Control

Zettler Digital rebuilt the Duncan Toys site from the ground up on a Shopify Online Store 2.0 theme, providing a modern foundation that was as easy to manage as it was fun to explore.

Our approach included:

- Full platform migration from the legacy CMS to Shopify

- Custom theme development balancing Duncan’s nostalgic branding with modern UX

- Enhanced navigation and product organization to simplify browsing

- Optimized mobile performance for faster load times and improved engagement

- Integrated content modules for educational “trick” resources and product videos

- Streamlined backend systems, empowering the team to manage updates independently

The Results

A Faster, More Flexible Platform Driving Measurable Growth

The new Shopify-powered Duncan Toys website not only modernized the brand’s digital presence — it directly impacted performance and scalability. The migration eliminated friction in content updates, improved site speed, and allowed the internal team to manage campaigns and homepage updates dynamically without outside support.

These operational improvements quickly translated into tangible business results, fueling significant gains in sales volume and efficiency, including:

- Streamlined content management, enabling in-house updates for promotions and merchandising

- Greater flexibility for campaign management, allowing real-time homepage and seasonal updates

- Enhanced scalability, positioning Duncan Toys for continued growth after nearly a century in business

  • +136%

    conversion rate

  • +29%

    improved mobile load time

  • 10x

    YoY revenue increase

“

"Duncan has inspired creativity and play for generations, and the Shopify migration completely changed how we operate online. What used to take days now takes minutes, and our customers are having a faster, smoother experience on every device. Zettler Digital helped us bridge tradition with modern technology."

”
AvatarJosh StaphPresident and CEO, Duncan Toys

Not Just A Redesign

This project was a transformation of Duncan’s digital operations. With a scalable, high-performing Shopify foundation in place, the brand now has a site that reflects both its playful spirit and its modern ambitions.

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