Webshop redesign for Aqua Star
Aqua Star, a Dutch distributor of premium water sports brands, needed a webshop that did more than look good. Leading from strategy to handoff, I shaped a clear, engaging experience that met business goals and kept users coming back.
UX / UI
VISUAL DESIGN
DATA ANALYSIS
DESIGN STRATEGY
USER FLOWS
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Context
The European diving and watersports market is dynamic and highly competitive, supported by a strong base of enthusiasts and specialized companies. Over 800,000 Europeans travel each year to dive, fueling an industry worth more than €170 million annually. The surface watersports equipment sector alone generated approximately €4.9 billion in 2024, with steady growth expected in the years to come.
In this scenario, digital transformation has become essential for companies seeking to stand out. Developing an effective B2B online store not only optimizes internal processes but also strengthens the brand’s digital presence, offering a modern shopping experience aligned with market expectations.
Challenge
To meet growing market demands and stand out from the crowd, we needed a user-friendly, accessible B2B portal that reflects the brand’s identity and values while elevating the buying experience for business customers. The platform should present brand stories and product information in a clear, well-structured, and trustworthy way — inspiring confidence and reinforcing Aqua Star’s commitment to transparency and originality.
By transforming a manual, time-consuming sales process into a digital, engaging, and straightforward experience, the portal aims to improve customer satisfaction and reduce operational costs through automation and documentation.
Built-in analytics also provide valuable insights into user behavior, driving continuous improvements and supporting long-term business growth.
Solution
To bring Aqua Star’s vision to life, I started by mapping key user journeys and defining core usage scenarios. This helped visualize the experience early and make necessary adjustments before diving into design, collaborating closely with the client and the engineering team.
With the journeys defined, I created the sitemap to identify pages sharing structure and guide the design system’s components. To support scalability and smooth development collaboration, I built a flexible, component-based design system in Figma, ensuring visual and functional consistency. From there, I designed a full set of responsive desktop and mobile interfaces.
I developed prototypes and gathered user feedback from clients and customers throughout the process, which clarified navigation and integrated the brand’s visual language for a cohesive experience. Once approved, I finalized the files and delivered a developer-friendly design for a smooth handoff.
User Journey 1. B2B flow
Mission: Water Sports School wants to bulk-order for stand up paddle gear.
User Journey 2. B2C flow
Mission: Solo diver wants to buy professional dive light for personal use.
Sitemap
Clear, organized and straightfoward, different ways to reach the same product
What the client said
Results
The final result is a responsive, conversion-oriented platform that reinforces Aqua Star’s position as a trusted B2B distributor in the European water sports market. The design improved product discovery, leading to a 25% increase in user engagement and a 15% drop in bounce rates. My strong focus on clear communication and thorough documentation of client interactions ensured alignment and smooth project delivery.
By blending functionality with storytelling, the platform boosted trust and key actions like quote requests, which grew exponentially in the first quarter. I created a modular design system in Figma, enabling 2x faster updates and consistent scalability.
This solution delivered measurable results— significant increase in product visibility, new retail partners, and stronger customer retention—all supported by transparent, well-documented client collaboration.
Credits & Mentions
Special thanks to Frans de Pater and the entire Aqua Star Network team for trusting me with this project. Grateful as well to the team at Utilize in Hilversum – NL for their valuable insights and dedication throughout the development phase.