Hybrid Headless E-Commerce

Sandalwood Memorials

Hybrid Headless Platform: Next.js, WordPress & 3D Memorial Rendering

Client: Sandalwood Memorials
Duration: 6 weeks
Year: 2024

The challenge

What we set out to solve

Sales team needed a familiar CMS to manage products, categories, and enquiries without developer involvement

Families couldn't visualise bespoke memorial designs before ordering

Legacy WordPress sites were slow and poorly ranked; performance mattered for SEO and conversions

Requirement for a seamless path from browsing to enquiry or brochure request

Need to showcase granite options, shapes, inscriptions, and grave decorations in a dignified, accessible way

Our approach

How we tackled it

We architected a hybrid headless platform that delivers the best of both worlds. WordPress and WooCommerce power the backend, familiar, flexible, and fully under the sales team's control for product management, pricing, and order handling. Next.js drives the customer-facing site, delivering server-side rendering, blazing-fast page loads, and exceptional Core Web Vitals. We connected the two via GraphQL using WPGraphQL and WooGraphQL, so the Next.js front-end fetches only the data it needs (products, categories, custom fields, media) without the bloat of traditional REST. The standout feature: an immersive 3D memorial renderer built with Three.js. Families can explore headstones, plaques, and monuments in real time, swap stone colours, preview inscriptions, and understand scale before requesting a brochure or enquiry. The design is compassionate and elegant: serene photography, warm typography, clear CTAs for 'Our Memorials', 'Request Brochure', and 'Enquire', with WhatsApp for instant support. The result is a site that feels premium and performant whilst giving the team full control behind the scenes.

Process

Execution timeline

Hybrid Architecture

Designed headless architecture: Next.js for front-end, WordPress/WooCommerce for back-office and product management
Connected via GraphQL (WPGraphQL + WooGraphQL) for efficient, type-safe data fetching
Sales team retains full control over products, categories, and enquiry routing

Next.js Front-End & Performance

Built server-side rendered pages for SEO and fast first-contentful paint
Optimised Core Web Vitals and image delivery for memorial galleries
Responsive, accessible design with clear navigation: Our Memorials, Grave Decorations, Create A Memorial

Three.js Memorial Rendering

Developed interactive 3D visualisation for headstones, plaques, urns, and benches
Real-time preview of stone types, colours, shapes, and inscription text
Families visualise their bespoke design before enquiry, reducing hesitation and improving conversion

Conversion & Commerce

Streamlined flows: Request Brochure, Enquire, and Create A Memorial with gentle, dignified UX
WhatsApp integration for instant support; brochure and enquiry forms routed to sales team
Ongoing optimisation and content updates driven by the WordPress admin

Impact

The results

+280% increase in enquiries

Online Quote Requests

+58% increase (from £2,100 to £3,300)

Average Order Value

4.2% conversion rate (vs. industry average 0.8%)

Website Conversion

Now represent 65% of sales (up from 15%)

Custom Orders

4.9/5 stars with 94% recommending Sandalwood

Customer Satisfaction

The platform gives us the best of both worlds. Our team manages everything in WordPress like we're used to, whilst families get a fast, beautiful site. The 3D memorial preview has been a game-changer. Customers can really see what they're choosing.

Sophia Clarke

Marketing Manager, Sandalwood Memorials

Capabilities