"Building the webshop is one thing, but the development doesn’t stop at launch"
"Kurt den Brok has been the director of Brok Bouwmaterialen since 2008, a family business that has existed since 1944. What started as a traditional physical store has now become a fully online business. The company focuses on raw building materials – a niche market with complex logistics. Under Kurt’s leadership, the company has undergone a digital transformation, with a future-proof webshop at the heart of it."
“Out of the five parties we approached, Shopmonkey gave us the best feeling”
From Lightspeed to Shopify
During the search for a suitable party to switch to Shopify, it quickly became clear that truly experienced Shopify experts in the Netherlands are limited. “You can count them on one or two hands.” Shopmonkey had already handled similar projects, which inspired confidence. Out of the five parties they approached, Shopmonkey gave them the best feeling.
Kurt stated that the situation around Lightspeed played a role in the decision to switch. There was uncertainty about future updates – at the time, there was radio silence from the platform. “It could have ended at any moment.” Lightspeed also already offered fewer possibilities than Shopify. For Kurt and his team, it was clear they had to look further.
A migration full of customization
Kurt explained that the migration was a substantial project. Many aspects were involved in moving the existing platform to Shopify. Due to a large number of exceptions in the assortment and ordering process, customization was inevitable. Volume discounts on product pages, various shipping rates depending on supplier or product groups – these are things that don’t often occur in a standard webshop, but are essential for Brok.
Shopmonkey was helpful in thinking along and offering suitable solutions, even beyond Shopify’s default capabilities. Their experience with custom themes and specific apps made the difference. “Especially with a custom theme, it’s important to know which apps work and which don’t – otherwise, you’re quickly stuck with the basics.”
“Building the webshop is one thing, but the development doesn’t stop at launch”
Continuous optimization with Shopmonkey Grow
With Shopmonkey Grow, Brok Bouwmaterialen continually works on optimizations. “There was a clear deadline due to the season when we perform well, but since then we’ve kept pushing every week,” Kurt says. Building the webshop is one thing, but development doesn’t stop at launch.
The collaboration is structured via Trello. Tasks are picked up on fixed days, with time estimates and priorities. “That gives clarity. It works well and we really appreciate it.” There is also direct communication with the right developer, which makes it easier and quicker to coordinate. “That’s definitely my preference.”
“They’re professional, think along, and deliver solid work”
A professional team that truly delivers
Shopify itself is now clearly seen as an improvement compared to Lightspeed. “It works easier, is more user-friendly, and as a team you can make many changes yourself without immediately needing external help.”
Finally, Kurt is clear about the collaboration with Shopmonkey: “They’re professional, think along, and deliver solid work. What they’ve built simply looks great.”
