Black Duck SeatCovers
Black Duck Seat Covers partnered with Lab 385 to overhaul their infrastructure and rebuild their product finder, transforming a bottlenecked website into a scalable, lead-generating platform that drives sales across seven key vehicle categories.
Unlock hidden revenue when
digital systems accelerate growth
Black Duck Seat Covers, a leading Australian manufacturer of heavy-duty automotive accessories, was facing a hidden performance crisis. Their server was operating at critical capacity, threatening website reliability during high-demand periods. Beneath this urgent infrastructure issue was an even more pressing missed opportunity: their product finder was only showing one vehicle category, despite having a wide range of products for multiple market segments.
With over 60% of web traffic coming from mobile devices and an outdated backend that couldn't capture essential vehicle details, sales teams were flying blind. The lack of visibility into full product lines and a poor user experience meant potential customers were abandoning their searches or choosing competitors.
This project wasn't just about keeping the lights on. It was about unlocking the full potential of an established brand by rebuilding its digital foundation from the ground up. Lab 385 identified the opportunity to transform technical bottlenecks into competitive advantages through strategic infrastructure and user experience improvements.
Infrastructure Stability
Building foundation for scalable performance.
Product Discovery
Revealing full range across seven categories.
Mobile Experience
Capturing majority traffic with optimised design.
Infrastructure First, Then User Experience Innovation
What started as a server emergency became an opportunity to completely rethink Black Duck's digital platform. We tackled infrastructure, data management, SEO, and user experience in phases to ensure lasting improvements and scalability.
Infrastructure Stabilisation
- Upgraded from 4-core to 6-core servers
- Increased SSD storage from 160GB to 320GB
- Added real-time monitoring capabilities
- Implemented five-year security update package
Product Finder Rebuild
- Designed seven-category tabbed interface
- Resolved cross-browser compatibility issues
- Built mobile-first responsive discovery
- Enhanced vehicle detail capture
Data Automation Implementation
- Introduced automated CSV imports
- Structured product database for growth
- Reduced admin workload significantly
- Minimised data entry error risk
SEO & Performance Optimisation
- Improved mobile speed and Core Web Vitals
- Implemented strategic keyword targeting
- Set up full conversion tracking
- Enhanced search engine visibility
Returns System Development
- Built custom returns and warranty workflow
- Integrated backend automation
- Streamlined internal processes
- Improved customer communication
From Technical Bottlenecks to Scalable Performance
The rebuilt platform transformed Black Duck's website into a self-service sales engine, revealing their full product range while dramatically improving performance and lead quality.
Server Optimisation
Reduced load from 95% to 47.4% for stability
7-Category Finder
Full product range now accessible to customers
Automated Workflow
CSV imports and returns process streamlined
Complete Vehicle Data
Every enquiry captures essential details
Mobile-First Design
Intuitive swipe navigation for 60%+ traffic
SEO Performance
Enhanced visibility driving organic growth
Performance That Drives Enquiries and Efficiency
| Metric | Before | After | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server capacity | 95% | 47.4% | Stability and scalability |
| Product categories visible | 1 | 7 | Full range discoverable |
| Mobile traffic | Low conversion | 63% share | Stronger engagement |
| Enquiry completion | Partial | 100% vehicle info | Sales-ready leads |
| Data entry | Manual | Automated | Improved productivity |