All work

Burns Crystal

Burns Crystal has been handcrafting Scottish glassware for over 35 years. With a large product catalogue and deep-rooted heritage, they needed an online shop that was easy to navigate and did justice to the quality of what they make.

Role
E-commerce configuration, web design and build
Client
Heritage glassware brand, Scotland
Status
After a change of ownership, the site now redirects to Majestic Crystal
Pages from the Burns Crystal website laid out on a maroon background

The challenge

Burns Crystal had the products, the heritage and the loyal customers, but their online presence wasn't keeping pace with the quality of what they were selling.

With a catalogue spanning clan crest glassware, whisky gifts, gin gifts, ornaments, skyline tumblers and several collections, the challenge was a shopping experience that felt as considered and crafted as the products themselves.

The challenge, heritage without friction: a large, complex catalogue, a strong brand to balance with usability, and customers who shop by occasion, recipient and drink

My role

E-commerce configuration

I structured and configured the full product catalogue, organising products across collections, categories and gift types so the shop is logical and easy to browse. The path from discovering a product to checking out was kept smooth throughout.

Web design and build

I designed and built the complete website, creating an experience that honours the craft and heritage of the Burns Crystal brand while feeling contemporary and easy to use.

Site structure: from the home page, shoppers browse by drink, by collection or by occasion, then go from product page to checkout

Design strategy

The challenge with a heritage brand is balancing tradition with usability. I kept the layout clean and uncluttered, letting the product photography lead, while weaving in the warmth and Scottish character that make Burns Crystal distinctive.

The home page was structured for different kinds of shopper, from those browsing by drink to those exploring by collection, with visual navigation that feels natural rather than transactional.

  • A clean layout that lets product photography do the heavy lifting.
  • Navigation structured around how customers actually shop.
  • The heritage character kept, without sacrificing usability.
The Burns Crystal home page on a laptop: Gifts Handcrafted in Scotland
On mobile: the About Burns Crystal page and a product page with Add to basket

The results

years of craft, now online with the polish it deserves
35+
ways to shop: by drink, collection or occasion
3
free UK shipping threshold, shown throughout
£30

A complex range, made simple

A large catalogue across several collections and gift categories, structured so any customer can find the right gift in seconds, whatever they're looking for.

An online presence worthy of the craft

Burns Crystal gained a digital home that reflected the quality and care that goes into every piece, presenting a 35-year-old brand with the polish it deserved.

Easy to browse, easy to buy

A smooth path from discovery to checkout, with free-shipping thresholds and gift-focused messaging woven throughout. Following a change of ownership, burnscrystal.co.uk now redirects to Majestic Crystal.

Carried into the next project

Lessons learned

  1. Navigation is the shop assistant

    Organising the catalogue by drink, collection and occasion does what a good shop assistant does: it asks what you're looking for before showing you everything.

  2. Let the product lead

    With pieces this well crafted, the best design decision was often to get out of the way: clean layouts and generous space for the photography.

  3. Heritage and usability aren't opposites

    The Scottish character lives in the details (type, colour and copy) while the shopping flow stays as modern and frictionless as any big retailer's.