How Thanopoulos achieved 10% sales growth after platform migration

Introduction

Thanopoulos is a premium grocery chain in Greece, approaching 150 years of operation in 2027. Known for uncompromising product quality, variety, and customer service, the company faced a digital challenge: its ecommerce platform had become a bottleneck.

Built on a licensed PrestaShop implementation managed by an external partner, the platform created three critical problems.

First, Thanopoulos had no ability to manage content independently. Publishing a banner, updating a promotion, or making simple changes required going through a time-consuming process with a third-party developer.

Second, the platform wasn't evolving. No upgrades, no new features, no adaptation to changing customer expectations or technology standards.

Third, PrestaShop couldn't support a mobile app. Customers increasingly shop on their phones, but Thanopoulos had no way to reach them there.

For a business built on responsiveness and quality, this lack of control and stagnation was unacceptable. Thanopoulos needed a modern platform that would give them autonomy and continue to evolve with the market.

Results at a glance

Background and Objectives

Greece's grocery sector is shifting online, with customers expecting seamless digital experiences that match in-store quality. Premium retailers face particular pressure: their online presence must reflect the same standards as their physical stores.

Thanopoulos' PrestaShop platform had served its initial purpose, but the licensed vendor model created dependency. Every content update required external developers. Every promotional campaign meant delays.

The platform remained static while customer expectations and technology moved forward, causing the site to gradually fall behind competitors in modern UI and functionality.

Thanopoulos sought to:

• Gain full content autonomy without relying on external developers
• Move to a platform that continuously evolves with regular updates
• Launch native mobile applications for iOS and Android, essential as consumer behavior shifted mobile-first, something PrestaShop couldn't support
• Enable express delivery service with custom rules and quick timeslots
• Improve performance and user experience to match modern standards

Wave Grocery addressed all of these requirements while maintaining Thanopoulos' brand identity and operational standards.

Approach and Solution

Wave Grocery approached the project with a focus on removing dependencies and building for continuous evolution.

The grocery ecommerce sector requires specialized tools: fluctuating inventories, time-sensitive deliveries, complex delivery rules, and regular content updates make generic platforms inefficient.

For Thanopoulos, the Wave Grocery platform offered:

Implementation and Results

The migration followed a structured plan that minimized disruption while upgrading every part of the operation.

Platform Migration

Implementation

Product catalogs, customer data, and operational settings were migrated from PrestaShop. Integration with existing ERP systems was established for real-time inventory and pricing synchronization.

For customers, the transition was seamless. They kept their passwords, order history, and saved preferences, nothing to reset or re-enter.

A comprehensive 301 redirect strategy was implemented, mapping 1,210 legacy URLs to their new equivalents to preserve SEO value, maintain Google rankings, and ensure users clicking old links (from search results, bookmarks, emails, or social media) land on the correct pages.

Result

Clean data migration with improved catalog accuracy and zero downtime. Order management system integration ensured smooth operational handoff. SEO equity preserved through systematic URL redirects.

Content System Activation

Implementation

Internal teams were trained on the Wave Grocery content management system and given full administrative access.

Result

Content publishing time reduced from days to a few minutes. Marketing team gained full autonomy. Dependency on external developers eliminated for all content updates.

Performance Optimization

Implementation

New frontend architecture deployed with server-side rendering, CDN caching, and optimized media delivery.

Result

Google's Lighthouse tool measures website quality on a 0-100 scale. After migration, Thanopoulos improved in every category.

Accessibility jumped from 66 to 90, SEO from 83 to 92, and Performance from 50 to 61.

The site display and interface became noticeably more stable. Page responsiveness improved dramatically, with blocking time dropping from 230 milliseconds to just 30.

Platform maintains a >99.99% uptime.

Mobile Apps Launch

Implementation

Native iOS and Android applications developed, tested, and released. Promoted through in-store touchpoints and customer communications.

Result

Apps achieved 4.8 and 4.7 star ratings on Google Play and App Store respectively. Mobile now represents 20% of total online orders.

Quick Delivery Launch

Implementation

Express delivery service configured with distance-based rules (3km radius), 30-minute timeslots, and 3rd party fleet integrations. Operational processes established for order picking and fulfillment from Elaion store. Service rules included €40 minimum order, €4 delivery fee, and 25-item cart limit.

Result

Order fulfillment processes optimized with rule-based slot management and fleet coordination. Quick delivery service launched successfully, expanding Thanopoulos' service offering to time-sensitive customers in Northern Athens.

UI Modernization

Implementation

User interface refreshed to meet current standards while preserving Thanopoulos' brand aesthetic.

Result

The updated design addressed the gradual decline in competitiveness that occurred during the PrestaShop years, bringing the digital experience back in line with modern customer expectations.

Ongoing Platform Evolution

Implementation

Regular platform updates and feature releases delivered by Wave Grocery development team.

Result

Thanopoulos receives new capabilities without additional development cost or coordination.

Lessons Learned

The Thanopoulos project reinforced several principles about platform selection and vendor relationships.

Autonomy Matters

• Content management dependency creates operational friction
• Internal teams need direct control without relying on external developers
• Self-service publishing accelerates response time

Platforms Should Evolve

• Static installations become technical debt
• Modern SaaS grocery-specific platforms with monthly releases continuously improve
• New capabilities delivered without migration costs

Mobile is Essential

• Native apps drive significant order volume when built properly
• 20% order share demonstrates customer preference for mobile-native experiences
• Higher repeat purchase rates on mobile vs web

UI Competitiveness Requires Active Maintenance

• In fast-moving digital markets, platforms that don't upgrade fall behind
• Regular platform evolution keeps the digital experience competitive
• Modern UI/UX directly impacts customer perception and conversion

Conclusion

Thanopoulos' migration from PrestaShop to Wave Grocery demonstrates how the right platform choice removes operational constraints and enables growth.

By gaining content autonomy, Thanopoulos eliminated vendor dependency and reduced publishing time from days to minutes. By choosing an evolving SaaS grocery-specific platform with monthly updates, they ensure continuous improvement without future migration costs. By launching native mobile apps, they captured 20% of orders on a channel that didn't previously exist, proving alignment with modern consumer behavior.

The result is not just a better platform, but a foundation for sustained growth. As Thanopoulos approaches 150 years of operation, its digital infrastructure is now positioned to serve customers for the next chapter of the company's history.

Want to see how Wave Grocery can help your online store modernize and grow?

Contact us to start your own success story.