How Bubbleroom rebuilt its e-commerce for European growth

From a seven-week launch in Belgium and the Netherlands to rapid migrations across Europe, this is the story of how a Swedish fashion brand scaled its e-commerce across borders, one market at a time.

Summary:

Bubbleroom partnered with Columbus to rebuild its e-commerce on Shopify, creating a scalable foundation for European growth. The collaboration included launching new markets in Belgium and the Netherlands within seven weeks, migrating existing markets across Europe, and implementing market-specific storefronts, processes, and technology to support cross-border expansion. By combining speed, scalability, and tailored infrastructure, Bubbleroom was able to expand methodically, ensuring each market was fully equipped for long-term success.


Bubbleroom’s journey to smarter e-commerce

When Bubbleroom launched in 2005, the ambition was clear: fashion should feel like a celebration. Over time, the Swedish brand has turned that idea into a strong digital presence; designing collections around life’s “special moments” and building a loyal audience that returns for both occasion wear and everyday inspiration.

But as the brand grew, so did the complexity behind the scenes. For fashion companies operating online, speed is rarely just about technology. It’s about aligning collections, campaigns, logistics, payments, and local expectations, often across several markets at once. Seasons change quickly. Trends move faster. And customers expect seamless experiences, no matter where they shop from.

For Bubbleroom, the existing e-commerce setup no longer matched that reality.

"Our ambition outgrew the platform we were on,” says Rebecca Enhörning, E-commerce Manager at Bubbleroom. “We needed a setup that allowed us to move faster, test new markets, and still deliver a strong, consistent customer experience.”

 

Key deliveries

  • Three new European storefronts were launched within a compressed timeline, each tailored to local customer expectations. The setup enabled Bubbleroom to enter new markets quickly while maintaining brand consistency and operational stability.

  • Including:

    17,000+ products
    53,000+ customers
    70,000+ historical orders

    The migration preserved critical business data while ensuring continuity for returning customers. Orders began flowing shortly after launch, confirming a smooth transition without disruption to the customer experience.

  • Each market was configured individually rather than replicated from a single template. This ensured compliance, localisation, and relevance for customers in every country from day one.

  • The initial launches now serve as a blueprint for future rollouts. Larger Nordic markets are next in 2026, with lessons learned already informing planning and execution.

  • The project established clear structures for decision-making, delivery, and collaboration across teams. This foundation made it possible to move quickly without sacrificing quality or control.

  • The new platform architecture was designed not only for current markets but also for future initiatives. One of the first next steps is a dedicated outlet store, built on the same scalable setup.

  • Accessibility has been integrated as a continuous priority rather than a one-time task. Reviews and adjustments ensure the platform remains inclusive and aligned with evolving standards.



Choosing speed without sacrificing control

As Bubbleroom mapped out its international roadmap, flexibility became the defining requirement. The brand needed to launch quickly, learn from new markets, and adjust without slowing down day-to-day operations in existing ones.

“Speed was essential,” says Enhörning. “But speed without structure quickly becomes risky. We needed both a platform and a partner that could support rapid expansion in a controlled way.”

That´s where Shopify and Columbus came in.

Shopify provided the technical flexibility to test and launch new markets efficiently, while Columbus brought the experience needed to structure the work, guide the process, and adapt the setup to Bubbleroom’s way of working. The focus wasn’t on reinventing everything, but on building a foundation that allowed the business to move confidently, even under tight timelines.

 

We needed a setup that allowed us to move faster, test new markets, and still deliver a strong, consistent customer experience

– Rebecca Enhörning, E-commerce Manager at Bubbleroom

A blank canvas and a seven-week countdown

When the Bubbleroom, Columbus and Shopify team first met at Bubbleroom’s headquarters, the plan was ambitious:

A go-live in Belgium and the Netherlands in seven weeks.

In fashion e-commerce, timelines rarely exist in isolation. Launches must align with campaigns, seasonal drops, and ongoing collection updates. Nothing can be left to chance, from product data and translations to payment flows and logistics.

“The challenge wasn’t just the deadline,” says Fia Hernborg, Project Manager at Columbus.  “It was making sure everything worked seamlessly alongside Bubbleroom’s continuous launches and campaigns. Fashion doesn’t pause for platform projects.”

To make that possible, the project was built around clear structures and close collaboration. Workshops, blueprinting sessions, and detailed planning established a shared understanding early on. Tools like Jira and Confluence became central to coordination, transparency, and decision-making.

“It was very clear from the start that this had to be a joint effort,” says Hernborg. “One team, one goal. That mindset became a real success factor.”

No shortcuts, only coordination

There were no “copy–paste” solutions. Each market required its own setup - languages, currencies, sizes, legal requirements, payment methods, shipping partners, and customer expectations. Bubbleroom chose to go bold by testing new, previously uncharted European markets first. The approach allowed the team to learn quickly, validate assumptions, and refine the model before scaling further.

“The only way forward was full transparency and constant communication,” says Hernborg. “Knowledge sharing became our rhythm, and that made all the difference.”

The team worked in unison throughout the project, following an agile process built on trust. The seniority within the Columbus team also proved valuable, particularly when unplanned technical challenges emerged.

Belgium and the Netherlands went live on time, marking Bubbleroom’s first new markets on Shopify, and setting a strong precedent for what was possible.

The only way forward was full transparency and constant communication. Knowledge sharing became our rhythm, and that made all the difference

– Fia Hernborg, Project Manager at Columbus

A model for growth proven in practice

The momentum didn’t stop there. Soon after, Bubbleroom migrated its Danish site to Shopify, the first existing market to move over. The numbers were significant: 17,000 products, 53,000 customers and 70,000 orders successfully migrated and live within days.

Orders began flowing immediately, offering early proof that the new setup could handle real-world demand without friction. More importantly, it confirmed that a unified commerce foundation could support consistent customer experiences, regardless of market size. 

“Denmark may be one of the smaller Scandinavian markets, but its success clearly determined the path forward,” says Hernborg. “Getting this right was essential.”

The Danish migration became a reference point, not only technically, but also from a customer experience perspective. Stable performance, consistent journeys, and strong signals around customer satisfaction helped build confidence ahead of the larger Nordic migrations planned for 2026.

Soon after, another milestone followed: a rapid go-live in Germany, tailored to one of Europe’s most competitive fashion markets. Three new markets live. One existing market migrated. And a unified platform for European expansion was no longer pure ambition, it was reality.

The platform behind the pace

For Bubbleroom, moving to Shopify wasn’t only about launching as quickly as possible, it was about launching confidently. The brand needed the ability to adapt locally, scale reliably during campaigns, and support complex operations, all while laying a foundation for future growth.

“Shopify matched the technical requirements, and Columbus matched the way we like to work,” says Enhörning. “The collaboration was transparent, solution-oriented, and grounded in shared goals. It’s been a true partnership.”

The next phase is already underway. A new official Bubbleroom outlet store is being built on Shopify, with plans extending into 2026. Additional go-lives in Finland and Norway, further enhancements, and continuous optimisation remain part of the roadmap.

What began as a seven-week deadline has evolved into a long-term collaboration grounded in trust, steady growth, and a shared understanding of what modern fashion e-commerce requires.

Looking ahead, Bubbleroom’s focus is clear: strengthening the online customer experience, deepening loyalty, and continuing to build a brand that puts the customer at the centre.


From runway to real-time

Bubbleroom set out to expand  its fashion brand into new European markets. Today, the foundation is in place, the markets are live, and the momentum is real. Bubbleroom’s journey shows what happens when ambition meets the right foundation.

With Shopify as its platform and Columbus as its implementation partner, the brand has moved from planned expansion to real international momentum. What began as a seven-week deadline has become a blueprint for continued growth, proving that with teamwork, clarity, and consistent delivery, scaling across Europe doesn’t have to be complicated.

 

 Success factors

  • Open dialogue and structured coordination ensured alignment from day one, helping teams manage a fast-paced rollout without confusion or delays. Regular check-ins, shared tools, and visibility across decisions created confidence and momentum across all stakeholders.

  • The project was run as a unified team effort rather than separate workstreams, reinforcing shared ownership of outcomes. Workshops, planning sessions, and joint problem-solving established a collaborative rhythm that supported both speed and quality.

  • Launching new markets within seven weeks required focus, adaptability, and a willingness to solve challenges quickly. The teams approached milestones with urgency and pragmatism, ensuring deadlines were met without compromising performance or customer experience.

  • Continuous learning was embedded into the process, allowing teams to quickly build expertise and confidence on the platform. Knowledge transfer became a core working principle, accelerating decision-making and reducing friction as the project progressed.

  • Each country required its own configuration across language, payments, logistics, and legal requirements, so the team prioritized localization over shortcuts. This approach ensured relevance and compliance from launch while strengthening customer trust in every market.

  • Mutual trust enabled fast decisions and constructive problem-solving when challenges arose. The partnership dynamic ensured that both sides could move quickly while still maintaining structure, governance, and long-term scalability.

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