In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, speed matters. For Mosaics Boutique & Tea, a charming Chicago-based tea retailer with an online store, a sluggish website was hurting both user experience and potential sales.
With page speed scores falling below modern benchmarks, Sitemasons stepped in to optimize performance from the ground up — delivering a significantly faster site experience without the need for costly infrastructure upgrades.
The Client: Mosaics Boutique & Tea
Mosaics Boutique & Tea is Chicago’s go-to destination for premium loose-leaf teas and a carefully curated boutique shopping experience. With over 88 unique tea blends and an inviting local storefront, they also serve customers online through their e-commerce website.
Their website is not just an online catalog — it’s the bridge between tea lovers and their next cup. That’s why a slow-loading site wasn’t just inconvenient; it was costing them customer trust and conversions.
The Challenge: A Lagging Site on Shared Hosting
When we first assessed Mosaics’ website, their performance scores told the story:
- Mobile Speed (Google PageSpeed Insights): 38
- Desktop Speed: 66
These scores meant the website was underperforming on multiple fronts — especially for mobile visitors, who make up a growing share of online shoppers.
Key Issues Identified:
- Unoptimized images were bulky and slowed down load times.
- Lack of caching meant users had to reload assets with every visit.
- No content delivery network (CDN) caused delays for users outside the local server region.
- Render-blocking scripts and CSS were preventing quick visual loads.
- Excessive HTTP requests and bloated code added unnecessary overhead.
All of this was amplified by the limitations of shared hosting, where resources are restricted and performance tuning is limited.
Our Approach: Strategic Speed Optimization
We knew we had to work smart within the constraints of shared hosting. Our strategy combined trusted performance tools, CDN integration, and custom optimizations:
🔧 Tools & Technologies Used:
- WP Rocket: Enabled advanced caching, minification, lazy loading, and deferred JavaScript.
- Cloudflare CDN: Distributed content delivery to speed up access for users globally and reduce server load.
- Imagify: Compressed and converted images for faster loading without compromising quality.
- Custom Code Tweaks: Removed unused CSS, optimized loading priority for scripts, and cleaned up bloated plugins.
The Results: Noticeable Speed Gains
After completing the optimization process, we re-ran the performance tests. The results were a clear win:
| Metric | Before | After |
| Mobile Score | 38 | 69 |
| Desktop Score | 66 | 90 |
While not perfect, the improvements were significant and realistic given the original condition of the website and the constraints of a shared hosting environment.
Key Benefits:
- Faster page loads and smoother navigation
- Improved user retention and engagement
- Better foundation for SEO and mobile performance
- Enhanced experience for both new and returning customers
Client Feedback
“Sitemasons didn’t just make it faster — they explained what was wrong and fixed it quickly. We’re really happy with how much smoother it feels now.”
— Leslie M. Stokes, Owner of Mosaics Boutique & Tea
Key Takeaways
- Realistic optimization can lead to real-world improvements — even on shared hosting plans.
- Tools like WP Rocket and Cloudflare are powerful allies when configured correctly.
- Speed isn’t just a tech issue — it directly impacts user experience and sales.
Final Thoughts
At Sitemasons, we focus on practical, high-impact optimizations tailored to our clients’ realities. For Mosaics Boutique & Tea, speed wasn’t just a bonus — it was essential to keeping customers engaged and coming back.
Need to speed up your site without switching hosts or spending thousands?
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