Case Study: Royal International Air Tattoo – Shopify & POS Build
Client Overview
The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) is the world’s largest military airshow, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Renowned globally, RIAT operates at the intersection of live events, retail, and charitable fundraising, with merchandise sales playing a key role both online and on-site during the show.
With high transaction volumes over a short, intense event period, RIAT required a retail platform that was fast, reliable, and capable of seamlessly supporting both ecommerce and in-person sales.
The Challenge
RIAT’s existing ecommerce and on-site sales setup lacked the flexibility and robustness required for a modern, large-scale live event. The system struggled with:
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Handling high traffic spikes during peak periods
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Managing inventory consistently across online and event-based sales
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Providing a smooth, intuitive checkout experience for visitors
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Giving staff the tools needed to sell efficiently in a fast-paced environment
RIAT needed a future-proof solution that could unify online retail with point-of-sale operations at the event—without compromising reliability during one of the busiest weekends of the year.
Our Solution
UNIQ delivered a complete Shopify rebuild and POS implementation, designed specifically for high-volume, event-driven retail.
🔧 Platform Migration
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Migration from the existing ecommerce platform to Shopify
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Structured product, collection, and content setup for merchandise ranges
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Careful handling of URLs and SEO considerations to protect search visibility
🎨 Shopify Store Redesign
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Custom Shopify theme aligned with RIAT’s brand and visual identity
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Streamlined navigation to support browsing large product ranges
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Mobile-first optimisation to reflect real-world user behaviour
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Performance-focused build to handle traffic surges during peak demand
🛒 Shopify POS for Event Sales
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Full setup and configuration of Shopify POS for on-site use at RIAT
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Synchronised inventory between online store and physical event sales
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Optimised POS workflows for fast transactions during busy periods
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Staff training to ensure confidence and speed on event days
🔗 Integrations & Enhancements
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Integration with payment providers suitable for both online and live event sales
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Reporting and analytics setup to give clear visibility of sales performance
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Scalable app stack designed to support future events and growth
The Results
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A smooth transition to Shopify with no disruption to trading
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A fast, modern online store capable of handling peak demand
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Seamless integration between ecommerce and on-site retail via Shopify POS
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Improved stock accuracy across all sales channels
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Faster checkout and improved customer experience at the event
Why It Worked
Our experience delivering Shopify solutions for complex, high-pressure environments allowed us to anticipate challenges unique to live events. By combining a robust ecommerce build with a carefully planned POS setup, we ensured RIAT had a reliable system in place when it mattered most.
Ready to Upgrade Your Ecommerce Platform?
Whether you’re running large-scale live events, managing multi-channel retail, or planning a move to Shopify or Shopify Plus, UNIQ can help.
