For Marvin I did the UX for the relaunch of a flagship window. Double hung is such a standard that a new version can look exactly like the old one, and the old version's URLs and documentation still had to work for everyone who already owned it.
Why is relaunching a flagship product so hard?
Because two groups land on the same pages and need opposite things. New buyers need the new version. Owners, installers, and dealers of the old version need its manuals, parts, and warranty, often for years. When the new product takes over the old URL, the second group gets lost, calls support, and search engines lose the page that ranked.
How do we keep buyers from confusing the old and new versions?
- A name that differs where people look. The product name, the model number, and the first line of the page should all say which version this is. "New" wears off in a year.
- One comparison page. Old against new, side by side, with how to tell which one you own.
- The same words everywhere. The site, the dealer materials, the packaging, and the install guides use the same names. Confusion usually starts with one team calling it something else.
What happens to the old product's pages?
Keep them live, labeled as the earlier version, with a clear link to the new one. Redirect an old page only when its content is truly replaced. A blanket redirect from the old product to the new one breaks every manual, parts lookup, and installer bookmark, and it tells search engines the old page is gone.
How do we protect the search traffic the old page earned?
Leave the old page where it is, update it to point to the new version, and give the new version its own page that earns its own traffic. Link the two to each other. Assistants like ChatGPT and Copilot read the same pages, so clear version names on both help them answer "which one do I have" correctly.
What should we plan before launch day?
A map of every old URL and document: which ones stay, which ones change, which ones redirect, and who owns each. A short test with real buyers and installers on the new pages before launch. And a support script, because the first month of calls will tell you where the names still confuse people.
Answered by Jared Lukes, Minneapolis. Twenty-five years in brand, UX, and technology, currently holding fractional AI and technology seats at three companies. About Jared.