Découvrez les stratégies des marques les plus inspirantes pour exploser votre taux de conversion

Sézane, a French fashion brand, was founded by Morgane Sézalory. It has become a worldwide success. This is due to its exceptional omnichannel experience, strong brand identity, and devoted customer base.

Sézane has been successful in the fashion industry. It has achieved this by combining online and offline experiences. Additionally, it has built a loyal customer base and has remained committed to its core values. This blog post will examine how Sézane has achieved this success.

A Strong Customer Community at the Heart of the Brand

From day one, Sézane has focused on building a tight-knit community of fashion lovers.

Known as "Sézanettes," these loyal customers have a strong connection with the brand. They identify with its aesthetics and values, making them feel like they belong. This sense of belonging encourages them to keep returning.  

Sézane's secret to building a loyal and devoted community lies in these key factors:

• A strong brand: With a focus on elegance, quality, and sustainability, Sézane's brand identity shines through its aesthetics and responsible production.
• Quality customer experience: Impeccably designed boutiques, attention to detail, and personalized customer service foster trust and connection with customers.
• Frequent collection launches: Regularly unveiling new collections keeps the community engaged. Newsletters, social media, and in-store events keep customers in the loop.
• Active social media presence: Sézane has an active presence on social media, especially Instagram. They share their aesthetic, values and engage with their community. This interaction helps them to gain feedback and ideas.
• Transparency: Openness about production and supply chain builds trust. Genuine stories about the team and customers create a sense of belonging to an inspiring community.

These elements come together, allowing Sézane to cultivate a dedicated community that embraces the brand's values, aesthetics, and quality

Sézane has achieved success by providing excellent customer service. They release new collections regularly, and engage with their customers on social media. This has helped them build and grow a devoted fanbase.

Embracing the Omnichannel Experience

Sézane has successfully expanded its presence across various channels, with 15 physical boutiques worldwide and a strong online presence. The brand's physical stores, known as "flats" or "apartments," provide customers with a warm, welcoming environment that reinforces the brand's image.

Sézane generates 90% of its revenue online. However, it has used its boutiques strategically. This creates a smooth customer experience both in-store and online.

Influencer and Partnership Strategy

Sézane has leveraged the power of influencers and collaborations to broaden its reach and appeal to new audiences. Sézane partners with fashion influencers, prestigious brands and hosts exclusive events. This helps to build its image as a high-end, trendsetting brand.

Exceptional Customer Experience

The customer experience at Sézane is a major priority, with a focus on providing a personalized and high-end experience both online and offline. It's personal, luxurious, and unforgettable:

• Carefully designed boutiques: Sézane's boutiques are a feast for the eyes, showcasing attention to lighting, furniture, and décor. Warm and inviting, they create the perfect atmosphere for exploring the collections.
• Responsive and personalized customer service: Have a question? Sézane's customer service team is ready to help. They also offer tailored advice in-store and online, so you can find products that fit your body and style perfectly.
• Product quality: Sézane values top-quality, sustainable, and eco-friendly materials. They encourage customers to invest in long-lasting items instead of chasing fleeting trends.
• Easy delivery and returns: Enjoy fast, reliable shipping with express and click-and-collect options. Returns are a breeze, with free, 30-day returns to test products at your leisure.
• A unique unboxing experience: Expect a personalized touch, like a message with your name on it. Customize t-shirts, jewelry, and more with embroidery or hot stamping, making each item uniquely yours.

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Commitment to the Community and Sustainability

Sézane is dedicated to responsible production, transparency, and product longevity.

With its Foundation, La Femme Sézane, the brand supports charitable causes and encourages customers to participate in sustainable and responsible fashion practices.

A Consistent and Unique Product Strategy

Sézane's product strategy revolves around giving each item a unique first name and using a specific vocabulary that distinguishes the brand from its competitors. The balanced color palette, consistent pricing, and focus on accessories all contribute to the brand's unique image and positioning.

Conclusion

Sézane's success can be attributed to its ability to create a unique and engaging omnichannel experience, fostering a strong community of loyal customers, and staying true to its core values.

Sézane has found success in the competitive fashion world by combining the best of online and offline worlds. This serves as a great example for other brands wanting to build a strong, lasting relationship with their customers.

As an ecommerce expert, you should know that every interaction with your customer matters. From the moment they visit your website to the post-purchase experience, each touchpoint can make or break their relationship with your brand.

In this article, we share with you Unbottled's winning email strategy and provide you with tips and insights to help you create a similarly effective email experience for your own customers.

Why Post-Purchase Emails Matter

Tracking emails are one of the most overlooked communication channels in ecommerce, yet they have an open rate of over 80%. That's a huge opportunity to engage with your customers and create a positive brand experience.

The Perfect Post-Purchase Email: Tips for Success

Here are some tips to help you create the perfect post-purchase email:

1. Brand Your Tracking Email

Use your brand's logo, colors, and visual elements to create a cohesive experience. Maintain consistency with your brand's tone and voice.

2. Ask "How Did the Delivery Go?"

Encourage customers feedback on their delivery experience. Use their responses to improve your shipping process and overall customer satisfaction. With the help of tools like Klaviyo, Gorgias or Zendesk, you can even trigger follow-up actions based on their feedback.

3. Give the Order Details

Make it easy for your customers to remember what they ordered by listing the products, quantities, and order number. Add an estimated delivery date or time frame for transparency.

4. Show the Carrier Information

Include the carrier's name, tracking number, and a link to track the shipment. This helps customers stay informed about the status of their order.

5. Take Advantage of the High Open Rate

Since tracking emails have an open rate of over 78%, use this opportunity to increase customer engagement and encourage repeat business, upsell, and more. Link your email to your Wiink landing page for maximum impact.

6. Show Your Social Networks Links

Encourage customers to follow you on social media for updates about your brand and promotions. Include easily identifiable icons and links to your profiles.

7. Reduce Customer Support Friction

Add links to your Returns Policy and Help Center. Make it easy for customers to contact you if they need help.

8. Use Bigblue

Bigblue is a great solution for managing your post-purchase experience. With Bigblue, everything from branding your tracking email to showing carrier information and reducing customer support friction is made easy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, tracking emails are an essential part of your post-purchase experience. Don't overlook this opportunity to engage with your customers and create a positive brand experience. Use these tips to create the perfect post-purchase email and start seeing the benefits of a well-designed email strategy. With a little effort, you can turn your post-purchase emails into a powerful tool for boosting customer satisfaction, loyalty, and sales.

Influencer marketing is essential for brands who want to increase their customer base and sales.

This is especially true in today's highly competitive e-commerce environment. 61% of consumers rely on product recommendations from social media influencers and 49% rely on their opinions before making a purchase. It is essential for e-commerce businesses to take advantage of influencer generated content (IGC).

This blog post will explore four strategies to maximize the return on ad spend (ROAS) from influencer campaigns. These strategies will help boost sales.

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Turn Influencer Generated Content into Website Content

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A whopping 56% of customers admit to having ordered a product after seeing an influencer post.

Maximize the impact of your influencer campaigns. Don't just use social networks. Showcase influencer content on your website too. Here are a few ways to do this:

• Automatically display influencer posts in a dedicated section based on your hashtags.
• Create a "What our customers/users say" section featuring videos of influencers discussing your brand and products.
• Incorporate influencer content into your FAQ section.
• Transcribe influencer content and post it on your blog, like Impala Skate.
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💙 Bigblue Tips

To help you out, I'm sharing with you the list of the most popular content types among users in the US and UK in 2020.

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Focus on Tutorial and FAQ Content

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Tutorials videos and FAQ-style content are popular among consumers. They help reduce purchase friction and improve the online shopping experience.

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By demonstrating how to use your product and addressing potential questions, you can persuade users to place an order. Take inspiration from the jewellery brand Hey Harper and create engaging video testimonials to showcase your products.

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Combine Influencer Reviews with Customer Reviews

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Nearly 79% of consumers trust influencer reviews, so it's crucial to highlight them alongside your customer testimonials. To encourage high-quality content from influencers, consider the following tips:
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• Offer a memorable unboxing experience.
• Send your best products.
• Include a personalized note with information about your products, brand story, and values.
  
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Dermalogica is one brand that has effectively employed this strategy. They partnered with Diane Perreau, the creator of Jaspe, and now have over 340k subscribers.

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💙 Bigblue Tips

Lashilé uses the tool Loox to easily integrate customer reviews on its site and collaborates with Bigblue to get quality reviews thanks to a memorable unboxing 💝

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Optimize ROAS with Influencer Whitelisting
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Influencer whitelisting is a marketing technique. Ads are published from an influencer's account. This makes the post look as if it was posted organically by the influencer. The post then appears in users' feeds.
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Although users may quickly realize it's a sponsored content, the results can be impressive. For example, the brand ROWSE reduced its customer acquisition costs by 30% in one month using whitelisting.

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💙 Bigblue tips

Without going so far as to do whitelisting, you can also turn influencer-generated content into ads and post them directly with your Meta account. To avoid any problems, I still recommend asking the influencer's permission beforehand!

Influencer marketing can significantly impact your e-commerce sales when used strategically. Implementing these strategies can help you reuse influencer generated content. This can help increase your brand's visibility. It can also maximize the return on your influencer marketing campaigns.
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We are here to discuss something important: whether or not you need a landing page for your e-commerce site. I know what you're thinking: "Why should I bother with a landing page when I already have a perfectly good product page?" Well, let me tell you, there are plenty of reasons why a landing page can take your e-commerce game to the next level.

To stand out from the competition and drive sales, you need to create a seamless online experience for your customers. That's where landing pages come in.

Landing pages are specialised web pages that are designed to convert visitors into customers by guiding them towards a specific action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form. In the world of e-commerce, landing pages are becoming increasingly popular as they offer numerous benefits over traditional product pages.

In this article, we'll explore whether or not you need a landing page for your e-commerce site. We'll dive into the benefits of using landing pages, including launching campaigns faster, personalising your message, targeting specific audiences, and offering a better shopping experience for your customers. We'll also compare landing pages to product pages and explain why landing pages are the way to go if you want to increase your conversions and take your e-commerce game to the next level. So, let's dive in.

Benefits of landing pages vs. product pages in e-commerce

Launch campaigns faster

Creating landing pages for your e-commerce site can help you launch campaigns faster and more efficiently. When it comes to building web pages, the process can be time-consuming, especially if you have to rely on a developer to create each page. This can slow down your marketing efforts, particularly if you need to promote a seasonal campaign or a new product quickly.

However, with an e-commerce landing page builder, you can quickly build and launch pages on your own without the need for technical skills or support from developers. This not only saves you time and resources but also allows you to be more nimble and responsive to market changes and customer needs.

Moreover, having a large number of landing pages can significantly boost your lead generation efforts. According to a study by Unbounce, businesses with more than 40 landing pages generated 12 times more leads than those with only 1-5 landing pages. This is because each landing page can target a specific audience or campaign, enabling you to tailor your messaging and offer to your target audience more effectively.

Personalise your message

Personalisation is becoming increasingly important in the world of e-commerce, and a landing page is a powerful tool to help you achieve this. By creating a custom landing page, you can tailor the message to match the specific ad or email campaign that drove the user to your site. This ensures that the user sees the same message and offer that they clicked on, creating a more consistent and coherent buyer journey.

Personalisation doesn't just help with consistency, it also helps with relevancy. Customers are bombarded with advertising messages every day, and they're getting better at tuning out the noise. To stand out from the crowd, you need to deliver a message that's relevant to their needs and desires. By creating a custom landing page, you can tailor your message to specific segments of your audience, addressing their unique pain points and offering solutions that speak directly to them.

Of course, personalisation isn't just about the message. It's also about the user experience. When a customer clicks on an ad or email, they expect to be taken to a page that's relevant to their needs. If they end up on a generic product page, they're likely to be confused and frustrated, which can lead to a high bounce rate and lost sales. By creating a custom landing page that delivers a message that's aligned with the user's expectations, you can create a more seamless and enjoyable user experience that's more likely to lead to a sale.

Target specific audiences

Let's dive deeper into the benefits of targeting specific audiences with landing pages. When it comes to e-commerce, not all customers have the same interests, needs, and preferences. For instance, a customer who is looking for organic skincare products may have different priorities than someone who is searching for vegan-friendly makeup.

By creating targeted ads for each audience and sending them to a custom landing page specifically designed to address their needs, you can increase the likelihood of a conversion. This is because you can personalise your message and highlight the specific benefits of your products that resonate with each audience segment.

For example, if you are selling shoes, you can create separate landing pages for men, women, and children, highlighting the unique features of each type of shoe for that audience. You can also target customers based on their location, interests, or past purchase behaviour, which can help you provide a more relevant and personalised shopping experience.

Targeted landing pages also allow you to collect valuable data about your customers. You can use this information to refine your marketing strategies, identify new target audiences, and create more effective campaigns in the future.

Offer a better and faster shopping experience

Customers want to find what they're looking for quickly and easily without having to navigate through a maze of pages and links. That's where landing pages come in. By creating a custom landing page tailored to a specific promotion or product, you can ensure that your customers have a better and faster shopping experience.

When a customer clicks on an ad or email, they expect to be taken to a page that's relevant to what they clicked on. If they land on a generic product page, they may become confused and frustrated, which can lead to them leaving your site without making a purchase. However, if they land on a custom landing page that's designed specifically for the promotion or product they're interested in, they're more likely to stay on your site and make a purchase.

Landing pages can also help to reduce the number of steps a customer needs to take to complete a purchase. By including a clear call to action on the landing page, such as "Buy Now" or "Add to Cart," you can make it easy for customers to take the next step in the buying process. This can help to increase conversions and drive sales for your business.

In addition to providing a better shopping experience, landing pages can also help you to gather valuable data about your customers. You can collect information such as email addresses, phone numbers, and other contact details by including a form on your landing page. This can help you to build a database of leads that you can use for future marketing efforts.

Now, I know some of you might be thinking, "But, can't I just use my product page for all of this?" The answer is no. According to Monetate, visitors convert half as often on a product page compared to a custom landing page experience. Product pages don't follow e-commerce best practices, and they don't sync up with your paid advertisements. Plus, they're often cluttered with distracting links that keep shoppers browsing instead of buying.

So, there you have it, folks. Landing pages are the way to go to increase your conversions and take your e-commerce game to the next level. They're more targeted, customisable, and twice as likely to convert. So, what are you waiting for? Start building those landing pages today!

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Spain is one of the fastest-growing e-commerce markets in Europe, with a value of €37 billion and a projected growth of 20% in the next year. It's also the fourth-largest market for fashion e-commerce, with a value of €3.7 billion, making it an exciting opportunity for brands looking to expand their online presence.

To help you get started, we've put together the following ten tips to launch your e-commerce in Spain successfully:

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1. Offer a Seamless Delivery Experience

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Delivery experience is a critical factor for Spanish consumers. According to a survey, 87% of Spanish consumers say delivery time and shipping costs are the most critical factors influencing their online purchasing decisions. To succeed in the Spanish market, providing a seamless delivery experience to your customers is essential.

This means considering if you will ship from a warehouse in Spain or another country. Shipping locally can save you money and meet the expectations of Spanish consumers, who expect fast delivery times. Some popular Spanish delivery companies include Correos, MRW, and Seur.

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2. Avoid Administrative Errors

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It's crucial to complete the proper documents to avoid administrative errors when entering the Spanish e-commerce market. Ensure that you have all the necessary paperwork, including customs documents, to avoid any potential delays through customs. You must attach four specific documents to orders, including the order invoice, delivery note, customs declaration, and a Single Administrative Document for any parcels valued at over €1,000.

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3. Choose the Right Carrier

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Selecting the right carrier is crucial to ensuring a seamless delivery experience for your customers. Some of the most popular carriers in Spain include Correos, MRW, and Seur. Make sure to research different shipping carriers and their reputation for handling goods, speed, and cost-effectiveness to choose the best suits your business.

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4. Adapt to Spanish Consumption Patterns

It's crucial to understand the consumption patterns of Spanish consumers and adapt your strategy accordingly. For instance, Spanish consumers are likelier to abandon their carts if they notice the delivery time is longer than expected or if the shipping costs are too high. To succeed in the Spanish market, make sure to adapt your pricing and delivery strategies to match the expectations of Spanish consumers.

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5. Localise Your E-commerce

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Site Localisation is key to success in the Spanish market. Spanish consumers prefer to shop on websites in their native language, with payment options that are familiar to them. To create a localised e-commerce site, offer customer support in Spanish and provide clear and accurate product descriptions.

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6. Consider Spanish Payment Methods

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Spanish consumers have specific payment preferences that you must take into account when launching your e-commerce site in Spain. Spain's most popular payment methods are credit and debit cards, PayPal, and bank transfers. Ensure that your website supports these payment options to provide a seamless checkout experience for your customers.

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7. Offer Competitive Pricing

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Pricing is a critical factor for Spanish consumers. They are price-sensitive and are always on the lookout for a good deal. To succeed in the Spanish market, offer competitive pricing that aligns with local market standards.

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8. Invest in Customer Service

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Quality customer service is essential to succeed in the Spanish market. Spanish consumers value good customer service and are likelier to shop with excellent support brands. Ensure that your customer service team can provide support in Spanish and is knowledgeable about your products and services.

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9. Prepare your marketing campaigns for Spain

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When expanding to the Spanish e-commerce market, developing marketing campaigns that resonate with your target audience is important. Spain has a high internet penetration rate, a strong online shopping culture, and a competitive market, so you need to be innovative to stand out.

Look at successful e-commerce brands in Spain, such as Zara and Mango, to understand how they connect with their audience and build their reputation. Adapt your marketing strategies to appeal to Spanish consumers' preferences, including social media, influencer marketing, and personalised advertising.

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10. Anticipate your costs and resources

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Before launching your e-commerce store in Spain, it's crucial to anticipate the costs and resources required. You should consider the shipping expenses to customers throughout Spain, including taxes and customs duties. Moreover, you must ensure you have the resources, such as customer service, logistics, and IT support, to manage your e-commerce operations in Spain. By being aware of the costs and resources required, you can make informed decisions about your expansion strategy and ensure a successful launch in the Spanish e-commerce market.

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Did you know that 62% of customers want to return or exchange a purchase within 30 days? And if you can make those returns simple and stress-free, a whopping 92% of customers will come back to do business with you again.

But it's not all rainbows and unicorns. Unfortunately, 30% of items get returned because they arrive damaged or faulty. That's where having a pro-level returns policy comes in. It's not just about marketing, people. It's about making sure your customers feel appreciated and valued.

By offering the perfect return and exchange policies, you can easily handle any situation and show your customers how much you care about their business.

Whether it's an item that's too big or small, a product that's damaged or faulty, or just not as described, having a solid returns policy can help you exceed your customer's expectations and build that all-important loyalty.

Zalando

Zalando is a German e-commerce retailer that specializes in fashion and lifestyle products. One of its standout features is its generous returns policy, which allows customers to return any used items within the first 100 days of purchase.

For beauty products, Zalando accepts returns of unused and unopened items in original packaging for hygiene purposes. This policy not only gives customers peace of mind when making a purchase, but it also demonstrates Zalando's commitment to customer satisfaction.

Nike

Nike is a global sports apparel and footwear company that sells products online through its website, app, and in-person stores. Nike offers a 60-day return period to customers who purchase its products online or in-store, giving them plenty of time to test out their new sneakers and decide if they are satisfied with their purchase. This policy encourages customers to feel confident when buying from Nike and shows the company's commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.

Noyoco

Noyoco is an online retailer that specializes in eco-friendly and sustainable products. One of its standout features is its fast delivery and free returns policy, which provides customers with the reassurance they need to shop with confidence. By offering free returns, Noyoco removes the barrier of risk that can prevent some customers from making a purchase, which can ultimately lead to more sales and repeat business.

Berthie Paris

Berthie Paris is a French fashion brand that offers high-quality clothing and accessories. The company provides an easy-to-find returns policy for its shoppers, with detailed instructions that let consumers know the brand cares about their experience. This policy gives customers peace of mind and shows that Berthie Paris is committed to providing a positive customer experience.

Dermalogica

Dermalogica is a skincare brand that offers a wide range of products for various skin types and concerns. The company has a simple and easy-to-understand returns policy that benefits its customers, as it gladly accepts returns from any customer within 30 days of purchase. This policy shows Dermalogica's confidence in its products and gives customers the flexibility they need to make informed purchasing decisions.

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Amazon

Amazon is a global e-commerce giant that sells a wide range of products online. The company allows consumers to return products within 30 days of receiving them, with just a few exceptions. Amazon's return policy is known for being customer-friendly, with easy-to-follow instructions and hassle-free returns. During the holiday season, Amazon even extends its return deadline to give customers more time to make returns.

Warby Parker

Warby Parker is a popular eyewear company that offers stylish and affordable glasses and sunglasses. The company's standout feature is its free returns and exchanges policy, which allows customers to try on glasses at home and return or exchange them within 30 days of purchase. Warby Parker also offers a one-year warranty for all of its products, giving customers peace of mind and demonstrating the company's commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.

Everlane

Everlane is an ethical fashion brand that offers sustainable and transparent clothing and accessories. The company's returns policy includes free returns within 90 days of purchase, as well as a 365-day "wear it, love it, or return it" policy for its denim line. This policy not only gives customers peace of mind when making a purchase, but it also shows Everlane's commitment to transparency and sustainability.

Chewy

Chewy's free returns policy is a standout feature that sets it apart from other pet supply retailers. The company's policy allows customers to return products within 365 days of purchase, providing them with plenty of time to decide if a product is the right fit for their pet. Additionally, Chewy covers the cost of return shipping, which makes the return process hassle-free and convenient for customers.

Chewy's returns policy reflects its commitment to providing excellent customer service and ensuring customer satisfaction. By offering free returns and a lengthy return window, Chewy shows that it values its customers and is willing to go above and beyond to ensure their satisfaction.

Casper

Casper's 100-night sleep trial is a unique feature that sets it apart from other mattress companies. The company allows customers to try out its mattresses for 100 nights and return them for a full refund if they're not satisfied. This policy gives customers the opportunity to test out the mattress in their own home and determine if it's the right fit for them.

Casper's returns policy reflects its confidence in its product and its commitment to customer satisfaction. By offering a 100-night sleep trial, Casper shows that it believes in the quality of its mattresses and is willing to stand behind them. Additionally, the company's full refund policy ensures that customers can purchase with confidence, knowing that they won't be stuck with a mattress that doesn't meet their needs.

In conclusion, having a strong returns policy is a critical component of any successful e-commerce business. The examples we've explored, from companies like Zalando, Nike, and Amazon, demonstrate that an effective returns policy can build customer loyalty and create a positive shopping experience.

The brands we've looked at have different approaches to their returns policies, with some offering extended return windows or free return shipping. However, they all share a commitment to customer satisfaction and a desire to create a stress-free returns process.

By taking inspiration from these successful brands, businesses can create their own effective returns policies that meet the needs of their customers. Ultimately, a good returns policy can help to build trust, foster brand loyalty, and ensure customer satisfaction.

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Influencer marketing can have a lasting impact on D2C brands ready to gain more followers, boost web traffic, and increase sales. It's one of the most effective ways to create awareness for your brand from people who may not currently know it exists. Because it can impact sales and conversion rates, boosting both by making your brand appear more authentic and credible, it's beneficial to work with influencers. In addition, you can leverage an influencer's community for your brand, expanding your reach even further than you thought possible.

Sézane is a luxury fashion brand collaborating with multiple influencers to extend its reach and get more people interested in buying. The brand has a following of 2.7M on Instagram alone, gaining many of its new followers from influencers who’ve worn clothing from the brand and tagged the company in their photos. Pura Vida, a popular jewelry brand with over 2M followers on Instagram alone, collaborated with mega influencer Charli D'Amelio to create a bracelet pack that quickly became a huge seller! These are just some examples of D2C brands currently using influencer marketing to their advantage.

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What is influencer marketing?

• 4 out of every 5 brands are utilizing influencer marketing on Instagram, with 79% of brands claiming the platform is the most important to them for marketing purposes.
• The influencer marketing industry is expected to reach a value of $16.4 billion by the end of 2022.
• 54% of influencers say they’re willing to work with a brand as long as they're treated respectfully.

Source: Influencer Marketing Hub

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Influencer marketing is quickly becoming one of the best ways for brands to market themselves to targeted audiences. With this marketing method, brands collaborate with influencers, typically sending them free products in exchange for mentions and content created about their products. Influencers will usually show themselves opening the products, testing them out, and even applying them or wearing them to give their followers an idea of the quality and more.

Because consumers are heavily influenced by their favorite social media influencers and are more likely to take recommendations from them, influencer marketing is worth trying. So, what is the best way to succeed with this marketing method? Conducting research and taking a custom-tailored approach that helps your brand connect with the right people who can benefit from what you're offering. Not sure how to make influencer marketing work for you? If so, you're in the right place. Check out the steps you should take to make the most of this modern and exciting opportunity to expand your reach.

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Types of social-media influencers

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On your journey of working with influencers to receive and use influencer-generated content, you will notice that there are all kinds of them available. You have major influencers with millions of followers, like Addison Rae and Charli D'Amelio, but you also have people with smaller followings that still have super high engagement rates. You don't always have to work with the biggest or most popular influencers to spread the word about your brand to others. In fact, sometimes it's better for your brand to work with smaller influencers who are often more relatable and humble than major ones.

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Micro

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A micro-influencer will have anywhere between 1,000 and 100,00 followers on their platform of choice. These people may be new to content creation and are just getting their feet wet in the world of influencing, hence the lower follower count. However, micro-influencers can quickly become mega influencers in no time, so collaborating with them earlier on is a great way to gain their loyalty and trust. If they make it further and gain millions of followers, they may still refer to your brand as one they love, trust, and support, which is genuinely good for business.

• LaCroix doesn’t mind working with micro-influencers. The company recommends people with fewer followers to post photos of themselves with their beverages to earn a collab opportunity. It doesn’t matter if someone has 1000 or 100,000 followers to this popular carbonated beverage brand.

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Nano

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Nano influencers have a following of at least 100 people and up to 10,000. They don't have the biggest platform but may have high engagement rates. Some nano influencers build super solid connections with their followers, meaning those who follow them are often willing to listen to their recommendations. While some brands don't see potential in this, it can work in your favor if you choose the right nano influencers.

• Magic Spoon Cereal, the colorful low-carb cereal designed to bring nostalgia to the kitchen table without all the excess sugar in traditional cereals, made a name for itself in recent years using influencer marketing as its primary strategy. The company continues benefiting from posts created by all kinds of influencers, including nano influencers, such as Skinny Pig NYC.
• Lindsay Gallimore, a passionate mom blogger, has 7.9K followers and often collaborates with companies creating products for parents and babies. Her followers trust her input because she keeps it real and focuses on using eco-friendly, sustainable products.

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Macro

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Macro influencers have a minimum of 100,000 followers, but usually more than that! Macro influencers have a relatively large following. Although it's not the same kind of following as mega influencers, these individuals may have better engagement rates.

• Rocio Cervante is a beauty influencer with an Instagram following of 189K people! She partners with D2C brands like Nasty Gal, including content related to their brand in her stories!

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Mega

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A mega influencer has at least one million followers, but many have even more than that. Some have massive followings of over four million, even if they're not traditional celebrities. When most people think of mega influencers, they think of people like the Kardashians and Jenners, who've seemingly built an empire for themselves through social media. However, there are so many other mega influencers.

• Cardi B has an incredible 144M followers and definitely earns the title of MEGA influencer. She partnered with Fashion Nova with a clothing line that sold out in seconds when first released.
• Brand Papa's Pops, known for its skinless popcorn, collaborated with Hailey Peters, a TikToker with 1.1M followers, to help spread the word about its latest creations. She may not have a massive following like musician Cardi B., but she certainly has more than a million people following her.

Now that you know the difference between different types of influencers, you can start thinking about the people you'd like to collaborate with for your brand. You may make this decision based on a few factors, including your current budget and who you believe aligns best with the values of your business. After all, most brands want to avoid collaborating with someone with entirely different values or controversial content.

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How to create an influencer marketing strategy

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If you're ready to pair with influencers and extend your marketing efforts, connecting with new audiences and boosting engagement, now is the perfect time to do it. With influencer marketing on the rise, you can take this step-by-step approach to have the most success with this innovative marketing technique.

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1. Consider the Goals You’d Like to Achieve

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Before pairing with influencers, you must set realistic, attainable goals for your brand. One of the most important goals for anyone planning to use influencer marketing is to reach a new audience. You want to target people you haven't before, turning them into new customers who will likely end up loving your brand. They will become repeat customers if they love your brand and its products, which can also lead to user-generated content posted on social platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.

Have realistic expectations when reaching new consumers. It starts with connecting with them, which doesn't always lead to automatic sales. However, if more consumers follow your brand because they saw their favorite influencer talking about it, they're more likely to buy from you in the future. 

Although the goals you set for yourself may differ from that of other brands, raising awareness for your brand, reaching a new audience, and gaining new followers are some goals worth adding to your list.

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2. Make a List of Your Targeted Audience 

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While making a list of influencers you want to work with, it's equally important to consider who you're trying to target. What types of people do you want to reach with marketing content for your brand? Your brand's products may cater to people within certain demographics, such as a specific age range. It can help to consider these things to define your ideal audience for each campaign. In addition, your audience may change based on the influencer you're working with on a specific campaign. If you know who you need to target and why, you can start looking for influencers with an audience similar to the one you're interested in reaching.

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3. Know What to Do and What Not to Do

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You need to be transparent when working with influencers for marketing purposes. Now, it's one thing if you send a free product to an influencer, and they decide to make content on their own. But if you're paying someone to talk about your brand, you're obligated to abide by the advertising rules in your country. For example, if you own and operate a brand in the United States, you must follow the rules set by the Federal Trade Commission. 

One of the best ways to stay compliant is to follow the FTC's guidelines and create binding contracts with influencers that include these guidelines in detail. Make sure that when you're paying an influencer to create content, they're including one small detail about the post – it's sponsored. 

Even if you've started your brand elsewhere, such as in the UK, you will need to follow the advertising rules set forth by The Office of Fair Trading. Each country has its own guidelines to follow, so be sure to research the regulations in your area before you begin working with influencers. Although it may sound complicated, remaining fully transparent is the key to avoiding any issues. Influencers should let viewers know the content is sponsored and include hashtags, such as #ad or #sponsored, to offer even more transparency.

Does it sound like extra work? Yes. But is it worth it to avoid discrepancies with consumers? Absolutely.

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4. Understand the Importance of Working with Relevant Influencers

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When you're focusing on extending your reach, finding relevant influencers to work with is a must. Working with influencers with no similarities to your brand makes little sense. For example, if you sell beauty products, you would want to connect with influencers in the beauty niche instead of those within the tech niche. Pay attention to the types of content an influencer posts and their followers.

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Before working with an influencer, ask yourself the following questions:

• What relevance does this influencer have within my industry?
• How many people could I potentially reach by choosing to work with this influencer?
• How much engagement does the influencer have?

Sometimes, people think working with mega influencers is the only way to go. However, some of the smaller influencers have better engagement rates. Most are surprised to learn that their engagement rate is typically 60% higher than larger influencers, meaning working with a smaller influencer can help you increase awareness even further.

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5. Make Your List of Influencers to Reach Out to for Marketing

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Start making your list of influencers to reach out to for marketing purposes. Remember that it isn't just about the followers but also the engagement rates. You can visit influencers' pages on social platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, to see what types of comments they're getting from the average consumer. Get a feel for how these influencers respond to those who leave comments or ask questions. 

You may look forward to someone who has built a genuine connection with their audience because their engagement rates will likely be much higher. By paying close attention to engagement between influencers and consumers, you can tell who has bots following them and who has built their following organically.

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6. Take Your Research Seriously

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Always make time for research. If you're thinking about working with an influencer, review their posts and see how many times they've worked with other brands. Get a feel for the content they put out there, which will help you decide if you want to work with them. When influencers constantly post sponsored content, their engagement rates may decline because their followers will feel like they're always advertising something. But if they only work with a few brands here and there, they likely still have decent engagement rates that will benefit your brand.

The research you conduct now will help you in the future. Although it requires extra effort on your behalf, it can lead to you working with influencers with high engagement rates. Use analysis tools to learn more about influencer audiences, such as HypeAuditor and Modash.

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7. Connect with Influeners on a Deeper Level

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Don't rush into things when you find influencers you're interested in working with because building a connection with them is far more important. An excellent way to work on facilitating and nurturing that connection is to follow these influencers, begin liking some of their content, and then write a personalized message to them. Don't use a copy-and-paste message because it comes off insincere and may be off-putting to some influencers. Instead, when reaching out, let them know what you like most about them and why you're interested in partnering with them.

Being sincere, showing interest in the influencers you're messaging, and engaging in meaningful conversations with them can work to your advantage. Influencers prefer authenticity and may be more willing to work with your brand if you reach out to them on a more personal level.

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8. Consider Collaborations

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Once you start working with influencers, give them the creative ability to make compelling content surrounding your brand. Of course, you should have a list of guidelines for the influencers to follow to ensure the content aligns with your brand's value. You can still have some say because it's your brand, but the key is to let the influencers, also known as content creators, work their magic. Because these individuals often have such innovative ideas, they may be able to create killer content for your brand that resonates with their followers, helping you get more followers!

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9. Keep Track of Your Progress

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Keep track of your progress to see how well each influencer campaign is doing. It's easy to get excited over likes, shares, and comments, but there's more to it than just that. For example, you can use UTM tracking to determine how well a campaign does. UTM tracking provides this detailed information based on engagement and the return on investment.

Tracking progress is vital to the overall success of your brand. If a campaign doesn't do well, you may decide it's not worth continuing the collaboration with a specific influencer. However, for campaigns that do exceptionally well, you may want to bolster your efforts and continue teaming up with those influencers to keep connecting with their audiences.

Take your e-commerce business to new heights with social commerce, the trend that is revolutionizing online sales.

With social commerce, your customers can make purchases with just a click, and your entire product catalog can be integrated into social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Social commerce is selling products through social media channels using built-in checkouts. This approach streamlines the buying process for customers and offers unique opportunities for social engagement and social proof.

With social commerce, customers can share and discuss products, generating organic social proof and driving conversions. Plus, social media platforms gather vast amounts of user data, so you can use analytics tools to target ads and improve discoverability.

If you're looking to increase conversions and reduce friction for customers, social commerce is the answer. Say goodbye to complicated checkouts and hello to a future of seamless, engaging, and social shopping.

To see how social commerce can work for your business, check out our list of successful e-commerce brands using this strategy. Get inspired and take your business to new heights with social commerce.m

CLUSE

One brand that has harnessed the power of social media and user-generated content to drive ecommerce success is CLUSE. The fashion brand, known for its modern watches and jewelry, launched a global ecommerce operation in 2014 and used Instagram as a key tool to grow its audience.

CLUSE's Instagram storefront features hundreds of products and a seamless shopping experience, where visitors can tap on a product to view its description, message CLUSE with any questions, and buy it directly on the website. CLUSE's Instagram feed is like a fashion magazine, combining closeups of jewelry and watches with photos of people wearing them. Many of the people on the feed are CLUSE customers, ambassadors, and influencers. These groups played a significant role in the brand's rise to e-commerce success.

Moreover, CLUSE focuses on user-generated content by featuring customer images on its Lookbook page, where visitors can click on an image they like and purchase products directly from there. This strategy brought CLUSE a 19% overall conversion rate increase, according to Photoslurp. By using real customer photos and customer reviews, the brand provides an authentic picture of how its products look and can be combined with other apparel and jewelry, improving the customer experience.

CLUSE encourages people to use the hashtags #CLUSE and #CLUSEclub on Instagram, blending the website and social media experiences together. The brand fosters a sense of community engagement by bringing attention to its ambassadors on a dedicated page on its website, and encourages customers to engage with the brand.

As the world becomes more digital, brands that can incorporate social media and user-generated content into their ecommerce strategies will have a significant advantage. The success of CLUSE is evidence that social commerce and live shopping can help brands connect with customers and increase sales.

CAIA Cosmetics

Swedish makeup brand CAIA Cosmetics is a prime example of a brand that has successfully harnessed the power of live shopping. CAIA Cosmetics launched its first-ever live stream in October 2019, and founder Bianca Ingrosso's live tutorials have since become a hit among customers.

According to mobile streaming software company Bambuser, CAIA's live tutorials have an average viewing time of 11 minutes, with 60 percent of viewers "liking" the content and 17 percent interacting with the live chat. What's even more impressive is that the brand's first-ever live stream saw a conversion rate of five percent, higher than its average website conversions.

For CAIA, the name of the game is conversions, and by monitoring the data, the brand can be confident that its live stream shopping strategy is resonating with customers. Do not hesitate to use tools like TikTok Video Insights to manage your data and track the performance of your live videos.

By leveraging the power of live shopping, CAIA has been able to create a unique and interactive shopping experience that encourages customers to engage with the brand and make purchases in real-time.

As social commerce and live shopping continue to gain traction, brands that can effectively leverage these strategies will be able to stay ahead of the curve and build deeper connections with customers. With its successful foray into live streaming, CAIA Cosmetics has shown that live shopping can be a powerful tool for driving conversions and building brand loyalty.

Mallows Beauty

Mallows Beauty, a small skincare brand that was founded in 2020, has experienced rapid growth in a short space of time, largely due to its social-first approach to content creation. In recent months, the brand has capitalized on new social commerce features, including TikTok's partnership with Shopify and its live shopping feature.

By leveraging TikTok's partnership with Shopify, Mallows Beauty has been able to create a mini-storefront on TikTok, allowing it to reach a wider audience and drive more sales. The brand has also been using TikTok's live shopping feature to engage with viewers and discuss featured products in real-time. According to founder Laura Mallows, the brand typically generates more revenue through one live shopping event than its flagship Cardiff store does in a week.

Mallows Beauty's success is a testament to the power of social commerce and live shopping. By leveraging these new features, the brand has been able to create an immersive shopping experience that encourages viewers to engage with the brand and make purchases in real-time. With social commerce and live shopping set to become even more prevalent in the coming years, brands that can effectively leverage these strategies will be well-positioned to succeed in the highly competitive world of e-commerce.

Clinique

Clinique has proven to be one of the most successful brands in adopting social online shopping, leveraging its presence across Facebook's ecosystem to drive purchases.

Through product tags and captivating imagery, Clinique has created an immersive shopping experience on Facebook Shop and Instagram. The brand was also quick to adopt Instagram's live shopping feature, launching a show in 2021 to promote its sold-out Black Honey lipstick. The 20-minute event was a hit, with 85% of the product set orders coming from Instagram and Facebook from September 14th to 25th 2021. The event also resulted in a 7x faster product launch activation, demonstrating the power of live shopping to drive sales and create buzz.

💙 Bigblue Tips

Use Instagram's best practices to create amazing live videos and drive more sales!

Snug

Snug is a London-based sofa-in-a-box company. Snug offers fast delivery and a 100-day trial, and drove much of its £31.6 million (about $41.4 million) 2021 revenue through social media.

Rob Bridgman, Snug’s founder and CEO, told Econsultancy that “people spend more time researching which sofa to buy than which house.” It’s why the brand doubles down on making such a big purchase simple and accessible—and uses social media like Instagram and Pinterest to reach potential buyers looking for inspiration and ideas.

Snug uses live shopping to create buzz around its products. In November 2021, the brand had a record hour of revenue during a live social selling event on Instagram with comedian Katherine Ryan. This event saw a 450% uplift in sales compared to a similar event in March 2021.

Home décor is a huge category on Pinterest, and Snug built a strong Pinterest presence to take advantage of this. Snug is a Verified Merchant and reaches more than nine million people on Pinterest each month.

Its Pinterest boards are categorized by terms Pinterest users often search for, like “sofas for small spaces” and “stylish sofas.” Snug’s product-focused pins showcase sofas in real-life settings, along with product tags and names. Clicking on a product takes pinners to a product pin with a description and a button that leads to the website and easy checkout.