Online retailer Essential Apparel has launched a new targeted email program based on opt-in consumers’ behavior, such as purchasing and browsing. The conversion rate from e-mails associated with the new campaign is 9%—about twice the rate for the retailer’s traditional e-mails.
The system, from online product recommendations vendor MyBuys, launched about two months ago. For now, it offers specific e-mails based on what it sees as consumer preferences based on shopping and browsing behavior. However, in the near future, the site will actually allow shoppers to choose their own e-mail alerts, and sign up for specific messages about the 120 brands and 20,000 SKUs the retailer offers.
The targeted messages are experiencing a much higher conversion rate than Essential Apparel’s home-grown e-mail marketing program, which would send the same message to everyone, such as an e-mail about back-to-school specials—even if the consumer had no children. That program had a 3% to 4% conversion rate, says Akiva Bergstrom, vice president of business development for Essential Apparel.
The retailer also is offering product recommendations on its web site. The recommendation system is listed mainly on product pages for now. When a consumer clicks to view a product, other items appear below the featured product under the heading “Others also considered these items.” The conversion rate for people who view the dynamic product recommendations that change depending on the customer’s behavior is 5%, compared to 0.5% for shoppers shown static offers and promotions. Additionally, average order volume for those who view the personalized recommendations is about 40% higher because of cross-selling and up-selling. However, the web site recommendations system launched only a week ago, Bergstrom says.
Bob Mayer, president of Essential Apparel, says the system allows the retailer to connect with consumers on a personal level, similar to the way a sales associate would in one of its bricks-and-mortar stores.
“In our store, we speak with each customer who comes in the door—a dialogue that hasn’t always been possible online. MyBuys allows us to have similar interactions with online shoppers, interactions that will ultimately increase cart size, customer satisfaction and loyalty,” Mayer says. “Though our customer base is diverse, with MyBuys we service each customer individually in a way that is streamlined and efficient for our company.”
Back...
