E-commerce Marketing
Cheviot Products Inc. is a manufacturer of luxury bathtubs, sinks, faucets, and other high-end plumbing fixtures
Details
Client: Cheviot Products Inc.
Location: Coquitlam, BC
The Challenge
Being a manufacturer for 10 years, Cheviot has great success with its brick and mortar business, with its products distributed over 3,000 brick and mortar retailers across US and Canada. With the rise of internet and online shopping, Cheviot wants to tap into the opportunity of online shopping by opening up its e-commere store with the goal of distributing its products to more users.
What I Did
Situation Analysis
To gain comprehensive insights into the business landscape, my initial approach involved conducting a thorough situational analysis encompassing environmental, company, competitor, and customer assessments.
Company Analysis
By examining the company's online presence, including its website and performance metrics in Google Analytics 4 (GA4), I conducted an in-depth evaluation of past marketing endeavors. This allowed me to benchmark the company's performance against industry standards and competitors.
Notably, within the home improvement sector, Cheviot confronted common challenges, such as maintaining a competitive Click Through Rate (CTR), Add-To-Cart rate (ATC), and Conversion rate relative to other e-commerce entities."
(Source: Tidio.com)
Competitor Analysis
In the process of conducting our company analysis, we uncovered a compelling aspect of Cheviot's business strategy: its extensive product distribution across key online retailers such as Wayfair. However, this discovery revealed a nuanced challenge – these platforms often feature Cheviot's products at discounted rates, inadvertently creating a scenario where Cheviot competes against itself when selling at full price on its proprietary channels.
In today's sophisticated consumer landscape, characterized by informed decision-making and price sensitivity, Cheviot faces the formidable task of navigating this dynamic marketplace. While consumers may initially engage with Cheviot's official website for product information and brand exploration, their ultimate purchasing decisions are heavily influenced by the allure of competitive pricing elsewhere. This intricate dance between maintaining brand integrity and meeting consumer expectations underscores the complexities inherent in modern e-commerce
Customer Analysis
Despite a decade-long presence in the industry primarily as manufacturers, Cheviot's customer persona remained vague elusive due to limited available information.
Recognizing this critical gap upon receiving the Cheviot account, I emphasized the significance of understanding the brand's target audience. To address this challenge head-on, we embarked on a proactive approach. Through meticulously conducted phone interviews with past Cheviot customers, our aim was clear: to gain profound insights into their purchasing behavior, motivations behind choosing Cheviot products, and the pivotal decision-making factors driving online purchases. By delving into the psychology of our clientele, we sought to unravel the intricacies of their preferences and expectations, thereby laying the groundwork for targeted and effective marketing strategies moving forward.
Establishing Objectives and Goals
Cheviot is driven by a clear goal in mind: to elevate their e-commerce sales to new heights.
In collaboration with the Cheviot team, I facilitated the process of refining their goal with precision. This entailed delving deeper into the specifics: what exactly does success entail in quantifiable terms? By meticulously dissecting the marketing funnel, we meticulously mapped out the pathway to achieving this goal. This involved scrutinizing key metrics such as checkout rates, add-to-cart conversions, and the requisite number of sessions required to reach our desired sales figures.
Our approach didn't stop there. Drawing upon industry benchmarks and insights, we conducted a thorough comparative analysis to identify areas of potential improvement within the marketing funnel. By pinpointing these opportunities, we empowered Cheviot to implement targeted strategies aimed at optimizing their conversion rates and driving sustainable growth in e-commerce sales.
Strategy Planning
With a crafted roadmap defined by SMART objectives, we collaborated closely to devise a robust marketing strategy that propelled Cheviot toward the attainment of their aspirations.
Among the pivotal marketing initiatives we outlined, the highlight was undoubtedly the anticipation of the 2023 Black Friday Cyber Monday event. While Cheviot initially hesitated to engage in price reductions, the competitive landscape painted a compelling picture: major online retailers like Wayfair were swift to slash prices on Cheviot's products, aiming to bolster sales volumes on their platforms.
The significance of Black Friday as a strategic promotional opportunity for Cheviot cannot be overstated. As the culmination of the year-end shopping frenzy, this event sees brands across the spectrum, including esteemed luxury labels, partake in widespread discounting. By aligning with this industry-wide trend, Cheviot could leverage the heightened consumer enthusiasm without compromising its brand integrity. Participating in Black Friday not only safeguards Cheviot's esteemed brand value but also promises a substantial uptick in seasonal sales, solidifying its position in the e-commerce arena.
Implementation
To execute our strategy effectively, our initial focus was on mitigating Wayfair's impact on Cheviot's product pricing. Following my recommendation, Cheviot made the strategic decision to withdraw its top 10 best-selling products from Wayfair's platform, while maintaining the presence of other items without participating in the Black Friday promotions. This strategic maneuver allowed Cheviot to assert greater control over its pricing strategy while preserving its partnership with the influential e-commerce giant.
In tandem with this pricing strategy, we embarked on a comprehensive communication campaign to ensure maximum visibility of our discount offers among our target audience. This multifaceted approach included strategically placed website banners and strategically timed store exit pop-ups, all dynamically tailored to highlight the Black Friday promotions. By orchestrating these initiatives in unison, we were able to effectively amplify Cheviot's message and drive heightened engagement and conversion rates during this critical sales event.
Recognizing the importance of leveraging organic content to augment Cheviot's Black Friday promotions, we curated a series of blog posts infused with the Black Friday theme, strategically designed to captivate and inform our audience while driving traffic to Cheviot's website. Complementing this, we deployed a dynamic array of social media posts meticulously crafted to resonate with Cheviot's diverse social media audience, effectively amplifying the reach of our promotional offers and fostering deeper engagement with the brand. By integrating these organic content initiatives seamlessly into our overall marketing strategy, we ensured a holistic approach that maximized Cheviot's visibility and impact across multiple digital channels.
To extend our reach to new audiences, we executed targeted paid advertising campaigns across Google and Meta Ads platforms. Leveraging the robust targeting capabilities of these channels, we meticulously crafted ad campaigns designed to connect with potential customers who align with Cheviot's demographic profile and purchasing preferences. By strategically allocating our advertising budget and optimizing campaign parameters, we were able to effectively expand Cheviot's brand presence and drive qualified traffic to their e-commerce platform. Through this concerted effort, we aimed to capture the attention of new audiences and introduce them to the exceptional offerings of Cheviot, ultimately fostering lasting relationships and driving sustained growth for the brand.
The Result
The Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaign proved to be a resounding success for Cheviot, as it not only facilitated the achievement of quarterly goals but also ushered in a wave of new users to the site. Crucially, the campaign marked a significant milestone in Cheviot's ongoing efforts to assert control over online retailers' pricing strategies, effectively mitigating the risk of excessive discounting on its products.
Beyond the immediate impact on sales and user acquisition, the campaign sparked valuable conversations within Cheviot's team regarding channel distribution, pricing control, and the imperative to adopt a more holistic approach to marketing activities. By prompting introspection and strategic alignment across various facets of the business, the campaign served as a catalyst for organizational growth and innovation. Moving forward, Cheviot is poised to leverage these insights to refine its strategies, strengthen its market position, and drive sustained success in the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce.
200%
increase in new users
103%
increase in initiate check out
175%
increase in conversion rate