About the client
Runway Scout is a Gold Coast based fashion brand with a focus on creating pieces that can be worn time and time again. They do this by designing trans-seasonal styles, using quality materials, and focusing on fit. Their goal is to make it easy for their customers to open their wardrobes and pick an outfit without that “I have nothing to wear” moment.
The opportunity
Prior to working with REP., Runway Scout had a comprehensive customer journey, spanning several email automations. These flows were generating a continual stream of revenue (as automations should do in the background) however the strategy and creative was dated. We saw the opportunity to hit refresh on a number of automations, starting with abandonment flows.
Our goal for Runway Scout was to create a series of new email automations personalised to new and existing customers. We did this because loyal customers were at risk of ‘fatigue’ through receiving the same abandonment reminder emails a number of times over the years.
Some key objectives through these abandonment flows included:
- Reduce incentivisation throughout the automations to better protect margins
- Teach the database not to expect discounts, reserving them only for those who really need it (e.g. for customers later in the journey, or first time customers).
- Gain more insight over the differences in cart and checkout recovery for first time customers versus returning customers.
Browse Abandonment Series
REP. crafted a Browse Abandonment Series for Runway Scout with a focus on A/B testing. This helped determine the best method of engaging with customers, encouraging them to convert. This included splitting customers into new and returning groups, and a set of conditional splits to test the most effective timing.
For browsers who had never placed an order, we used UGC in the initial reminder email to establish trust and credibility early in their buying journey. In addition to this tactic, we created product feeds that referenced the recipient’s recent viewing history as a cross-sell / upsell tactic. As the trigger for the series based on the single ‘Viewed Product’ metric, these product feeds were utilised to include the products the browser had viewed in their session (but weren’t featured in the main “take another look” product block). First time customers were also given an incentive to purchase.
In the first 30 days of being live, REP.’s Browse Abandonment automation saw an increase in revenue by a whopping 430%. In addition to this, the flow increased revenue per recipient by 187%.
Added to Cart Series
The next phase in the abandonment series is the Added to Cart automation. Similarly to the Browse Abandonment Series, we used a set of A/B tests and conditional splits to tailor the Added to Cart series based on customer type. As this series is further along the buying consideration phase, we introduced an incentive for customers who had placed no more than one order with Runway Scout over all time. This tactic was used to increase conversion rate and AOV while still protecting profit margins.
We halved the number of emails in this series compares to Runway Scout’s previous Added to Cart series. If customers are given too many reminders at this stage in their buying journey, it puts them at risk of unsubscribing. We also limited discounting in this new series as previously all customers were given a discount two days after cart abandonment occurred. We did this to protect margins, increase revenue, and train customers to not expect a discount every time they shop.
In the first 30 days of the Added to Cart Series being live, the new automation by REP. achieved a 45% increase in revenue (compared to the previous flow). In addition, this new series prompted customers to spend more at checkout — increasing the revenue per recipient total by 79%.
Abandoned Checkout Series
Runway Scout’s previous Abandoned Checkout series split into two groups: new and returning. These customers were then split by cart value and offered the same discount ($10 off) however the cart value to qualify for the return customer discount was set $100 higher than for new customers. The flow had been revamped with new imagery, and while this strategy was generating revenue, we identified an opportunity to start fresh as customers were at risk of fatigue from seeing the same emails in their journey.
The strategy REP. crafted for Runway Scout’s Abandoned Checkout series focused on mapping out what the customer journey for their customers should look like. Essentially, this series divided customers into two groups to create separate abandonment journeys for new vs returning customers within the same automation. For new customers, we leveraged:
- Sustainability messaging (an important factor to highlight for fast fashion brands)
- UGC and reviews (to establish trust and highlight credibility)
- SMS consent (to deliver messaged in the customer’s preferred format)
For returning customers (who are further along in their customer journey) we used:
- FOMO messaging (to create a sense of urgency to checkout)
- Dynamic product feeds (to cross-sell based on their cart contents)
- Smaller discounts / free shipping (incentive to purchase)
To protect margins, these incentives were based on their location (free shipping vs $10 off). In addition, these incentives were capped based on the number of orders a customer placed to train customers to not expect a discount each time they abandon their cart. The previous Abandoned Checkout series didn’t put a limit on discounts, meaning customers could essentially receive a discount every time they abandoned their cart.
The updated Abandoned Checkout strategy by REP. saw a 125% increase in revenue in the first 30 days. The flow also saw an increase in revenue per recipient by 27%.
Conclusion
As brands evolve, so should their customer journey. It’s important to not only hit refresh on creative (e.g. swapping out old images and updating branding / tone of voice) but improve and test flow structure too. We’ve seen great results by creating new abandonment automations for Runway Scout.
Contact us
If you’re ready to transform your customer journey and increase conversion rates, get in touch with the team at REP. by emailing hello@rep-agency.co.
