Tuesday, August 22

#1 - 📦 Why people make returns

📰 TL;DR - Returns — they suck! So you need to understand why they happen. This survey asked 1,450 US shoppers why they make returns and the results are fairly intuitive but interesting. The top reason is fit, with 77% saying that’s why they made a return. Another 65% said they made a return due to a defect or damage, and 51% said they received the wrong item altogether. The fit thing is extra interesting in that 22% of people said they order multiple items on purpose with the intent of trying them on and then returning what doesn’t fit.

💡 Insight - The way to reduce returns is to implement strategies that reduce them. And all the reasons for returns above are things you can work on. For defects and wrong items, that’s a packing and fulfillment issue that’s either on your or your 3PL. For fit, I really believe there’s no excuse not to be using a more advanced fit tool on your site if you sell apparel. The best ones ask about height, weight, and other factors, or ask what size a shopper wears in other brands in order to recommend a more precise size. Do not rely on people to read the measurements and whip out a tape measure, I can guarantee most people won’t bother. But they will bother with a prominently placed sizing tool.

➡️ You can read the article here...

#2 - 🎁 How sending free products to Micro-Influencers has helped brands 5X revenue in 2 months

Tapping into the power of social media Micro-Influencers and a platform called Stack Influence that automates influencer collaborations at scale (hundreds of promotions a month), Amazon brands like Unilever, Magic Spoon, and Blueland have been able to grow their monthly revenue by 5X, decrease their ad costs using a war chest of influencer UGC, and build an army of affiliate marketers to consistently drive new customers.

➡️ Get Started Here

📣 If you want to reach our audience of 10,000+ DTC store owners, tap here 

#3 - 🚚 Amazon is bringing back its shipping service

📰 TL;DR - Back before the pandemic, Amazon had launched a shipping service to compete with the likes of FedEx and UPS, called Amazon Shipping. The pandemic put it on pause but now it’s back. Amazon Shipping takes care of the delivery of goods sold on third-party sites, with the catch that they also sell on Amazon. This is different from Amazon’s fulfillment service as in this case they’re not also storing your products.

💡 Insight - This really cements that Amazon wants to do more than just sell stuff — it wants to touch every part of online shopping. This seems like an attractive option if you’re already an Amazon seller and are generally pleased with your experience so far. Amazon certainly boasts a strong delivery program and getting access to their ultra speedy shipping is enticing. My bigger question is whether that’s a big enough draw to get DTC brands to sell on Amazon — it may just be!

➡️ You can read the article here...

#4 - 🛠️ Things worth checking out

💡 TIPS - Uncommon Advice gives expert tips and strategies that will empower your business. Insights from Nate, who generates +$3M revenue from newsletters alone. Subscribe for free.

✨ TRENDS - Here’s this week’s edition of AdAge’s roundup of DTC trends and moves.

👶🏼 ETSY - New from Etsy, baby registries! Capitalize on this by making sure your SEO targets baby goods. Read here.

🤖 CHATGPT - Here’s a collection of ChatGPT prompts for pay-per-click ads.

🎨 BRANDING - Check out this guide to creating a brand style guide, along with plenty of examples.

#5 - 🤔 Is an e-comm consultant worth it?

📰 TL;DR - This guide goes over exactly what an e-commerce consultant is and how to hire one. In a nutshell, they’re people and companies that can potentially optimize your business, open new channels, overhaul your website, or any number of things you might want done but are struggling to handle yourself. This piece also lists a bunch of companies in the game. Hiring an outsider, like for any aspect of your business, potentially frees up your time and energy to focus on the core of your operation.

💡 Insight - So the question: are these consultants worth it? I’d say if you’ve hit a critical plateau in your growth and don’t know where to go next, outside help may not be a bad idea. Yes, it would save money to instead turn to research and trial and error, but the benefit of paying for help is that they move much quicker. It’s also a question of price. A consultant can cost up to (or even over) $300 per hour for the very best — don’t spend that unless you feel the payoff will be more than worth it. And, of course, do your homework. Read customer testimonials and check out brands any consultant has already worked with. Even reach out and get a reference. Spend wisely!

➡️ You can read the article here...