Who Uses Direct Mail for eCommerce?
According to the US Department of Commerce eCommerce sales grew 14.9% in 2019. They were predicted to continue to grow at a pace of 13.6% year over year. The ability for online retailers to properly leverage direct mail for eCommerce is essential to their success.
Of course, 2020 further transformed eCommerce retail, and growth will only continue in 2021.
Several companies have stood out in the past few years as leaders in the eCommerce industry. This includes Casper, Dollar Shave Club, Meal Kit Delivery Services like HelloFresh and Blue Apron.
These companies are known as D2C or Direct to Consumer Companies. They have excelled in the digital marketing and eCommerce world. It may surprise some but they all utilize Direct Mail to create an effective marketing strategy.
“63% of direct-to-consumer brands are using direct mail.” Source: PostAnalytics
Direct to Consumer Companies like Casper
Casper is an eCommerce leader specializing in sleep. Their products include mattresses, pillows, bed frames, etc. Many people had never thought of ordering a mattress online before Casper. The main method of purchasing a mattress had always been an in-store experience.
They have effectively “cut out the middle-man” as they advertise, sell, and produce their own mattresses. This makes them a leader in the D2C market.
Other companies produce their own mattresses but then have the retail store market and sell the product. This leaves the original manufacturer with less revenue than what they could have had if they sold the product themselves.
We have established Casper as an online powerhouse in the eCommerce world, but do you know how they implement print marketing with the use of Direct Mail in their marketing strategy?
They do this with simple postcards. Casper relies on the strategy that custom retention is cheaper and easier than customer acquisition.
Getting the customer is only half the battle. Keeping them and getting them to refer their family and friends is the other half.
Casper uses Direct Mail for eCommerce to send surveys for post-order fulfillment. They do this to ensure their customers are happy with their product They also send postcards for a set amount of time after the customer has received their product for an additional purchase.
Using Direct Mail for eCommerce like this can be imperative for getting the upsell on the customer’s purchase. It also ensures customer retention by serving as a reminder of a trusted source.
Subscription Products like Dollar Shave Club
You’ve probably seen their commercials on television for their monthly shave club subscription. Their products include razors, soaps, shaving creams, and other shave necessities.
Dollar Shave Club began their marketing with television ads and digital marketing but have utilized Direct Mail to further their marketing goals.
Dollar Shave Club implements a subscription service that they send out monthly or bimonthly. They also send out reminder cards to remind their members when it is time to reorder or when their next package is due to arrive.
They are also another powerhouse D2C company in that they produce, manufacture, market, and ship all of their own products. This earns them 100% of the revenue generated.
Meal Kit Delivery Services like HelloFresh & Blue Apron
Meal Kit Delivery Services are a leader in the D2C industry when it comes to combining digital marketing and Direct Mail.
Many don’t hold back on their budget when it comes to Direct Mail, they not only send postcards when a person orders, or when it is time to order, they also send postcards to prospective buyers.
They targeting a specific demographic and entire communities that could benefit from their services or people that have shown interest in their products via email or website form submissions.
Why Use Direct Mail for eCommerce?
In a world where monitoring digital marketing can be difficult with ad and cookie blockers, unsubscribe rates, and less than average email open rates, Direct Mail for eCommerce provides a proven method of marketing that can be especially useful to D2C companies.
“76% of consumers trust direct mail when it comes to making purchasing decisions.” Source: Marketing Sherpa
eCommerce retailers and D2C products utilize the same sales funnel that traditional retailers do, and Direct Mail has a place in every aspect of that funnel:
Top of Funnel
Building brand awareness and allowing the consumers to become familiar with your company and product.
Middle of Funnel
Educating consumers and learning their specific needs and how you can provide a solution to those needs.
Bottom of Funnel
Making the sale. Providing sales letters and information specific to their ideal product.
Wrapping it Up
The D2C companies listed above have shown an exceptional ability to harness the power of Direct Mail in their marketing strategy.
By utilizing both digital marketing with landing pages, emails, and social media as well as print marketing with postcards, letters, and catalogs, they have shown how you can take a digital company off the web and into the hands of their consumers.
Here at GrowMail, we specialize in digital, print, and Direct Mail marketing for eCommerce.
We can help you maximize your marketing budget while implementing a stronger and more effective marketing strategy.
Want to learn more about how we can help you grow your business? Contact us today for a no-obligation quote.