The Challenges
When Ulla Johnson first turned to Flow, the company was already engaged with another cross-border provider and had an existing global customer base.
“Prior to launching with Flow, we were using a different provider that became a headache for us,” says Nikki Davidson, Senior Manager of E-commerce at Ulla Johnson.
As the COVID-19 pandemic began to grip the world, Ulla Johnson sought a new partner that could take its DTC offering to the next level. However, they needed to launch quickly in order to capture rapidly growing digital demand.
“We saw traffic increases all over the world and we knew there was more potential to tap into,” recounts Davidson, ”but we didn’t have the tools in our toolbox to provide the same great experience to international customers that we were giving domestic customers.”
This time, rather than “checking the box” on cross-border capabilities, Ulla Johnson knew it had an opportunity to transform global ecommerce into a strategic growth mechanism by creating parity between its domestic and international experiences.
Problem
- Logistics and fulfillment headaches caused by a limited international shipping provider.
- Lack of visibility and ownership around international customer data, hampering lifetime value.
- Minimal revenue from cross-border sales due to non-localized experiences.
- Limited ROI from existing cross-border operations due to high shipping costs.
Solution
- Accelerated deployment and expansion into new markets, and ability to ship to 64 countries.
- Fast and seamless integration that enables complete ownership of customer data.
- Hands-on support and guidance for global best practices to drive immediate cross-border revenue.
- Future-proofed and continuously evolving technology for sustained growth.
Prior to Flow, cross-border accounted for about 3% of total sales. Now that number is up to 12%, simply by implementing a tool. It’s incredible.
– Nikki Davidson, Senior Manager of E-commerce at Ulla Johnson
The Solution
In Flow, Ulla Johnson found the perfect partner to guide the evolution of its international DTC strategy. The brand got up-and-running quickly, and was able to assemble an ideal solution based on the company’s strategy and unique requirements.
Accelerated Launch
With the COVID-19 pandemic driving unprecedented digital demand from around the world, speed-to-market was a major consideration for Ulla Johnson as they sought a new cross-border partner.
Flow’s team made the implementation process clean, painless and efficient. Ulla Johnson was able to launch in a matter of weeks. Then, with Flow’s guidance, the brand was able to identify and activate more than 60 high-impact markets in the first year, positioning it to drive and convert more cross-border traffic than ever before.
Ownership of Customer Data
As part of Ulla Johnson’s reimagined international DTC strategy, customer ownership was a strategic imperative. Without ownership of the customer experience and related data, the brand couldn’t exercise its customer support capabilities or leverage data to inform business decisions. Now, Ulla Johnson can more effectively support its customers while gaining deeper understanding of who they are and where there are opportunities for further growth.
Streamlined Global Logistics
“When working with Flow,” says Davidson, ”you get access to rates that are just unimaginable for a global consumer. Customers in Europe are receiving our product in three days at a $10 shipping rate. That was unheard of a few years ago.”
Flow now manages shipping and returns for all of Ulla Johnson’s international orders, allowing the brand to offer shipping rates and delivery times that were previously impossible. What’s more, the brand can now display full landed costs to consumers at checkout, providing transparency into the total cost of their order.
Pricing Control and Flexibility
As Ulla Johnson continues to invest in its DTC offering, it’s critical for the company to avoid jeopardizing other aspects of its business, such as its wholesale relationships in certain markets. They have separate and strictly defined pricebooks in regions such as the United Kingdom (UK); when a UK customer shops online, it’s imperative they see the same price as they would in-store.
With Flow, the company was easily able to upload and maintain those pricebooks in every market necessary. Other pricing features, such as currency localization and display options, allow Ulla Johnson to further optimize their digital presence according to each market’s unique preferences.
Proactive Guidance
Ulla Johnson relied on Flow’s strategic, proactive guidance to achieve incredible cross-border revenue growth. They were able to enter new markets with confidence and Flow’s team of international ecommerce experts provided all of the strategies, tactics, and best practices necessary to succeed.
“Flow has really helped us shed light on some new areas of opportunity, such as the Netherlands and Singapore,” says Davidson. “We’re finding that there are all of these micro-markets out there with really loyal, dedicated customers.”
Simply Global
Ulla Johnson is better suited to serve its global customer base than ever before. By simply activating Flow, the company has managed to rapidly accelerate its cross-border sales from 3% to 12% of total revenue (a 300% lift). As the brand continues to grow its international DTC offering, it can move forward confidently with a long-term view on its relationship with Flow.
Ulla Johnson continues to find new ways to power growth with Flow. Most recently, the brand has decided to scale its global marketing efforts using Flow’s Product Feeds functionality.
“We are planning to initiate paid marketing efforts on an international scale,” says Davidson. “We’re eager to test the plugins for Google and Facebook that automatically localize all of our ads. I believe that’s going to be a huge, huge factor for us.”
