4 Brands Nailing the Online Shopping Experience

This article was written in collaboration with TryNow. Verbal+Visual and TryNow work together to help brands deliver incredible shopper experiences that fuel growth.

The ecommerce market has only gotten more competitive as barriers to entry have decreased. Virtually anyone can set up a functional online store in less than a day, and across 2020, many small merchants did just that.

Shifts in where people live and how they want to shop has driven brick-and-mortar giants to develop strong omni-channel strategies, and the reverse is also true: household DTC names have started opening brick-and-mortar stores to expand their presence beyond the browser window.

What's driving all of this? Shoppers. Shopper wants. Shopper needs. Shopper behavior.

To compete, a brand can’t just offer a shopper a product they may want or need. They have to tell compelling stories about the product, and the brand. They have to convince the shopper that this product will deliver on its promises. And now more than ever, they have to deliver on a holistic shopping experience that the shopper wants to be a part of.

We’ve selected these four brands as leaders when it comes to using their website to create delightful and compelling shopper experiences:

1. Western Rise

Western Rise sells performance clothing for travel, work, and play.

The Western Rise site is like an incredibly well told story, effectively communicating the “what,” the “where,” and the “why” of their product lines in a way that makes the collection seem like such a natural addition -- and enhancement -- to your everyday life; the life they want to help you live more simply and more comfortably, while still looking sharp.

They have a compelling founder's story, but they go one step further -- they take the time to talk to shoppers about not just their “Story,” but their “Craft.” Shoppers are more likely to spend money with you when they know what they're paying for.

The story telling continues on the PDP through both the copy and the creative. Their best-selling evolution pant boasts 10 distinct product images, and true to their mission of helping you “own less and experience more,” they speak to the versatility of the product in your wardrobe in plain, practical terms.

And in case the site experience they’ve crafted hasn’t fully convinced you that you’re ready to start getting more out of your wardrobe with some Western Rise essentials, they’ve got one more shopper-centric, shopper-delighting experience: a Try Now, Buy Later option. This says to shoppers, “We stand by our product’s quality, and we know you’ll love it. But don’t trust us -- take it home and see for yourself.”

Check them out at westernrise.com

2. ROOLEE

ROOLEE is an online clothing, kids, and home decor boutique.

ROOLEE’s values of inspiring self-love and genuine sisterhood are felt throughout their warm, sunny site. They create an experience for their shoppers that is part brand community, part extended family, connected by the love they share for cute clothes and appreciating all the joy that can be found in living life.

This community is fostered through their powerful loyalty program and social media presence.

ROOLEE describes their rewards program, Club ROOLEE, as “a way for us to give back to our most valuable customers!” Members earn Roowards points for every dollar spent, as well as for interactions on social media and for their birthday :-) Points can be cashed in for sweet rewards. And with four tiers, from insider to icon, shoppers love the chance to level up!

The Brand also features an incredible and unique community styling page called #yesroolee, where they encourage shoppers to “buy, style, and share.” Users who share their greatest ROOLEE fashion moments with the hashtag “yesroolee” are featured onsite, and each photo becomes a shoppable link to nab the look.

With so much inspiration, it's no wonder shoppers want to say #yesroolee and add some looks to their cart. And for a shopper who is coveting something, but not sure they’ll pull it off quite like that influencer? ROOLEE offers shoppers a Try Now, Buy Later option to checkout with confidence, and only pay for what they keep.

Check them out at roolee.com

3. United By Blue

United By Blue makes ethically manufactured and sustainable clothing for lifestyle and the outdoors.

Their mission is clearly communicated as soon as shoppers hit the home page, which features a “trash counter” alerting users that, “for every product purchased, United by Blue removes one pound of trash from oceans and waterways.”

As shoppers explore the site, this mission is always present. It is reinforced by unique landing pages for product collections that feature special sustainable materials.

United By Blue’s website also features a digital marketplace for a host of other sustainable brands. This not only helps UBB to capitalize on product upsell opportunities but it further establishes the brand mission as one that is not just focused on sustainable action for itself, but collective action across the industry. This builds trust with customers who rely on UBB to be a voice in sustainability and give a stamp of approval to cooperating sustainable brands.

Check them out at unitedbyblue.com

4. VAAY

VAAY is a premium online shop for CBD and hemp products, designed to support you in your everyday life as you recover, relax, and sleep.

CBD is an emerging market in Europe, where VAAY is based. It can also be a confusing market for new shoppers struggling to understand the difference between an array of products all produced from the same cannabis plant family.

VAAY’s website proactively addresses shopper concerns and potential product confusion by stepping in as an “educator.” The e-comm experience features multiple touchpoints for customer education that are easily accessible and non-intrusive during shopping. For example, the glossary tab is a global element that expands to a full page menu of CBD terms for novice and experienced users alike. In addition, each product page contains a “What Is this?” call-to-action that opens into a pop-up, explaining what the product is and how to use it.

VAAY does the work for shoppers, creating an experience that's universally approachable and informative, building shopper trust and confidence.

Check them out at VAAY.com

Verbal+Visual and TryNow work together to help brands deliver incredible shopper experiences that fuel growth. Want to know more? We’d love to hear from you.

Reach out to TryNow: hello@trynow.io

Reach out to Verbal+Visual: hello@verbalplusvisual.com