E-commerce using direct mail to great advantage
Entering into a new marketing channel provides challenges for e-commerce clients as most of their communication is created and focussed for social media, web based, email and SMS comms. The market audience and client base for SHEIN is predominantly female and in the younger age groups from teenagers to younger adults one that is relatively transient, students and shared accommodation being a high factor. These individuals move frequently, so the address to be used will need regular review. Compliance around the use of data means that before any data is used that a detailed cleansing process takes place.
Analysing the data for maximum impact
When a business is printing and despatching tens of thousands of catalogues then it is critical that the data is as accurate as possible to reduce cost, save environmental impact and ensure brand quality. Data accuracy saves wasted cost of delivery by removing ‘Movers/Gone-aways’. Reduced print quantities as a result ensure that there is no waste. And by feeding back the cleansed data and updating internally the clients database ensures that data is as accurate as possible for future communications for both delivery, electronic and printed communication. This results in an improved business benefit for the whole operation.
Savings and postage incentives
On average approximately 10% of the data received was inaccurate for the UK market, particularly for the more transient younger market that SHEIN attracts. Per mailing between 6000 and 8000 records were removed or cleansed to ensure accurate delivery addresses. The considerable costs saved by not paying for print, fulfilment and postage is circa 32p per cleansed record. This also reduces the environmental impact.
SHEIN – have increased their direct mail volumes significantly since testing the media. They have increased plans to use direct mail which allows Romax to negotiate on new user commitment-based savings incentives from Royal Mail, in addition to standard mailsort savings making the medium even more attractive.
