A highly targeted door drop was the vehicle to grow new online customers

287% over new acquisitions target
621% increase in ROI

Background

Waitrose.com had set itself an ambitious growth target: to acquire significant numbers of new online customers without undermining revenue from its physical stores. 

The challenge was not just how to drive acquisition, but how to do so efficiently, incrementally and without cannibalisation. 

Solution

Waitrose.com worked with their partner Whistl to create a new acquisition model that would meet these ambitious objectives. 

Analysis of Waitrose's postcode-level customer and transactional data helped to establish and understand who the most valuable online customers were.  Using Acorn segmentation, detailed profiles were built at both national and regional levels.  These were benchmarked against competitor audiences to identify gaps and opportunities. Every UK postcode sector was then scored based on its alignment with the ideal Waitrose.com customer profile. This created an optimised decile model; with Decile 1 being the most likely to convert and Decile 10 the least.  

To avoid cannibalisation, Whilst created 'no-drop zones'; doughnut-shaped buffers around physical stores. These zones were defined using drive-time data to exclude existing in-store customers from receiving the campaign. Door drops were then sent to higher-propensity areas only (Deciles 1-5), ensuring maximum efficiency and ROI. 

This laser-focused approach allowed Waitrose to 'fish where the fish are’ delivering the right message to the right people, at the right time.  

A doormat

The creative strategy for the Waitrose.com door drop was built around a single, powerful idea: ‘Disrupt the doormat, drive online.’ Every element was designed to stand out, spark curiosity and convert.  To bring this to life,

Waitrose.com used a die-cut format of a Waitrose.com delivery van. Instantly recognisable and playful it unmistakably signalled ‘online delivery’ rather than in-store. With impact an imperative, the shape alone disrupted the doormat, signalling something different and worth picking up. The headline ‘£40 off my shopping’ was designed to grab attention and create a connection. 

To incentivise response, the van carried three, time sensitive vouchers:

  • £20 off an £80 first order
  • £20 off an £80 second order
  • £10 off an £80 third order.  

This wasn't a one-hit promo, it was (literally) a vehicle for behavioural change, designed to create habit and increase lifetime value. All vouchers included were single-use and online-only, preventing misuse and protecting in-store revenue.

Before launch, the creative was tested using 3M VAS (Visual Attention Software) to determine the probability of key elements being seen within those critical first 3-5 seconds.  Heatmaps and Hotspots showed the £40 offer had an 86% probability of being seen on the front and 95% on the reverse, while voucher codes achieved 71% visibility. Gaze Sequence Analysis confirmed the offer was the first thing the eye was drawn to, ensuring the most important elements landed fast.

Results

Waitrose.com’s optimised door drop strategy delivered exceptional results. 

  • New acquisitions smashed target by 287% - tripling expectations.
  • ROI increased by 621% demonstrating exceptional cost-efficiency.  
  • JICMAIL tracking showed that the door drop stayed in the home for 32 days – exceeding industry benchmarks 
  • Importantly there was no negative impact on in-store sales, confirming non-cannibalistic growth.

Source: DMA Awards 2025. Unaddressed Print and Door Drop (Gold)