Targeting lapsed customers proved to be a wyse decision
Background
Founded in 2014, women’s fashion brand Wyse London was born out of a passion for creating ‘quality clothes that make you feel good about yourself’.
Catalogues are a core pillar of the brand’s marketing strategy. Wyse sees them as a powerful and impactful way to showcase their collections to their loyal 45+ ABC1 customer base. Three years ago, the brand was mailing four season catalogues a year. Today they mail 10 catalogues, flexing volume seasonally from 50,000 in quieter periods to 200,000 in the peak festive period.
In 2024, Wyse took the decision to be bolder in terms of their targeting and test how catalogues perform at reactivating lapsed customers.
Solution
Wyse began by increasing their mail volumes which allowed them to expand testing into deeper segments of their database to target their lapsing customers (12-24 months since purchase) and their lapsed customers (24-36 months).
All lapsed customers received the same beautifully produced catalogue as active customers but with a tailored offer aimed at bringing them back. Testing showed that a 20% discount significantly outperformed a 10% offer, so this became the standard for lapsed catalogues, while active customers receive the catalogue without a discount. Automated emails ran alongside the catalogue, creating a cohesive reactivation strategy.
The success of these lapsing catalogues was measured through matchback analysis, supported by Wyse’s in-house analytics. Performance was tracked across active, lapsing, and lapsed cohorts, allowing the team to see, month-by-month, the impact catalogues have on order rates within each segment.
Underpinning the entire catalogue strategy is a commitment to sustainability that reflects Wyse’s brand values. All catalogues are produced in partnership with their print partner COUSIN using FSC-Certified paper and vegetable-based inks. In addition, the printing process is carbon balanced through the World Land Trust. Each catalogue is stamped with COUSIN’S bespoke FOOTPRINT QR code that, when scanned, communicates Wyse’s mail environmental commitment to the customer.
Results
Targeting lapsed customers delivered strong results for Wyse.
Average order rates from customers who hadn’t shopped in over 12 months increased by 33% per month while their average order value lifted from an average of £172 (pre September 2024) to £182 to date.
Source: Julia Lang, Head of Marketing, Wyse