Welcome to episode two of Retail Reboot, hosted by SVP of Retail at emerchantpay, Angus Burrell! This episode Angus is joined by special guest, Daniela Pisciottano Head of eCommerce at Woodland Leathers.
Woodland Leathers is a family-run business established in 1967 in Brick Lane, London by co-founder Tarsem Singh. The company produces high-quality leather garments and accessories from its new Essex warehouse. Woodland Leathers continues to grow its luxury retail presence and are a supplier to prestigious retailers across the globe.
Watch the latest vlogcast episode as Angus and Daniela discuss:
- How adapting their online offering helped boost January sales mid-lockdown
- The payment strategies Woodland Leathers are using to attract a younger demographic
- Why next-day delivery remains an important service for SMEs
- How to ensure increased communications don’t spam your customers
Quick bites from episode two
Payment options validate your online brand
Daniela made an excellent point (although we may be biased!) that having multiple payment methods helps validate your online identity and build trust with those new to online payments.
"It also adds a layer of trustworthiness. When a customer sees they can buy something with a certain payment option they may have seen advertised on the [Underground], YouTube or TV, then [customers think] ‘Okay, I can trust this brand because they’ve got these payment options that are backing them’." – Head of eCommerce at Woodland Leathers, Daniela Pisciottano
This has been a key component in the Woodland Leathers eCommerce strategy, Daniela noted. Consumers who are 50 years old and over tend to be more sceptical of making a payment online. This is because they want to know their money is being handled and that they will be receiving their luxury item.
Woodland Leathers identified a number of consumers shopped their brand on their mobile, but actually made the switch to their desktop to complete the purchase. Some even prefer to make payments over the phone while talking to an employee rather than submitting an online payment.
To leverage the other payment option brands Daniela notes they are adding these brands to their communications and leveraging the joint coverage. This has not only had an effect to their brand awareness and trustworthiness as an online luxury retailer but has also helped increase conversions.
Mobile commerce only set to grow
Optimising your website or webshop for the rise of social commerce, or shopping via social media and mobile devices, is a necessity for growing your eCommerce presence.
Google’s search engine index has been preferencing mobile-first websites since May 2019. When coupled with a global push for businesses to enhance their online offering during the pandemic in 2020, it’s never been more important to have a seamless experience – mobile to desktop.
The rise in buy now pay later payment options is also influencing how brands engage with younger audiences. A key insight Daniela shared with Angus in the vlogcast episode was how offering buy now pay later payment options made Woodland Leathers luxury products more accessible to demographics under 50.
"Offering such varied payment options is something that goes in our favour because we are offering younger people the possibility to get their hands on a luxury bag without having to spend too much of their monthly income on it." – Head of eCommerce at Woodland Leathers, Daniela Pisciottano
Target new audiences with payments
Offering your customers more ways to pay is a key strategy to targeting new audiences. Our recently published Regional payment trends 2021 eBook deep dives into the consumer payment trends shaping online and point of sale payments in 2021 in specific markets across the globe.
Are you thinking of expanding your online payments offering? Get in touch with the team to discuss your options!