Italian premium footwear brand.
Objective: Identify reasons for low customer retention (LTV) despite high product quality.
Context
- Brand: Italian handmade footwear (DTC).
- Product Type: Artisanal goods with a high degree of manual labor, distinctive craft aesthetics, and historical legacy (generational production, decades in the market).
- Market/Geography: Europe (Italy) with a focus on international sales through e-commerce.
- Situation: Mature brand. Manufacturing cycle is established, product is market-acclaimed. Focus is on digital expansion and growth via online channel.
- Problem: Average product rating is 4.9 out of 5, but repeat purchases are almost nonexistent. Customers love the shoes but are frustrated with company interactions.
1. Research Dataset
- Identified Issue: Competitors’ response time for return requests is 2-4 hours (automated). The client’s is 48 to 72 hours (manual via email).
- Sentiment Analysis of Reviews (Trustpilot, Google, Social Media): Analyzed 150+ reviews from the last 12 months.
- Result: 85% of negative reviews do not relate to shoe quality. 100% of complaints address the “communication void” post-payment.
- Benchmarking (Competitive Analysis): Compared 12 parameters with niche leaders in the category (Velosca, Scarosso, etc.).
2. Project Methodology
Customer Journey Audit was conducted manually to identify points of “friction”:
- Pre-sale Information Audit: Found a lack of foot width parameters (fit-guide) in product descriptions, leading to +15% unnecessary returns that could be avoided.
- Analysis of the “Point of No Return”: It was noted that customer loyalty drops off during the waiting period for the return address.
- Semantic Analysis: Return instructions are written in complex legal language, perceived as “unfriendly” in the premium segment.
3. Solutions
Proposed implementation of specific tools:
- Technical Solution (RMA): Replace email exchanges with an automated returns portal. Outcome: customer receives a tracking number and confirmation within 1 minute, alleviating concerns about their funds (€300+).
- Content Adjustment (Data-driven): Add a video guide on “How to measure your foot for this last” to product pages.
- Service Protocol: Implement proactive notifications: “We received your return; inspection will take 24 hours.” This eliminates 80% of incoming angry support requests.
- Economic Impact: Reduce the cost of handling a return by 35% through automation and increase the likelihood of repeat purchases (Retention) by providing a “seamless” experience.
What This Case Demonstrates
Category Logic
In online shoe sales, the decision always involves an assumption: size and fit are confirmed only after receiving the product. The return process is part of the product, part of the purchase.
Value Misalignment
The communication of a brand promoting “premium and respect” sets an expectation for careful, respectful, and consistent interaction. Return and service issues disrupt the brand’s integrity, regardless of product quality.
Consumer Behavior
High product quality does not guarantee economic resilience. LTV can deteriorate not during acquisition but post-purchase.
