Presented October 11, 2018 in Helsinki Finland at 'Business Finland' Ecom-Growth Conference In a market where it’s hard to know what’s real…  Authenticity is everything, now more than ever.
 Gaining consumer trust is integral to creating a compelling experience, especially with the evolving needs and expectations of today’s shopper. This presentation provides an overview of tactics and strategies for how to create authentic connections with shoppers and develop trust in a market where loyalty is hard to come by.

1. Designing with Purpose
How to Differentiate Through
Authenticity and Trust
Business FInland - Ecom Growth Program
HELSINKI, FINLAND • OCTOBER 11, 2018

2. Hi, I’m Joshua
FOUNDER, CEO
20 Years in E-commerce
Designer by trade
E-commerce strategy and design
Human-centric, insight driven
15 years – IMA Top 10 Agencywww.cakeandarrow.com

3. jlevine@cakeandarrow.com @neatpace
Hello. I’m Josh
• Founder & CEO of Cake & Arrow
• 20+ years in UX & Design
• Designer by trade
• Customer Experience Strategy & Design
• Focus on retail and finance industry
• Human-centric, insight driven
www.cakeandarrow.com

4. HOMEPAGE CATEGORY PRODUCT
+
Browsing just aint what it used to be
It’s not linear. The customer has the control. Usability is table stakes.
Used to be all about linear browsing paths.
Keeping them within the site experience —
Retailers no longer in control

5. ecommerce
emotionalcommerce
electroniccommerce

6. Because everything
about browsing
is emotional.
It’s personal.
Because everything about
browsing/shopping is emotional.
It’s personal. It’s about
relationships. Bigger than the
product.

7. Buying economic quantities of goods
from manufacturers and selling
them to consumers for a profit.
LEGACY DEFINITION
Retail Redefined
Consumers buying
something they DESIRE
from someone they TRUST
in the MOMENT.
MODERN DEFINITION
Source: Accenture - Retail with Purpose Powering Future Growth
(Came across this in a recent
report by Accenture)
Retail has been redefined…
Side by side comparison of the
old with the new.

8. “Shopping is increasingly
entertainment”
— MARY MEEKER
Browsing doesn’t even equal buying anymore
in fact. browsing is so
accessible. that it’s a means
of entertainment.
People live on their phones.
They do it for fun.

9. 20%
of people shop in the bathroom
Source: Big Commerce - Omni-Channel Retail in 2017

10. SECURITY BREACHES REGULATIONS
Today’s retailers need to overcome
massive skepticism about the authenticity
and value of their offerings
FAKE NEWS
Consider the cultural shift
we’re going through. Just in
past few days (google +,
Facebook again.

11. To further complicate things,
brands can now pair easily
accessible dropship fulfillment
services with savvy social
marketing to set up a
“reasonably credible” DTC
shop overnight.

12. Can be selling puppy shirts
next day.

13. In a market where it’s hard to know what’s real—
authenticity is everything.
WHO
YOU ARE
WHAT
YOU DO
WHO
YOU SERVE
this means staying true to …

14. • See value beyond product
• Want to relate to brands
• Associate with an aligned purpose
• Crave real connections
• Because they care
Why does this
matter to customers?
NEED
PHOTO

15. • See value beyond product
• Want to relate to brands
• Associate with an aligned purpose
• Crave real connections
• Because they care
Why does this
matter to customers?
NEED
PHOTO
“The more virtual
our lives get, the
more we hunger
after something
genuine.”
Source: Kissmetrics “Truth Will Out”

16. DIFFERENTIATORS
Trust & Service
Why/How You Sell
Price & Convenience
TABLE STAKES
What You Sell
Retailers must appeal to these emotional
factors in order to truly differentiate…
Emotional factors like Trust and service are now
what differentiates brands .
Metrics that now matter are: NPS, Customer
Lifetime value, Returning customer orders

17. Because customer’s
trust goes to the
bottom line 31% more
Consumers who scored retailers
higher on purpose spent
than consumers who scored
retailers lower
Source: 2018 Accenture Love Index Research

18. • How do brands that offer genuine, proven value stand out?
• How do we create moments of trust, and where do they matter most?
• How can design demonstrate authenticity?
Design authentic browsing experiences.
Even if unexpressed, your customers want it.
OUR PLAN FOR TODAY
Which brings us to today. Your
opportunity — A customer's unmet need,
even if unexpressed, frequently turns out
to be your next marketing opportunity.

19. Invest in proving
product “Fit”
O1
The idea of “Fit” and social trends
movements. As brands work to
align their values with their
customers’ values, how does the
online shopping experience change?

20. you know what dadbod is?
i never heard it until recently….
apparently i fit into this category _
so says my wife

21. Uses models with real
bodies that customers
can relate to.
Shorts brand doubles down on bro
culture and dadbods. Uses pics to
show shorts in action. Dorky/cute.
makes it relatable. Real. And doesn't
ave to be UGC. Customer know
what’s real..
www.chubbies.com

22. Staged photo shoots
no longer resonate.
Photoshopped models and
staged photo shoots no
longer resonate.
in fact, to millennials - most of
marketing does not resonate.

23. Shoppers have grown tired of overly
branded, manufactured content

24. Everlane — Has photos of
different models in various
sizes on PDP. www.everlane.com

25. Invest in photos
to show kids for
each size/age—
some with
special needs
www.primaryclothing.com

26. www.colourpop.com

27. Make it all
about them
02
Minimize mental load… Value the
customer’s precious time
Consider where they’re coming from…
Simplify complex buying decisions.
gain trust by making it easy.

28. Simplify the customer’s research and
decision making process with SEO
friendly landing pages that provide the
guidance and inspiration they desire

29. Kickstart journey
with ideas
+55%
increase in searches
for “ideas” on mobile
+135%
watchtime of YouTube
videos with “ideas” in title.
Source: Think with Google - Inspiration Infographic
www.bestmade.com

30. Inspire with
pre-packaged lists
+150%
increase in mobile searches
for “shopping lists”
+55%
increase in searches
for “outfits for”
Source: Think with Google - Inspiration Infographic
www.bestmade.com

31. 55%
of consumers report buying
products online after stumbling
across them on social media
According to a Curalate Consumer Survey
78%
59%
34%
59%

32. According to a Curalate Consumer Survey
Maintain design
continuity for
seamless transition

33. Engage in dialogue
and talk to them
like humans

34. Simplify complex buying decisions to gain trust
www.joybird.com

35. Augmented reality
is legit—but it’s not
right for everything
KEY: first focus on NON-
augmented reality. Learn how to
make it “real” before applying AR

36. Convey full story by
focusing on benefits
over features.
And come up with
creative ways to
show product in
context.
… shows the product in action,
in use, in its intended context www.forhims.com

37. Include your customers in product creation
JANUARY 2015 JANUARY 2016
www.glossier.com

38. Wear your heart
on your sleeve
03
People want interesting and caring.
— celebrate choice, difference and
inclusion, Bold, unambiguous, even
risky statements of values signal
obvious authenticity.

39. People are looking for brands to
be more proactive about doing
some good in the world.
They want interesting and caring.
Go beyond "free shipping" to make
service integral to the value prop.

40. Where would you buy this pair of Chooze shoes?

42. www.chooze.com

43. Bold, unambiguous, even risky statements
of values signal obvious authenticity

45. Your design decisions
should support your
values.
Gestures of diversity
and inclusion make a
lasting, emotional
impact.
www.asos.com

46. (gerber baby example) After posting a
photo of son on Insta using the
contest's hashtag, this couple received
the news that their son had been
chosen from more than 140k to be
Gerber Spokesbaby. Beautiful, happy,
healthy baby. Gerber news article

47. But they must be
grounded in authenticity.
Upset loyalists will make
their feelings known.
www.modcloth.com

48. 2015
But they must be grounded
in authenticity. Upset
loyalists will make their
feelings known.
www.modcloth.com

49. Use your “Our Story”
page to invite
customers into your
movement.
Make them feel good
and smart for buying
from you.
www.kingarthurflour.com
Browsers need a reason to buy from you,
not amazon. —> Give them a good one.
Use your “our story” page to invite
customers into your movement/join your
club/etc. make them feel good and smart
for buying from you.

50. Never lose your sense of humor
or take yourself too seriously.

51. Pull back
the curtain
04
journey in how product was
created is as important as
functional value.

53. Everlane delivers on
it’s promise of
transparency by
sharing the true
cost of producing
the clothes, and the
factories they get
made in.
Part of the Everlane’s mission is to
communicate about the factories
where their clothes are made, the
costs = all about transparency
www.everlane.com

54. Explain your business model, or share your humble beginnings.
www.rxbar.comwww.bonobos.com

55. www.lifeisgood.com

56. Founded in Finland, where kids in
school are required to spend 3 to 4
hours outside every day, rain, snow
or shine and irrespective of
temperature, Reima understands
the importance of having products
that are high performance – highly
abrasion resistant, waterproof,
breathable, comfortable and safe.
www.reima.com
tell people where you come from. be
yourself. be true to your origins. Tell
your story. people care.

57. www.reima.com
issues happen. As long you are
transparent and honest about it,
customers will be fine with it.

58. Enable customer to
customer connections
05

59. x`
Brand Champion
You guys know Tim? Of course
you don’t. He’s our Strategy
Lead back in NY (a cat person
with a dog tattoo. check it out.)
Anyway, he told me a story
couple days ago. Recently
bought a carrying case for his
cat. Was wrong size so wanted
to return it. Called Chewy. The
rep said he didn't need to send
it back. Instead she provided
Tim with the address of a local
animal shelter where he could
drop it off.
Tim is much more than a
customer of Chewy—he’s a
Brand Advocate. He is willing
to endorse this brand (told this
story 30x since) because he
made an authentic, truthful
connection with them.
And this has nothing to do with
the quality of the case he
bought. In fact, he never got a
replacement. He has nothing
other than a story.
Perfect example of how loyalty
and advocacy stems from how
you sell, not what you sell.

60. x`
You can’t buy this
kind of marketing.
It’s a privilege
you earn.
Brand Champion
people buy because of people

61. Source: Brand Advocacy: The holy grail of
marketing - M. Bowman, Liquid Agency
BRAND
ADVOCATES
PROSPECTS
BRANDS
Recommendations
Rew
ards
Revenues
Advocacy
System
s

62. 89%
of millennials trust recommendations
from friends and family more than
claims by the brand.
Kissmetrics - Connecting with Millennial Shoppers

63. "What Glossier says about Glossier
is not nearly as important as what
customers say about Glossier”
—EMILY WEISS, CEO GLOSSIER

64. Cherish your loyalists.
Close the feedback loop.
www.glossier.com

66. Kiitos
JOSH LEVINE
www.cakeandarrow.com
cakeandarrow
jlevine@cakeandarrow.com
neatpace
joshplevine