Case Studies
How Startup, Poppy's Picnic, Use Reviews To Supercharge Their Growth
March 10, 2021
•
3 min read
When her business mentor drove home the importance of review collection, Eloise found the ideal fit in the REVIEWS.io solution. And as we discovered in our video Q&A, customer feedback is having a profound impact. As well as driving business growth, it’s creating a snowball effect - prompting wholesale clients to take note of a shift in buying behaviour, and the growing demand for sustainable commerce.
A milliner by trade Eloise’s creative flair turned to collage, and as prints of her work began to sell, the Eloise Hall brand was born. Her product range moved into gift cards and stationery, and has since grown to encompass wellbeing. Candles, diffusers, skin care - every item is carefully crafted to benefit both the user and the planet.
“The fundamental thing to it is nature. That’s celebrated in two ways - with the stationary which is pretty designs, and then there’s another layer which is the wellbeing. That is very specifically sustainable, natural, and really great products.”
Every part of the manufacturing process comes under close scrutiny. It’s a responsibility Eloise sees as very real, and very important. In the same vein as sustainability champions Non Plastic Beach, she’s careful not to solve one issue by creating another. Her research showed biodegradable plastics contribute to deforestation so she opted for 100% recycled plastic, using materials already in the system but with less energy consumption than any alternatives. The same approach applies to the production and packaging of her stationary products.
In selling both D2C and wholesale, Eloise has two target audiences to convince on the quality of her products, and on the benefits of choosing sustainable, natural options. Whilst there’s still a lot of work to be done in terms of retail clients, review collection is certainly playing its part on the consumer front:
“In terms of reviews, that’s been great. I think it’s brought in a lot of trust, and really lovely comments from people who have really bought into it, and that’s amazing.”
One of the key points Eloise made was that as consumer pressure changes high street shops and retail chains will have to take note. This is where customer feedback is playing a crucial role. In collecting reviews, small innovative brands are showing that there is indeed a clear demand for their products. They’re sending a strong message that quality and efficacy can both be achieved without causing harm. These aren’t just claims, but proven via the voice of the customer:
“What’s really exciting is the growth at the moment. What I’m noticing is the popularity of the products with direct to consumers is actually giving the wholesale clients proof of credibility. They can see there’s actually verified people that have bought this stuff and say it’s nice. There’s a whole snowball effect which is really exciting.”
It’s something we’re seeing ourselves more and more, and part of our ethos is to support the movement by giving smaller brands an accessible yet powerful platform. That’s one of the reasons Eloise picked us over the other providers out there:
“It’s quite hard to assess who to go with - there’s a lot to choose from. But what REVIEWS.io offered for the level I was going in at was perfect. It’s also nice to talk to a person on the other end. You don’t always get that.”
Though we’ve essentially removed all barriers to entry, we still come across customers that are hesitant to start collecting reviews - predominantly because they’re wary of negative feedback and the damage it could cause. The point we try to get across here is that all reviews can be beneficial, provided you deal with them in the right way. It’s all about how you respond, and the way you take negative comments to improve your business. For Eloise, it’s about turning the situation on its head:
“You can get people to love you after a negative review. You can get them to think it’s all amazing because you’ve given them more back than they ever expected. It’s actually quite an opportunity.”
Not that it’s something she needs to worry about. As a brand, Eloise Hall has so many great reviews. That’s a true testament not only to the quality of products, but to Eloise herself and the effort she puts in to understanding her audience. We look forward to seeing the business continue to grow, and helping Eloise and others like her spread the word on sustainability.
