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Case Studies
How iStrap took a 0.9 rating to 4.1 stars on productreview.com.au using REVIEWS.io
February 28, 2022
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4 min read
When we say Vetain is a young brand we really mean it. Based in Germany, the guys behind the business - Philipp and co-founder Luca Gruber - started their journey just two years ago and only came to market in October 2021.
As a new name on the scene, quickly establishing credibility was a top priority, as was convincing potential customers that their vegan protein powder was better than the poor tasting, tough on the stomach products offered by competitor brands - a task made all the more complex because of Germany’s strict advertising rules.
After significant investment in R&D and a successful Kickstarter campaign, Philipp and Luca had a lot to prove, and were determined to cement themselves as a reputable brand with a top quality product.
“We’d had enough of sandy protein powders. Enough of artificial flavours and additives. That's why we wanted to create a product that was better than any other vegan protein powder.”
Philipp knew from the outset that company and product reviews were the answer to the challenges Vetain faced. The next hurdle to overcome was finding the right review solution.
As a highly popular review platform in Germany, his initial instinct was to sign up with Trusted Shops. However, his LinkedIn network convinced him otherwise, with many fellow eCom entrepreneurs describing it as an outdated solution with limiting features.
That same network pointed him in our direction, citing REVIEWS.io as a forward thinking, innovative provider. Philipp checked us out, and we’re pleased to say he liked what he found. Sold on our platform’s market leading features and advanced functionality, we’ve been a part of Vetain’s success story from the start.
“We did a trial with REVIEWS.io and then implemented it in November. We’re very happy with it. We’re able to collect so many reviews, way more than we could have with Trusted Shops.”
With an impressive 20% conversion rate on review requests and a 4.6 company rating, it hasn’t taken long for Vetain to build a strong online reputation and earn the trust of its target audience. But review quantity is just the beginning. Customer feedback also fuels growth by promoting Vetain’s products in a way the brand is not permitted to promote them itself.
German advertising law prevents brands from making anything that could be considered a health claim in product advertising. For Vetain, this limits the way it can set itself apart from its competitors.
As Philipp explains, a lot of users experience digestive issues with protein powders, with their bodies unable to comfortably tolerate the ingredients. So obviously, one of the main things they look for in a new product is assurance against this potential stomach churn.
Whilst Vetain is unable to give them that assurance (since it would indeed be classified as a health claim), there are no restrictions on the benefits a customer can assign to a product as part of a verified review. And with plenty of customers stating how stomach friendly its protein powders are, the brand has been able to promote this key selling point through the voice of the consumer.
“We’ve used reviews in our ads where people have said our vegan protein is the best and the only one their body can handle. We can’t make those sorts of health claims ourselves, so the customer content is so valuable.”
As well as providing persuasive content for ads, reviews are seamlessly displayed on product pages with our lightning fast, customisable widgets. And for Vetain, sharing the customer experience at this critical point in the buyer journey has contributed to a 30% increase in conversion.
It’s testament to the quality of Vetain’s products (and its clever use of social proof) that its first batch sold out just months after its launch. And it’s even greater testament to the guys that they’re already looking to the customer for guidance on how to improve.
They’ve made small adjustments to flavour for their next batch, and are looking to make their packaging even more sustainable. This ability to quickly react to consumer demand is all down to their strategic use of reviews.
“There’s always things we can make better, even if our customers are really satisfied. We use REVIEWS.io to get feedback on what our customers think - what they like and what they don’t like - so we can constantly improve ourselves and the product.”
Vetain’s 20% conversion rate on review requests isn’t a happy accident. It’s a product of Philipp’s use in our invitation sequences in Flow tool - one of the key features that convinced him to choose us over Trusted Shops.
Using Flow, he’s created a custom email sequence that encourages engagement through considered timing and follow ups, and as a result achieves that impressive conversion rate.
To gain ever greater return on their investment they intend to roll out campaigns using our Video First feature, building stronger relationships through a personalised approach and collecting authentic UGC to share across social channels.
We’re excited to be supporting this young start-up as they refine their review strategy and leverage our platform for further growth and innovation.
