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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
Jamie Wilson, Denman’s Customer Service and Data Manager, took some time out to tell us why customer feedback is so critical to how the brand operates today, and how new innovations in the review space are helping it evolve in line with consumer expectations. Denman is also one of the first brand’s to use our new solution, FullPicture.io, to measure the ROI of on-site reviews.
But to understand how all of this is shaping Denman’s future, we need to know a little bit about its history.
When we say decades, we really do mean decades. The story of the brand dates back to 1938 when its founder, John Dean Denman, was introduced to Nylon. Inspired by his sister’s hair care troubles, he envisioned the perfect use case for this revolutionary new material, and the Denman brush was born.
By the 1980’s, Denman’s products were a firm favourite with stylists worldwide, and that reputation saw a growing demand in the consumer population.
Of course times have changed considerably since the turn of the millennium, and with continued growth on its radar, Denman now also sells DTC through its Shopify store. It’s a far cry from its 1930’s foundations, but why does such a household name need to leverage consumer opinion? It’s all about understanding the mindset of a younger, more demanding market.
Jamie cites three key reasons why review collection is so important for Denman, both in terms of its eCommerce success and its creative innovation. The first, like for so many brands, is all about trust.
Yes, the Denman name has a strong reputation, but today’s consumers want more than that. They want to feel a connection, and that’s something the brand very much understands. As Jamie explains, its goal is to be a trusted friend and help customers feel good about their hair. By publishing authentic reviews, Denman shows a level of openness and honesty that allows those trusted bonds to grow.
Second is helping to inform purchase decisions. A brush that’s perfect for some isn’t necessarily perfect for everyone, and by giving shoppers first hand insight into the product experience, Denman helps each individual make a better choice for their needs.
Last but by no means least, Denman understands the value of review content in relation to product development. It gets a huge amount of detail in its feedback - from comments that point out any product flaws, to the tricks and techniques customers apply with their brushes to achieve a certain hair goal. All of this is valuable data for the product development team.
Information like this is really important when we think about the hair brushes of the future, and also reminds us of the features that are important so that there aren't any unintended consequences when we redesign the classics.
Denman’s understanding of the power of reviews first led them to Feefo and Trustpilot, but since switching to REVIEWS.io the brand has developed its strategy and is making great use of some of our tools and features. In particular, it gives us a fantastic example of how Review Attributes can really boost the customer experience.
As part of each product review request, Denman asks customers to state three very simple but very informative details - their hair type, hair length and ultimate hair goal. What this gives anyone reading a review is something to relate to - it’s no longer just a generic opinion of a product, it’s a product experience they can identify with.
We can ask customers personal attribute and product use questions. Other customers can use responses to filter reviews to focus on genuine customers who share their characteristics, for example, they can read feedback from others who have the same hair type or hair goal.
It’s features like this that drew Denman to our solution in the first place, and whilst the team had some reservations about migrating over from Trustpilot, their product specialist handled all their existing product review and data imports, and they were up and running in no time at all. They remain convinced their decision to switch was the right one, and are benefitting from the added value REVIEWS.io offers.
Ultimately the choice came down to a balance between the features on offer and value for money. While REVIEWS.io wasn't the cheapest or most expensive, the advanced features and user-friendliness made the choice an easy one.
Thanks to our new solution, FullPicture.io, Denman doesn’t have to assume that its reasons for collecting reviews are justified. It can actually measure ROI through attribution and conversion data.
Along with general stats on the number of reviews collected (4,822 product, and 2,570 company in a year in this case), the team can see how influential those reviews have been on sales.
That’s not all FullPicture.io can tell them either. It’s essentially a complete eCommerce analytics platform that tells them where visitors come from, how they behave on-site, and what page elements influence (or deter) them to make a purchase. That’s actionable insight the brand can use to develop its acquisition efforts and on-site UX. It’s still early days for sure, but we’re positive the combination of FullPicture.io and REVIEWS.io will help Denman thrive for decades more as a DTC brand.
