CASE STUDY
The Client
NBDA is integrating architectural and sculptural ideologies into footwear design. Since it was established in 2015, the brand has focused on improving quality. Sourcing most of their leather from Italian producers before being handcrafted in Portugal. The brand has also announced plans for an expansive apparel collection, an assortment of clothing, and even a range of leather goods like wallets and card holders.
Their Business
NBDA designs shoes, markets them and sells them at prices that cover the cost of both its design and marketing. In a digital ecosystem, footwear brands have many ways of getting their products to consumers. One option is for the brand to create its own end-user sales division and sell direct - most popularly through an e-commerce store or social media. An alternative to selling direct is using distributors/stockists. The more exposure a distributor has, the better for the designer who is now able to get products into the hands of more customers. Also, the core competency of many young brands is designing and marketing of their products. However, cash flow comes from the quantity of sales - driven by sales strategies. A core competency of many stockist retailers.
The Challenge
Growth. NBDA needed to grow and this, to them, meant an increase in revenue. An increase in revenue could come through signing on stockists and with the right pricing strategy so they approached us. To successfully sign on stockists, they needed to ensure that their products did not breach any animal protection laws (in regards to product sourcing), show a forecast of future sales in stores based on performance on other online channels and present their products in a flattering manner while clearly showcasing wholesale and retail prices to potential buyers. It was also important that they gained access to buyers who made decisions on stock purchases in that suitable stores they had identified.
Our Approach
We started out by immersing ourselves into the product, understanding every detail from design to shipping. This way we could get behind a brand we believed in. Once on board, we developed a road map with objectives and success measures - to ensure accountability. To ensure that our client had the best chance when placed in front of a decision maker we developed vital documents.
A financial forecast of brick and mortar sales - based on past sales performance, industry growth, trends and niche analysis, we were able to provide the buyer with figures to help them make their decision.
Lookbook - drawing inspiration from the originality of the brand, we were able to come up with an aesthetically pleasing reflection of the various NBDA collections. Pointing the buyer’s attention to the fine details that the brand apart.
Buyers proposal with prices - an effective and unclustered document showing buyers the fair margins on each product and comparing these to industry average - a strategic nudge
Material sourcing checklist - to show compliance measure the brand had taken. Positioning our client as ethical and forward thinking.
After receiving positive feedback and a go ahead from the client, we set up meetings with industry leaders off or contact list. Our focus on hitting our growth objectives. Feedback was regularly relayed to the client, keeping them in the loop on proceedings. We also submitted in-direct feedback that had come as a result of our discussions, insight into competitors and market trends.
Our Impact
NBDA gained invaluable feedback that has positioned them to take advantage of stockist opportunities around the world, it also helped to play the brand in the minds of industry leading buyers - creating exposure for the fast evolving brand. This has led to an increase in market share. With insight into what buyers are after, NBDA has been able to better structure their quality control in the stocking of materials and production of their pieces.
