by John Larkin
John runs the blog here at eCommerceLift and is a verified Shopify Expert. Interested in an initial growth consultation? Click here
8 years ago
How Hickies Revolutionized Shoe Laces and Became the eCommerce Success You Want To Be
Sometimes the smallest ideas can be best. They can seem little and inconsequential but in actuality have a massive impact on how we live. Today’s eCommerce case study is a story like this. It’s about the brand called Hickies who set out to change something you may think is insignificant, shoe laces.
The brand have taken the eCommerce world by storm by excitedly launching and marketing their innovative shoe laces. We are going to be dissecting what Hickies have done to make their brand so successful and what other aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from this innovative brand.
The Idea
When Hickies was established they had one goal in mind as they say “At Hickies our mission is to reimagine the obvious.” And they have done just that. Founded by a couple, they aimed to change shoe laces for the better and bring them into the 21st century. Their laces are not made of traditional fabric. Instead they are made of elastic that can be put into your current shoes so that they become slip on and eliminate the need to tie laces.
The brand have taken the eCommerce world by storm by excitedly launching and marketing their innovative shoe laces. We are going to be dissecting what Hickies have done to make their brand so successful and what other aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from this innovative brand.
The Idea
When Hickies was established they had one goal in mind as they say “At Hickies our mission is to reimagine the obvious.” And they have done just that. Founded by a couple, they aimed to change shoe laces for the better and bring them into the 21st century. Their laces are not made of traditional fabric. Instead they are made of elastic that can be put into your current shoes so that they become slip on and eliminate the need to tie laces.
The brand has made these a one size fits all so that everyone is catered for and there are different designs so that you can incorporate your own sense of style into your laces. Hickies believe these are the next step in shoe lace design and are perfect for people with an active lifestyle. They say “Our bow-free, knot-free HICKIES are the perfect solution.”
The Story
To help customers understand and connect with Hickies the brand, the store have made a palpable effort to tell the story of their journey. From the initial inception of the idea to the growth of the business, Hickies have a comprehensive and intriguing About page that offers customer’s insight into why they believe their shoe lace idea is so great.
Starting with a video the two founders and real life couple talk about what brought them together and how their idea for a revolutionized shoe lace came to fruition. It’s light, creative, expertly shot and gives a real history to the brand.
The Story
To help customers understand and connect with Hickies the brand, the store have made a palpable effort to tell the story of their journey. From the initial inception of the idea to the growth of the business, Hickies have a comprehensive and intriguing About page that offers customer’s insight into why they believe their shoe lace idea is so great.
Starting with a video the two founders and real life couple talk about what brought them together and how their idea for a revolutionized shoe lace came to fruition. It’s light, creative, expertly shot and gives a real history to the brand.
You can see that they have thought about their product and know they have found something good. They want customers to know their story and be in on the evolution of laces and this video does it with aplomb.
The Sale
To get customers enticed by their products Hickies have done a few things to make their laces seem irresistible. As they are such a different and innovative idea there is a focus on explaining the product to customers so that they are clear about the brand and what these laces actually do.
To introduce and educate customers about the laces Hickies have amazing images and videos on their website that explain their product, how it works and why these elastic laces are so much better than traditional ones. Some of the best videos involve lacing techniques where they simply show customers how to use in Hickies in their shoes. They are quick videos but show how simple and effective these laces are and just get the point across that these laces work.
To get customers enticed by their products Hickies have done a few things to make their laces seem irresistible. As they are such a different and innovative idea there is a focus on explaining the product to customers so that they are clear about the brand and what these laces actually do.
To introduce and educate customers about the laces Hickies have amazing images and videos on their website that explain their product, how it works and why these elastic laces are so much better than traditional ones. Some of the best videos involve lacing techniques where they simply show customers how to use in Hickies in their shoes. They are quick videos but show how simple and effective these laces are and just get the point across that these laces work.
Hickies also want to get across the point that their laces fit into different lifestyles. You can wear them casually or when being active and to get this across they have created lookbooks of their products and show their laces in action. They have lookooks such as “Cross Fit”, “Brooklyn Beast” and “Training with Hickies”. They show the durability and range of the laces and the fact they fit in with any lifestyle no matter what your style us and how active you are.
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The Bloggers
To foster an online community, Hickies have turned to bloggers to help spread the word about their laces. They have five bloggers who are “Hickies Amigos” and “are a group of talented and creative people that love to showcase our HICKIES products”. They are advocates and fans of the store and let there readership know about the brand.
Reaching out to bloggers is a smart move by the brand. They have a dedicated fan base that hang on every word and will follow their style choices. Hickies attaching themselves to bloggers adds some credit to the laces and makes them more than just something to tie shoes and become an actual style accessory.
To foster an online community, Hickies have turned to bloggers to help spread the word about their laces. They have five bloggers who are “Hickies Amigos” and “are a group of talented and creative people that love to showcase our HICKIES products”. They are advocates and fans of the store and let there readership know about the brand.
Reaching out to bloggers is a smart move by the brand. They have a dedicated fan base that hang on every word and will follow their style choices. Hickies attaching themselves to bloggers adds some credit to the laces and makes them more than just something to tie shoes and become an actual style accessory.
The Results
Hickies as a brand have experienced amazing success since the launch of their laces. They have developed a serious following with customers embracing and praising their products. They have tapped into a market that wants to eliminate the annoyance of old school laces from their lives and have these one for all no knot or bow elastic ones instead. It's an awesome story in innovation and one that every budding merchants should learn from.
Tips to take from the Hickies eCommerce case study:
Hickies as a brand have experienced amazing success since the launch of their laces. They have developed a serious following with customers embracing and praising their products. They have tapped into a market that wants to eliminate the annoyance of old school laces from their lives and have these one for all no knot or bow elastic ones instead. It's an awesome story in innovation and one that every budding merchants should learn from.
Tips to take from the Hickies eCommerce case study:
- Share your story
- Use product videos to explain your products
- Sell a lifestyle
- Reach out to influencers
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