Creating a cohesive cross-channel experience for customers has become a high priority for brands during the pandemic. With shoppers relying more on ecommerce, brands had to undergo a digital transformation to ensure that they instill confidence in their customers via online channels.
Over three weeks, we examined Nike’s email and mobile marketing experience. By completing various actions—sign up for emails, abandon a product browse, abandon a cart, etc.—with Nike, we were able to uncover customer experience successes as well as opportunities.
Nike has an excellent experience when it comes to marketing their products. They sent multiple triggered abandoned cart and abandoned browse emails to encourage us to buy products we had looked at. However, there is the potential to further personalize some of these messages. With the data Nike collects, message individualization could reach a whole new level.
The results of our research are at the end of this post in our Customer Experience Analysis, but first we’ve highlighted some stats below for context about our time with Nike.
The First-Hand Customer Experience
In the attached analysis we illustrate the research process in a timeline to demonstrate when and how Nike shares their marketing messages.
Over the three weeks we received:
- 32 messages total
- 17 emails (12 promotions, 2 welcome emails, 3 abandoned browse/cart)
- 15 mobile messages (8 mobile inbox, 7 push notifications)
Our goal with this research was to better understand how retail brands are using their marketing messages during a time where ecommerce has become more prevalent than ever before. Do they use multiple channels? How personalized are their messages? Are their cross-channel strategies cohesive and centralized? While our takeaways only capture a small sample of Nike’s full customer experience, the insights gained are applicable to other apparel brands and retail brands in general.
As a new user, Nike did well to gather our information and welcome us as a Nike Member. They sent not one, but two welcome emails describing the benefits of becoming a member with links to download their app and talk to Nike experts.
One takeaway, in particular, however, is Nike’s collection of zero-party data. Gathering data directly from the customer, rather than through third parties, ensures the data is highly accurate and aligned with the customer’s preferences. Nike collects information like customer name and birthday to be able to provide individualized messages to each user. But, there is room to improve their personalization efforts.
See how Nike can go a step further with personalization and other takeaways in the analysis below and be sure to check out our other Customer Experience Analyses on HBO Max, ASOS, and e.l.f. Cosmetics.
