How Bolt helped Badgley Mischka increase conversion and average order value by double digits

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conversion rate for shoppers in the Bolt Network

higher average order value on transactions from shoppers in the Bolt Network in Q4 — a crucial time over the holidays

of transactions came from shoppers with Bolt Accounts

of transactions came from new, cross-network shoppers in December 2020

Badgley Mischka

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I wish all of our customers could be in the Bolt Network. It increases their checkout conversion and just makes everything easier.

Badgley Mischka creates glamorous, stylish, and wearable evening wear and accessories. Their red-carpet-ready dresses have been worn by the world’s most incredible women—from Oprah to Jane Fonda, Rihanna to Taylor Swift, Leslie Jones to Kate McKinnon, and <a href="https://www.badgleymischka.com/red-carpet/ " target="_blank">more</a>. But Badgley Mischka isn’t just for celebrities; their bridal gowns, cocktail dresses, and everyday blazers and blouses are designed (and priced) with the everyday fashionista in mind.

<h3>High fashion meets hard times</h3>Enter 2020, which was a year of both challenge and transformation for Badgley Mischka’s online business. The challenge wasn’t just that the economy was ravaged by recession (although that was, of course, significant). Clothing retailers, including Badgley Mischka, were hit particularly hard as month over month dips in sales were <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/289783/us-retail-apparel-store-sales-on-a-monthly-basis/#:~:text=In%20December%202019%2C%20U.S.%20apparel,(COVID%2D19)%20pandemic. " target="_blank">as dramatic as 74%</a> in the US.For Badgley Mischka in particular, the shift in Americans’ daily sartorial preferences posed another challenge. With <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/12/09/how-the-coronavirus-outbreak-has-and-hasnt-changed-the-way-americans-work/ " target="_blank">71% of employed adults</a> working from home during pandemic-related lockdowns (up from <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/12/09/how-the-coronavirus-outbreak-has-and-hasnt-changed-the-way-americans-work/ " target="_blank">20% before the pandemic</a>, according to Pew research), tapered sweatpants were elevated to the level of business casual. And as <a href="https://www.brides.com/american-wedding-study-5079338 " target="_blank">66% of engaged couples</a> postponed weddings, the appetite for formal dresses and satin stilettos was greatly reduced.

<h3>Immediate impact with a well-timed partnership</h3>When Badgley Mischka partnered with Bolt in January 2020, they were already charging ahead with new initiatives to grow their business and give their shoppers a flawless ecommerce experience. The first priority was to fix the checkout experience for their customers by removing roadblocks to checkout conversion.Katie Ouaknine, owner of Badgley Mischka’s online store, recalls that “we were having a huge drop-off at checkout. Our customer intake form before shipping and billing was deterring customers so much that our conversion rate was in the garbage.” Bolt’s checkout is designed to fix that—fewer forms, no redirects, more payment options, and a one-click checkout for existing shoppers. “Since [implementing] Bolt,” Ouaknine continues, “we’ve definitely rebounded."Like most customer-centric retailers, conversion rates weren’t the only thing on Ouaknine’s mind. Especially after March 2020, when shoppers across the country began to feel the impact of a deeply shaken economy. As shoppers began to cut back on all but the most essential spending, brands had to work that much harder to maintain relationships with their customers and forge connections with new shoppers. If a fashion enthusiast was to buy just one pair of shoes in 2020, how could Badgley Mischka ensure it was one of theirs?Luckily, the partnership with Bolt was well-timed. Because when Badgley Mischka signed up with Bolt, they gained instant access to a global network of millions of shoppers within the Bolt Network.

<h3>Introducing the Bolt Network</h3><blockquote>“When you see trends across brands that you like...it makes it feel like all the puzzle pieces fit together.” - Katie Ouaknine, Owner of Badgley Mischka Web</blockquote>How Bolt Accounts deliver a higher converting checkout experience&nbsp; Shoppers can choose to create a Bolt Account with a single click during checkout. By creating an account, shoppers save their payment and personal information once so they don’t have to enter their name and credit card every single time they buy, say...a new pair of shoes (like any of <a href="https://www.badgleymischka.com/shoes/ " target="_blank">these beauties</a>). No login, no password, just a lightning fast, one-click checkout on any site powered by Bolt. Shoppers are catching on—the Bolt Network is growing by 250k shoppers per month.How the Bolt Network is a win for shoppers (and retailers)&nbsp; It doesn’t get easier than one click, so it’s no surprise that shoppers in the network convert at a higher rate. Here’s an example: if a shopper created an account during their first checkout with Badgley Mischka, then they get a one-click checkout when they return to buy, say, a <a href="https://www.badgleymischka.com/runway-micro-sequin-trench-smoking-jacket/ " target="_blank">gorgeous new jacket</a>. In another scenario, if another shopper created an account while shopping at Milk Makeup, but has never shopped with Badgley Mischka before, they also get a one-click checkout even on their first purchase at Badgley Mischka. Shoppers in the network get a lightning fast checkout, and retailers in the network benefit from higher conversion rates. “It unifies storefronts across the internet,” as Ouaknine describes.

<h3>How did the Bolt Network work for Badgley Mischka?</h3>By enabling one-click account creation and one-click checkout with Bolt Accounts, Badgley Mischka saw higher conversion rates and higher average order value, with behavioral stats that point to the power of cross-network experiences.80% conversion rate for shoppers in the Bolt Network15% higher average order value on transactions from shoppers in the Bolt Network on the Bolt Network in Q4 — a crucial time over the holidays44% of transactions came from shoppers with Bolt Accounts4% of transactions from the network In December, 4% of transactions came from new, cross-network shoppers

<h3>The future is looking fashionable</h3>Despite being squeezed by a year that killed so many retail brands, Badgley Mischka is better equipped than ever to grow. They’re charging forward with a new website (boasting a fully restructured backend), ramping up a digital ads strategy across new channels and platforms, and removing operational roadblocks to ensure that new clothing lines, which had been held up in the first few months of lockdowns, could be shipped without delay."We're really looking forward to a huge surge in people wanting to dress up because they haven't been able to in a long time,” Ouaknine says. “From the fashion world, we've heard that there’s going to be another roaring twenties, a return to the glitz in the glam and the big parties. And we're gearing up for it.” The Bolt Network will be here for it.

How Bolt helped Badgley Mischka increase conversion and average order value by double digits

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