One of the major benefits of being a seller on the Cratejoy Marketplace is the opportunity to be featured in our marketing campaigns.
From YouTube reviews to email blasts, blog posts, special collections, and more, Cratejoy’s marketing team works incredibly hard to get our sellers as many quality subscribers as possible.
One of the most common questions we are asked is, How do I get featured in a campaign?
The answer is fairly simple — make sure your listing is high quality! (We detail each section of your listing and how to improve them in this post.)
For now, we’ve picked a few important points to highlight:
- Ratings & Reviews
- Excellent Customer Service & Communication
- Quality Product Photography
- Low Churn & High Retention Rate
- Proper Categorization & Terms
- Reliable Shipping
Ratings & Reviews
When Cratejoy sorts through sellers to feature in promotions, the first thing we do is go to the category and sort boxes by “Best Rated.”
The reason is two-fold:
- Consumers are more likely to make a purchase when a product has consumer reviews.
- Reviews indicate that a box has been purchased, thus validating interest and demand in that box.
Encourage your subscribers to leave a rating and review on your marketplace listing page. If you want to rely on more than goodwill to get this done, try running a contest that rewards one lucky reviewer with a free month of your subscription. (More tips on how to get reviews in our post: How to Get Customer Reviews for Your Marketplace Listing.).
The goal here is to acquire as many authentic reviews as possible so future subscribers can make a confident buying decision. After all, in some cases, no reviews can be worse than a negative review!
Excellent Customer Service & Communication
Quality sellers not only have strong boxes, but also have great engagement with their buyers and world-class customer service.
Your subscription box is just one aspect of your business. No matter how good your products are, you can’t have a successful business with poor customer communication and service.
Set your business apart from competitors by communicating with your customers during the entire process (purchase – shipment -delivery). Respond to customer inquiries, questions, and reviews.
We know it can be a challenge dealing with difficult customers, but remaining friendly and helpful with a positive tone throughout the entire process goes a long way in their perception of your business! Responding to a negative review in a helpful manner will show potential new customers how seriously you take customer service.
You will also find that good customer service = happy customers, and happy customers are more likely to leave a positive review for you.
Quality Product Photography
Imagery plays a huge role in who we decide to feature in our marketing campaigns.
It’s not enough to know you have a good subscription box; you have to show you have a good subscription box. Low-quality photos hurt conversion, tarnish your brand, and make your product incredibly hard to sell.
If you can, hire a product photographer! Find someone who can take professional quality photos at a price that makes sense for your business. Trust us, it makes all the difference.
If you can’t find someone to take photos, the good news is that smartphones have higher-quality cameras than ever before. Check out this tutorial from Pixelz on how to use your phone to take great product photos.
Here are some of our tips for taking quality product photos:
- Shoot your photos in natural daylight or use a light kit (avoid night shoots indoors)
- Choose a non-distracting background
- Show your real products – a marketplace listing page isn’t the space for digital graphics
- Mix it up! Offer a couple different shots that give subscribers a visual experience with your products
- Make sure your photos are large, in focus, and follow the rules of good composition
Want more tips for the images section of your listing? Check out our support article Cratejoy Listing: Images.
Low Churn & High Retention Rate
Churn measures the percentage of customers who discontinue their subscription over a period of time.
While churn is an unavoidable aspect of the subscription business, low churn and a high retention rate reflect a superior product offering and, of course, a quality seller. A low churn rate also indicates other factors like high box value, happy subscribers, and good customer service.
If you get frequent cancellations there may be a need for improvement. Pay close attention to customer feedback (messages and reviews). Consider sending a survey to customers who cancelled and ask them to provide feedback. You can also read our blog post: Reducing Subscriber Churn that highlights how to reduce churn.
Proper Categorization & Search Terms
Every piece of marketing Cratejoy puts out is based on a content calendar. When we come up with weekly themes or decide to feature boxes due to seasonal or market trends, we sort our boxes by category and begin the selection process.
Sellers who improperly categorize themselves or choose nonsensical search terms are likely to miss out on being featured in the content that most closely relates to their niche.
Categories and search terms can be changed by updating your marketplace listing and submitting for approval. Sellers are limited to 3 categories and 5 search terms, so choose wisely!
Reliable Shipping
Clear shipping information displayed prominently on your listing is one of the ways we can tell a seller is ready to be featured by Cratejoy! Your shipping section lets us know that you’re setting buyer expectations and you have a plan to follow through.
Making sure you ship on time keeps customers content and out of your inbox. You’ve got happy customers and more time to focus on other areas of your business. Win-win!
(Pro-tip: Before major holidays, make sure your shipping section includes a shipping schedule and an order-by date so that your store will have a greater chance of being highlighted in our seasonal marketing campaigns).
Want to learn more? We think you’ll benefit from this article on Subscription Box Marketing.
