Case Study · Sneakers & Streetwear · D2C
Turning prospects into customers — 21% more orders in the first 30 days.
The Sole Supplier had a growing base of engaged users. What they needed was a structured welcome journey that converted that interest into first purchases — fast, and in a way that built long-term loyalty from day one.
21%
Uplift in orders within 30 days vs. control group
20%
Uplift in release reminders set by targeted users
Multi
Channel — email and push notifications working together
Client
The Sole Supplier
Sector
Sneakers & Streetwear
Engagement
Head of CRM
Focus
Welcome journey build
Channels
Email · Push notifications
The Challenge
A highly engaged user base that wasn’t being converted.
The Sole Supplier attracts a passionate, knowledgeable audience of sneaker enthusiasts. Users were engaged because they cared — about the product, the culture, the drops. But without a structured welcome journey, that initial enthusiasm was going to waste.
New users were joining The Sole Supplier ecosystem and receiving little more than generic broadcast campaigns. There was no dedicated path to turn that first sign-up moment into a first purchase, and no systematic way to introduce the platform’s most valuable features to new users.
The opportunity was clear: build a journey that met new subscribers at peak interest, showcased what made The Sole Supplier genuinely useful, and guided them towards actions proven to increase long-term value.
The Approach
Start with the data. Build around what actually drives LTV.
Before writing a single email, I analysed user behaviour to identify which early actions had the strongest positive correlation with long-term customer value. The goal was to build a welcome journey that didn’t just sell — it guided users towards the behaviours that made them more likely to stick around.
Two actions stood out clearly: downloading the app and setting up a release reminder. Both signalled genuine intent and engagement with the platform beyond a single transaction. These became the foundation of the journey’s key calls to action, sitting alongside more direct purchase encouragement.
To measure impact cleanly, we maintained a 5% holdout control group who received none of the welcome communications — giving us a clear baseline to measure uplift against.
What We Built
A data-led multi-channel welcome series built around meaningful actions — not just the first sale.
The journey combined email and push notifications across the critical first days after sign-up, each message designed to showcase a specific USP and encourage a high-value action. Rather than leading with a discount, the series built the case for The Sole Supplier as the go-to platform for sneaker culture — with purchase encouragement woven throughout.
Welcome Journey · Message Sequence
1
Day 1
Welcome to The Sole Supplier
Brand introduction and platform USPs. Sets expectations, builds credibility, and introduces the app download as the best way to never miss a drop.
2
Day 2
Push
Don’t miss the next big drop
Push notification encouraging users to set up a release reminder — a high-LTV action that signals strong platform intent.
3
Day 3
Never miss a release — here’s how
Email companion to the Day 2 push, showing users exactly where and how to set up release reminders on the platform.
4
Day 5
Get the app — never miss a release
Dedicated app download email highlighting the platform’s best features for serious sneaker fans — alerts, early access, and exclusive drops.
5
Day 8
The 5 most-anticipated drops right now
Curated showcase of the five most popular upcoming releases, with a direct prompt to set a reminder for anything that catches their eye.
→
Day 9+
Ongoing
Enters ongoing campaign targeting
Users move into the broader retention programme, receiving regular campaign communications based on their behaviour and interests.
Measurement methodology
A 5% holdout control group received none of the welcome messages, giving us a clean baseline to measure true uplift against.
The Results
A 21% uplift in orders — measured cleanly against a control group.
Across months of data, the welcome journey delivered a consistent and measurable impact. Users who received the sequence placed 21% more orders in the 30 days following sign-up than those in the control group who received nothing. They were also 20% more likely to set a release reminder — one of the clearest indicators of long-term platform engagement.
21%
More orders placed in the first 30 days after sign-up
Targeted subscribers vs. 5% holdout control group
20%
Uplift in release reminders set
Users who received the welcome journey were significantly more likely to set a release reminder — one of the highest-LTV actions on the platform.
Multi-channel
Email + push working together
Combining email and push notifications across the sequence ensured maximum reach at the right moments throughout the first 10 days.