Lindt & Sprungli Masters Personalized E-Commerce
Lindt & Sprngli has hit its sweet spot not only in the manufacture and innovation of chocolate, but in e-commerce with the launch of a new cloud-based web store.While Lindt has had an e-commerce presence since 2002, the brand sought to leverage technology in new ways to create a more personalized connection with consumers and give chocolate lovers greater access to Lindt confections outside of specialty stores and outlets, through which the bulk of Lindt USA sales are driven.
President and Chief Executive Officer of Lindt & Sprngli (USA) Thomas Linemayr describes the new commerce site, which is built on IBM WebSphere Commerce platform and CrossView’s Aurora Plus Commerce on Cloud offering, as a premium storefront where consumers can experience the Lindt brand — like browsing in a department store featuring all things chocolate. This includes a portfolio of up to 600 SKUs — virtually every size, shape and type of chocolate imaginable, including a wide assortment of the brand’s iconic LINDOR truffle.
The flexibility associated with the e-commerce platform now enables Lindt to quickly build and execute highly personalized seasonal promotions around holidays for which chocolate is the go-to gift — think Valentine’s Day to Christmas and everything in between. Through microsites, Lindt can launch holiday-based promotions and campaigns that sell highly targeted offerings. Moreover, because the solution is cloud-based, Lindt can quickly scale capacity up and down as demand increases each holiday.
Explains Linemayr, “We move very quickly between holidays, so we must respond with seasonal promotions just as rapidly — and deliver a premium experience.”
In fact, experience is everything to Lindt. The brand seeks to delight consumers at every juncture — not only with the taste, texture and varieties of its chocolate, but with every step along the path to purchase.
“It’s the orchestration of the web store, the look and feel, the navigation, the flow, culminating with the checkout process — each step must delight, and that is what we’ve achieved with help from IBM and CrossView,” says Linemayr.
In addition to personalized promotions, Lindt can now use its web store to offer a custom range of products. Shoppers can mix and match products to build personalized gifts — choosing quantity, type of chocolate, packaging and messaging.
Since the new store was implemented earlier this year, Lindt has more than doubled its conversion rates and tripled its revenue on mobile devices. On Black Friday, the site’s conversion rate soared 200 percent, while Cyber Monday sales were more than double that of any other single day of online sales.
“We performed beyond our expectations — conversions were up, traffic and basket sizes were higher,” Linemayr says. “We attribute this to our web solution and our ability to showcase products online that resonate with consumers.”
As for the future, Lindt is looking at many new ways to engage and delight online chocolate lovers, including new social initiatives, product and category innovations, and ways to personalize each experience. It seeks to keep consumers coming back again and again — not just to buy, but to experience the brand.
“We have a very strong pipeline of innovation coming every year and this platform is great because it will enable us to very quickly introduce new offerings — each chocolate that is beyond compare,” says Linemayr.
FAST FACTS:
An Industry Pioneer
Lindt & Sprngli has been an innovator since 1845 when it perfected the process of manufacturing chocolate. Countless other innovations, including a new cloud-based web store, are attributed to Lindt’s pioneer role in the chocolate industry.
Beyond Expectations
On Black Friday the site’s conversion rate soared 200 percent, while Cyber Monday sales were more than double that of any other single day of online sales.
“The site allows us to engage with consumers in meaningful, thoughtful ways, and to understand their behavior. We are a thoughtful brand. It is about the experience we create and the loyalty we build, not just sales.”
— Thomas Linemayr, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lindt & Sprngli (USA)