Malacca-born streetwear brand AKUDESIGN, founded by two artistic brothers Amirel Amen Anuar and Afiq Afify Anuar, has captivated fashion enthusiasts with its unique blend of streetwear and graffiti art.

Just last year, we conducted an interview exploring their journey and the transformative impact of integrating EasyStore into their commerce strategy, which resulted in 300% revenue growth!

Since then, they've also expanded into a second retail store, AKUDESIGN HOMEGROWN, while selling on 10 top sales channels including Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok!

Within a year of embracing the unified commerce trend, Akudesign attained remarkable milestones:

• 5x year-to-year increase in retail sales
• 6x increase in repeat purchase rate,
• Streamlined inventory across 2 retail outlets and 10 sales channels,
• Built a strong team of 7 key players, ready for further expansion!

The team of 7 conquering the challenge of managing 2 retail stores

Running two stores was a new challenge for Amirel and the team. They needed everything to run smoothly, both online and in the physical stores. As customers embarked on their shopping journey across various channels in a spontaneous fashion, making the team realized they needed to make sure customers had a great experience, no matter how they chose to shop with Akudesign.

Their dedication to growth and adaptability to new trends allowed them to harness the transformative capabilities of technology, especially the adoption of EasyStore's comprehensive unified commerce solution emerged as a pivotal strategy. This technological integration not only optimized their operational framework but also became the key to giving their customers gratifying and unified experiences when shopping.

EasyStore actively promotes Unified Customer Experience (UCX) by enabling businesses to achieve remarkable results. Embracing UCX leads to a notable 34% increase in average customer spending, enhances customer satisfaction, elevates profit margins, and reduces acquisition costs. This strategy is essential for brands to thrive in today's market.

How EasyStore's unified commerce solution boosts Akudesign's success

1. First-Party Data Through Mobile Point Of Sale System (mPOS)

Transitioning from manual order tracking to an integrated system, let's explore how they leveraged the prowess of EasyStore mPOS, leading to an impressive fivefold surge in retail sales! 

As customers flow in and out, recognizing each face becomes a challenge for the staff. The mobile POS they adopted comes to the rescue by swiftly identifying customers through just their phone number. It not only reveals their membership status but also showcases their purchase history and any saved online carts, creating a personalized experience that makes customers feel valued, regardless of the outlet they choose to shop in.

2. Unified Inventory For Retail Outlets and Ecommerce

Prior to embracing EasyStore, their inventory management system relied on a plethora of A4 sheets. When a new clothing batch arrived, the team manually distributed it across various sales channels. If one channel ran out of stock, they would transfer items from other channels, leading to errors and discrepancies. The team also spent a minimum of 30 minutes daily reconciling sales and inventory at the end of each shift.

With EasyStore's multi-location inventory management, they significantly streamlined their inventory processes, reducing both time and effort. Now, when a customer visits the outlet searching for specific clothing sizes, the staff can promptly check availability. If the item is not in the outlet, they can quickly identify its location in other channels, ensuring they never miss a potential sale.

• Keeping Inventory Aligned On All Sales Channels: After each sale, the system automatically updates the inventory to prevent overselling.
• Prepare Inventory For Anticipated Demand: They can monitor the pace at which each item sells, allowing them to anticipate when more stock might be needed.
• Reminders to Restock: Automatic dashboard notifications kept them informed about items that needs to be restocked, eliminating the need to check constantly.
• Transfer Inventory Between Outlets: This simplified the process of redistributing inventory to match various demands, especially handy when preparing for out-of-store events.

3. Automated Pick Up and Order Fulfillment

Making the most of automated order fulfilment, AKUDESIGN has honed their efficiency to process customer orders in an impressively short span of just 30 minutes, translating into significant time savings.

Every single day, the AKUDESIGN team embarks on a systematic routine. EasyStore enables them to effortlessly fulfill orders, catering to scenarios where customers make online purchases and opt for in-store pickups. The staff can efficiently organize daily orders, and beyond that, they can promptly assist customers looking to return items, enhancing the overall shopping experience and ensuring customer satisfaction.

4. Unified Membership Program For Both In-Store and Ecommerce

AKUDESIGN introduced a membership initiative called "ADCTERS." This exclusive program provides a array of perks and advantages to their dedicated customers, including early access to new collections, exclusive discounts, and personalized recommendations.

What adds an extra layer of excitement is that members can enjoy these benefits seamlessly across all channels - whether it's the online store, member app, or physical outlets. The member app serves as an extension of the AKUDESIGN store right at the customer's fingertips, allowing them to shop at any time and make quick purchases without the hassle of re-entering details. Moreover, members can conveniently track their rewards through the app, bringing AKUDESIGN even closer to their customers.

By fostering a sense of community and rewarding their loyal customers, AKUDESIGN aims to fortify customer loyalty and cultivate enduring relationships with their cherished supporters.

From crisis to control: The role of CRM in mitigating hacking incidents

Just a month ago, AKUDESIGN team experienced a devastating surprise when their Instagram account, with over 70k followers, was stolen overnight. Despite their efforts to recover it, there were no signs of retrieval.

Want to know what they did next? Read the full story here.

How can retailers ensure they stay ahead in the business landscape of 2024?

We asked Amirel what advice he would give to retailers striving to meet rising unified customer experience trends. Here's what he shared:

Gather your team for a creative session to figure out the best ways to make customers really enjoy shopping. Take those ideas and fit them into how things already work, making improvements where needed. Most importantly, you need a system that gives you power boost, making sure everything runs smoothly to provide a unified customer experience to stay ahead.

Amirel, Founder of AKUDESIGN

In today's fast-paced business landscape, standing out goes beyond just offering competitive prices or quality products. What truly sets retailers apart is the ability to provide a delightful shopping experience that transcends physical and online boundaries. A unified customer shopping experience ensures consistency, where customers feel valued regardless of where they choose to shop, fostering a seamless journey that keeps them engaged.

Happy customers not only contribute to reducing Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC) but also have the potential to boost Return on Investment (ROI) while becoming loyal patrons who consistently return for more. Recognizing that a substantial 70% of a thriving business's revenue stems from repeat customers underscores the significance of sustaining long-term success and staying poised for continual growth.

Your journey to UCX success

In EasyStore, we're committed to shaping your success in the evolving commerce landscape through a unified customer experience (UCX). Connect with our team to explore how our solutions can assist you.