In their words
"Using Merx has been a gamechanger for us. The setup was incredibly straightforward with excellent support, and the intuitive interface means we can run highly targeted campaigns with minimal effort. Since adopting it, we’ve seen a significant uplift in customer engagement and a measurable increase in conversions and revenue."
Challenge
Declining email engagement in a crowded digital landscape
Despite having a healthy-sized email list, Napiers was seeing the usual suspects when it came to challenges:
- Open rates were flatlining
- Click-throughs were dropping
- Audiences were disengaged and simply not responding to promotional content the way they used to
The team knew that to reignite engagement, they needed a channel that was more immediate, personal, and friction-free.
"Despite having a healthy-sized email list, we were seeing open rates flatlining, click-throughs falling and a disengaged audience"
Solution
Meet customers where they already are
Rather than pushing harder on email, Napiers took a bold step: they introduced WhatsApp as a primary marketing and communication channel.
Here’s what the strategy looked like:
1. WhatsApp Call-to-Action on Website
Visitors were invited to subscribe to exclusive offers via WhatsApp. The message was simple: “Get VIP deals, straight to your phone.”
2. Value Exchange
In return for sharing basic data - like birthday and shopping preferences, users received exclusive discount vouchers and early access to promotions.
3. Ongoing Campaigns via WhatsApp
Once subscribed, customers received timely, personalised messages through WhatsApp. These weren’t spammy blasts - they were curated updates, birthday offers, and tailored product promotions that felt useful, not intrusive.
Why it worked: The WhatsApp Advantage
The shift to WhatsApp as a primary marketing channel proved successful for several key reasons:
- High visibility: WhatsApp messages are nearly impossible to ignore - unlike emails that get lost in cluttered inboxes.
- Direct and personal connection: The conversational nature of WhatsApp creates an intimate connection that feels more like a one-to-one interaction than a broadcast.
- Frictionless UX: Signing up was easy, and the rewards were instant.
"Rather than pushing harder on email, we introduced WhatsApp as a primary marketing and communication channel"
Results
Our WhatsApp campaigns consistently deliver the highest ROIs across our marketing channels. It's become an essential part of our toolkit especially as the team at Merx are extremely knowledgeable and helpful.
Some Metrics:
- >76% opt in rate
- 90% of VIP customers now actively engage with the brand through WhatsApp
- 71% uplift in AOV
- 31% voucher conversion
- 26% engagement rate (weighted)
- <1% opt out rate
- Highest ROI across all marketing channels
"What started as a solution to declining email engagement has become a fundamental part of how we connect with our most valuable customers"