Sefamerve fashion goes global in style, with Google
Journey of Sefamerve expanding from Turkey to more than fifty countries across five regions
case study
Localization
Approach
- Explored and analyzed user needs and behaviors in each market
- Introduced more popular, reliable and local payment methods
- Implemented Google’s international growth recommendations
Goals
- Get a better understanding of customers’ needs, and offer more of the right products
- Deliver a more personalized customer experience
- Improve operational efficiency
Results
- 40% more conversions
- 20% more revenue
- 26% fewer shopping carts abandoned
- 140% YoY revenue growth increase
Turkish online fashion retailer, Sefamerve, sells clothes and accessories designed for Muslim women. Since starting in Turkey in 2012, the business now operates in five regions covering 52 countries across North Africa, Europe, the Middle East, United Kingdom and the Americas.
The challenge
Sefamerve wanted a clearer understanding of the types of products people were looking for in its key markets. With these insights, it could then create a well-segmented product range, and offer customers a more personalized shopping experience.
To achieve this, the business also needed well-structured support in place for each market, such as localized customer service and payment methods.
Longer-term, Sefamerve also set out to explore opportunities for greater operational efficiency.
The approach
The team ran consumer research and used the findings to ensure the right products were offered to the right people. This process also helped develop a more segmented and tailored user experience — and informed localization strategies.
On the customer care side, Sefamerve worked with Google to leverage the latest telecoms and call center technologies, and deliver a more cost-effective service. The team further revamped and launched a more detailed FAQ section on the website to improve the quality of its customer care services.
Payment was another key focus for the business. Here the company worked with Google to introduce more secure and reliable payment methods. These also helped create a more personalized and reassuring checkout experience.
The results
Overall, Google helped Sefamerve achieve its international market strategy, reach more shoppers, and penetrate markets far quicker than originally planned.
Within two months of introducing the new payment methods, Sefamerve saw a 20% rise in online transactions — with 40% coming from new customers. Payment decline rates also dropped by 18%, and the business achieved (YoY) revenue growth of 140%.
Working with Google also helped Sefamerve improve its operational efficiency score from 28% to 64% in just 12 weeks.
Looking ahead, the business is keen to offer a chatbot on its site, and is currently reviewing options.
“Google’s services definitely helped clarify our vision,” explains Sefamerve’s Co-founder and Chairman, Mehmet Metin Okur. “We’ve successfully created new strategies for all our international markets, and we’re excited to build on this with Google.”
“We now have a much clearer idea of the specific needs of customers in our various markets. Google helped eliminate many of the barriers we had been facing for a while.” Mehmet Metin Okur, Co-founder and Chairman, Sefamerve