CASE STUDY
Transforming M&M’s Direct-2-Consumer platform for enhanced customer engagement and sales
Services:
Product Benchmarking
Competitor Analysis
THE CLIENT
M&M’s is one of the most iconic candy brands in the world, known for its colorful candy-coated chocolates. Introduced in 1941, M&M’s has a rich history and is a flagship brand of Mars, Incorporated. M&M’s has a global presence and is available in over 100 countries. The brand is recognized for its clever marketing campaigns, including the introduction of the animated ‘M&M’s characters’, which have become synonymous with the brand. M&M’s also engages consumers through personalized products via the “My M&M’s” platform, allowing customers to customize their candies.
THE PROBLEM
M&M’s is one of the most iconic candy brands in the world, known for its colorful candy-coated chocolates. Introduced in 1941, M&M’s has a rich history and is a flagship brand of Mars, Incorporated. M&M’s has a global presence and is available in over 100 countries. The brand is recognized for its clever marketing campaigns, including the introduction of the animated ‘M&M’s characters’, which have become synonymous with the brand. M&M’s also engages consumers through personalized products via the “My M&M’s” platform, allowing customers to customize their candies.
RCDC’s RECOMMENDATIONS
- The current platform can fully capitalize on engaging users through interactive elements bridging the gap between brand and its customers.
- The shopping experience can be enriched by introducing more personalization features, tailoring the platform to meet individual customer preferences.
- The platform is set to improve its navigation system, making it easier and quicker for users to find products, enhancing the overall user experience.
- By integrating social media and influencer marketing more effectively, the platform can significantly increase its visibility and sales opportunities.
- The platform has the potential to expand its features, further enhancing customer acquisition and retention, ensuring a broader and more loyal customer base.
THE SOLUTION
The RCDC team conducted a comprehensive product benchmarking exercise, assessing M&M’s existing platform against industry standards and competitor platforms within the D2C commerce sector. This analysis focused on identifying key areas where M&M could enhance its user experience, streamline operations, and boost sales, aligning with best practices observed in the market. The team employed a structured approach to prioritize the enhancements, categorizing them into “Must Have,” “Should Have,” and “Could Have” to ensure that resources are allocated efficiently and effectively to areas of highest impact.
THE RESULTS
The implementation of prioritized features on M&M’s D2C platform will yield significant improvements in several key areas of the business. Each enhancement was carefully tracked to measure its impact on customer engagement, sales, and operational efficiency.
Increased Customer Engagement
- Loyalty programs can result in 20% Higher Average Order Value.
- The platform can observe 40% Growth in Purchase Frequency from Loyalty Members.
- By leveraging gamification techniques and strategies the business can see a 7X higher conversion rate.
- User Generated Content can lead to a 28% increase in engagement compared to brand-generated content.
Enhanced Sales and Conversion Rates
- If M&M’s current AOV is $50, a 10-20% increase through AI recommendations could raise it to $55-$60.
- If the current conversion rate is 2%, an improvement of even 1% through personalized recommendations could significantly boost overall sales.
- Implementing an AI chatbot could increase sales by up to 20%.
- Wishlist can give a sales boost of 10-20%.
- Implementing a gift registry could increase sales by 20-30%
Improved Operational Efficiency
- By optimizing the product browsing process, the platform will reduce the bounce rate and increase the products viewed per session, indicating that users will find relevant products more efficiently.
- Website pop-ups can reduce car abandonment and increase conversions.
- Buy Now option will streamline checkout process and will create high pulse purchase likelihood.
Social Media Integration and Marketing
- 49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations for their purchase decisions, highlighting the impact of influencers on buying behavior and engagement can also increase up to 3 times.
- The addition of social sharing capabilities on product pages and during custom mix creations will significantly increase social media engagement rates, contributing to a broader reach and attracting new customers.