Case Study: Transforming Basari Opticals' E-commerce Journey
Introduction
In 2023, I embarked on a project with Basari Opticals, a well-established eyewear retailer with over 10 years of presence in Dubai's brick-and-mortar market. Despite their success offline, Basari Opticals struggled to break into the e-commerce space for nearly five years due to challenges with various development and marketing firms. This case study highlights the journey of transforming Basari Opticals' online presence, focusing on web development, strategic marketing, and expanding their market reach.
Initial Challenges
When Basari Opticals approached me, they already had an e-commerce website built on Magento. However, the website's user interface and user experience (UI/UX) were poorly designed, hindering their online success. The existing web development team was responsible for implementing Magento, but they failed to deliver an effective front-end design. Eventually, the team parted ways with the client, and Basari Opticals sought my help to take over the entire Magento development.
Website Development
Despite having no prior experience in developing a Magento website, I accepted the challenge. I quickly assembled a small team dedicated to revamping the website's front end. Within a month, we successfully redesigned and launched the new website, providing a seamless and engaging user experience for Basari Opticals' customers.
Strategic Marketing and Sales
Following the successful website launch, Basari Opticals requested assistance in optimizing their distribution and sales strategy. Through thorough market research, I identified that the most effective go-to-market (GTM) strategy for their e-commerce store would be performance marketing, with Google Ads as the primary channel.
Performance Marketing
Google Ads Campaigns
I initiated Google Ads shopping campaigns with small budgets to test the waters. Within a week, the store began receiving 1-2 orders per day. Recognizing this early success, I scaled up the Google Ads spend to drive more traffic and conversions.
Customer Insights and Product Strategy
As sales increased, I observed an interesting pattern: while campaigns for sunglasses and prescription glasses faced high competition and low conversion rates, there was significant demand for 30-day and 90-day prescription lenses. Although the profit margins for these products were lower, they offered a unique advantage—repeat purchases. Once a customer purchased lenses, they would need to reorder after 30 or 90 days.
Acquisition and Retention Strategy
To capitalize on this opportunity, I developed a strategy to dominate the market share in the prescription lenses category. By experimenting with pricing based on competitor analysis, I successfully acquired new customers. I then implemented a retention strategy using channels like WhatsApp, SMS, and cold calls to encourage repeat purchases.
Scaling Beyond UAE
Currently, I am consulting with Basari Opticals to expand their reach beyond the UAE market and tap into the broader Arab region. Under my guidance, we have established an internal team focused on scaling online sales through various channels, including:
Facebook Ads: Leveraging social media platforms to reach a wider audience.
SEO: Enhancing organic search visibility to drive traffic and conversions.
Amazon and Noon: Expanding product listings on popular e-commerce platforms to increase exposure and sales.
The team structure I am managing for Basari Opticals (Currently the project is in Phase 1)
Conclusion
The transformation of Basari Opticals' e-commerce journey demonstrates the power of strategic development and marketing. By revamping their website, implementing targeted performance marketing strategies, and identifying key product opportunities, we were able to turn their online business into a thriving venture. As we continue to scale and explore new markets, Basari Opticals is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for eyewear in the Arab region and beyond.