Working for a CRO agency that helps a ton of eCommerce brands comes with a lot of lessons.
One of the many lessons I have learned so far is:
A website’s value proposition is an element that is too expensive to ignore.
In a world where 80% of DTC eCommerce brands fail, having a good product and a killer value proposition can, at least, give you a fighting chance.
A company value proposition is a versatile tool you can use on- and off-site.
On your website, you can use it to improve customer understanding, engagement, and even conversions.
Offsite, it can be part of your broader marketing strategy as you can use it – on ads and marketing campaigns – to drive potential buyers or qualified leads to your website.
So, you see how important a value proposition is to your business?
The only problem with solid value propositions is, they are not easy to craft – especially when you don’t know your customers’ Jobs-to-be-done. A lot of research and customer interviews are a good starting point if you want to create a value proposition that resonates with your target audience.
But since you’re here, I will show you examples of six DTC brands that you can learn from. Let’s get the ball rolling…
For the purpose of this article, we’ve defined a value proposition as a short summary of how your product benefits customers.
What Makes a Compelling Value Proposition
Alright, so this is a pretty huge subject to talk about. We have written a few articles on this blog unpacking what a value proposition is, and how to write one. We even have a Youtube video dedicated to this topic.
ALSO READ: Value proposition – What is it, how it works, and why you should pay attention to it
Your value proposition is one of the most important elements you’d want your visitors to see once they land on your homepage. You want that short summary to be clear and concise that it captures their attention and makes them want to do business with you.
In short, a good value proposition should let your customers know what you do and how you are different. It should clearly communicate the benefits that your customers will enjoy once they have purchased your product.
So when you are about to craft a compelling value proposition, make it a point that you answer the questions:
- What problem does your product solve?
- Who will benefit from using your product?
- What is the value/benefit(s) that customers will enjoy after buying your product?
- How is your product different from competitors?
One mistake that most DTC brands usually make is crafting value propositions using technical terms assuming that customers will understand it.
The other critical mistake that we often see is that brands love to talk about themselves, instead of focusing on their consumers.
Here are 10 DTC eCommerce brands that have insanely best value propositions.
6 Examples of eCommerce Value Propositions
Now that we’ve covered the basics, I will show you some best value proposition examples from DTC eCommerce brands. I’m sure you will find something that will inspire you to craft one for your own site.
Enough said, let’s get right into it…
ALSO READ: How to write value propositions for eCommerce websites
Recess: “We canned a feeling”
Staying calm and avoiding anxiety and worry comes with a ton of health benefits.
Recess, a beverages company, understands the importance of feeling calm. And this is why they have to position their beverages as an escape from any stressful situations.
Recess highlights the problem (stressful world) and shines the spotlight on their products as the right solution that will help you feel calm and focused despite what’s happening around you.
Here is the thing, Recess could have easily talked about how nice their beverages taste in their value. But, instead, they focus on the value (which is a feeling of calmness) that customers will get when they purchase their beverages.
If you scroll down a bit you will also see a statement that supports Recess’ value proposition by explaining why they exist:
With such a clear value, it’s easy to persuade potential customers to try their beverages.
Pela Case: “You care about the planet”
Some problems that can be solved by a product are not actual customer pain points, but they can also be for a good cause.
We all know that the planet is an essential part of our survival as human beings. And if anything affects the planet, it might not be an individual problem, but a problem that can impact each and every one of us.
So, if your product solves such a problem that every human being can relate to, then you have a good product and you can create a sustainable business.
Pela Case, an online shop that sells phone cases and other accessories made from biodegradable materials, created a brand that solves the problem of environmental pollution.
The brand tells you to play your part in creating a plastic-free ocean and a waste-free world by using products that do not pollute the environment.
Looking at how beautiful their phone cases are, this company could have easily focused on the appearance of their product. But instead, they focus on the value that comes with using their phone cases.
Using biodegradable materials that are environmentally friendly is also a way to differentiate Pela Case from its competitors. Unlike other “greedy companies,” Pela cases do not just protect your phones, they also help protect the planet:
This value proposition projects Pela Case as a caring and considerate company that you can rely on. The three icons under the “Why Pela” also support the value proposition by expressing – in numbers – how you can help the planet by using the Pela phone cases.
Joy + Glee: “We take care of your body hair situation.”
Sometimes the best value proposition doesn’t have to be clever. Sometimes you can create a unique value proposition by making it straight to the point – thus, directly telling your target audience how you make their lives easy.
Once you read the Joy + Glee value proposition, you know exactly what to expect in terms of value. Yes, it’s that straightforward.
Joy + Glee, an online store that offers shaving products, promises to “take care of your body hair situation.”
If you think about it, this brand’s value proposition is more than just a statement, it’s a direct promise they make to their target market:
If anything, they understand that you don’t want to spend much time worrying about your body hair. They offer you personalized shaving products and you don’t have to spend any of your valuable time looking for them.
As soon as you click that purple CTA, you are taken through a super quick questionnaire, so that the company understands the kind of products you like and they customize the bundle accordingly.
You are asked questions like the color of products you prefer, how often you shave and when you’d want to receive your refills. Once you have subscribed, they send you refills as often as you like and you don’t have to worry about looking for shaving products yourself.
Hush Blankets: “The best-weighted blanket to reduce stress and fall asleep fast”
We all know how incredibly important a good night’s sleep is for one’s health and well-being – in fact, sleeping is just as important as exercising and eating healthy.
No matter who you are, if you are sleeping less then that’s a problem you must address.
Fortunately, the team over at Hush Blankets – an online store that sells blankets – know how to solve this problem for you using their blankets.
And they also know how to write a strong value proposition that communicates their value to their target customer:
Looking at Hush Blanket’s value proposition, you can easily guess who they are serving.
Yes, you’re right…they targeting people who struggle with insomnia due to stress and anxiety or people who happen to fail to fall asleep fast.
We all know how crowded the bedding industry is, so how do Hush Blankets position themselves differently? Well, their blankets are not regular blankets, they were created with the help of sleep specialists:
Admit it…it’s not every day that you come across blankets that were created by sleep specialists and scientifically proven results.
Impact Dog Crates: “The only crate you will ever need guaranteed”
Like Joy + Glee, Impact Dog Crates does a great job in tailoring a value proposition that is straightforward.
Once you land on their home page, you obviously see that this company is targeting people who own dogs – even before you read their value proposition.
Even without directly mentioning it in their value proposition, notice how Impact talks about how good (in terms of quality) their products are and that doesn’t get damaged easily:
if you have a dog, three things are certain, (1) you want to make sure that your dog is safe, (2) you want to protect your house from your dog, and (3) you don’t want to keep on forking out money and buying a dog crate from time to time.
And this is exactly what Impact promises to sort out once you purchase their crates:
As an added bonus, the fact that their crates are engineered in the USA using strong aluminum material that is trusted by Police K9 handlers and dog trainers inspires confidence in potential customers and also makes the brand stand out.
Dropbottle: “Water, with benefits. Drink your vitamins.”
Some online retailers will help keep your furry friends safe, while others will help you have a good night’s sleep.
Others, like Dropbottle –an online store that sells fruit infused water bottles – will help you stay hydrated, healthy while saving the planet:
Dropbottle’s team could have easily talked about the number of various fruits you can add to their water bottles, the length of the twist-on infuser, and a leak-proof design. Or they could have talked about the filter that helps you ensure that you get the best flavor possible.
But, instead, their value proposition sheds more light on the benefits that come with using their products: which is drinking your vitamins.
As an added bonus, Dropbottle also cleverly points out that their water bottles are eco-friendly – which is another thing that makes them stand out from the competition.
Nice job, Drop bottle.
Conclusion: Understand your customers’ Jobs to be done first
Writing a killer value proposition for your online store starts with an understanding of your customers’ jobs to be done. And once you know why customers are buying/hiring your product, then you can go ahead and answer the following questions:
- What problem does your product solve?
- Who will benefit from using your product?
- What is the value/benefit(s) that potential customers will enjoy after buying your product?
- How is your product different from competitors?
