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An organic clothing brand launches its ecommerce business with Amazon
"It actually seemed to have a halo effect on the overall brand."
Matt McCauley
Founder, Hope & Henry
A retail CEO considers new ways to sell online
It all started with The True Cost, a 2015 documentary exploring the effects fast-fashion has on factory workers and our planet.
Matt McCauley had spent his entire career in retail, becoming CEO and chairman of a large, publicly traded retail company before age 35. He retired after the company sold to a private equity firm and lived in quiet contentment with his wife, Marina, and their family. After watching The True Cost, the couple were struck by the amount of waste caused by the fashion industry. They wanted to show the world a kinder way to do business—using high-quality organic materials, reducing waste, and sharing profits with employees.
They came out of retirement to create Hope & Henry.
Matt McCauley had spent his entire career in retail, becoming CEO and chairman of a large, publicly traded retail company before age 35. He retired after the company sold to a private equity firm and lived in quiet contentment with his wife, Marina, and their family. After watching The True Cost, the couple were struck by the amount of waste caused by the fashion industry. They wanted to show the world a kinder way to do business—using high-quality organic materials, reducing waste, and sharing profits with employees.
They came out of retirement to create Hope & Henry.
Choosing sites for selling
As the McCauleys decided where to launch their brand, a major retailer proposed an order that would’ve set them up for success. It came with a caveat: they wouldn’t be able to sell online using Amazon. They had something else in mind entirely: to build an online storefront exclusively in the Amazon store.
Matt remembers being nervous about the decision to be a “born-on-Amazon brand,” but he has no regrets.
“It was absolutely the best decision that we could have made,” Matt says.
Amazon’s ability to help tell Hope & Henry’s story swayed the duo. Account managers guided the McCauleys through the process. Matt appreciated their follow-through.
“We were both surprised at how helpful Amazon has been. Not just in launching, but after we went live, they helped us along the way,” Matt says.
Customers looking for brands like Hope & Henry were already shopping in the Amazon store.
“They love the convenience, the shipping—they're already there. So it was just a matter of introducing them to our brand,” Matt says.
Everyone involved helped ensure a strong brand experience, conveying the Hope & Henry personality using the Amazon Stores tool. They found loyal customers faster than anticipated.
Matt remembers being nervous about the decision to be a “born-on-Amazon brand,” but he has no regrets.
“It was absolutely the best decision that we could have made,” Matt says.
Amazon’s ability to help tell Hope & Henry’s story swayed the duo. Account managers guided the McCauleys through the process. Matt appreciated their follow-through.
“We were both surprised at how helpful Amazon has been. Not just in launching, but after we went live, they helped us along the way,” Matt says.
Customers looking for brands like Hope & Henry were already shopping in the Amazon store.
“They love the convenience, the shipping—they're already there. So it was just a matter of introducing them to our brand,” Matt says.
Everyone involved helped ensure a strong brand experience, conveying the Hope & Henry personality using the Amazon Stores tool. They found loyal customers faster than anticipated.
They love the convenience, the shipping—they're already there. So it was just a matter of introducing them to our brand.Matt McCauleyFounder, Hope & Henry
Fulfillment by Amazon – a time saver for the online seller
Thanks to Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), Hope & Henry launched without a distribution center or in-house fulfillment staff. And partly because they were exclusively an ecommerce business, they were able to scale quickly to meet the influx of demand.
With products going straight from production into Amazon's fulfillment network, FBA allowed Hope & Henry to operate on smaller margins because of reduced headcount, payroll, and a physical presence. Amazon took care of the logistics: shipping, returns, and any issues with deliveries. This helped Hope & Henry get up and running while laying the groundwork for a successful future.
With products going straight from production into Amazon's fulfillment network, FBA allowed Hope & Henry to operate on smaller margins because of reduced headcount, payroll, and a physical presence. Amazon took care of the logistics: shipping, returns, and any issues with deliveries. This helped Hope & Henry get up and running while laying the groundwork for a successful future.
Driving discoverability and sales
It’s one thing to sell online, but helping customers connect with the products you offer can be a challenge. Hope & Henry used Amazon’s pay-per-click (PPC) ads to drive discoverability.
“We use Sponsored Products when launching a new collection,” Matt says.
Hope & Henry uses Sponsored Products ads heavily when launching a product to help build traction for reviews. It’s a simple strategy they’ve used to drive discovery and sales for new and seasonal products.
“We use Sponsored Products when launching a new collection,” Matt says.
Hope & Henry uses Sponsored Products ads heavily when launching a product to help build traction for reviews. It’s a simple strategy they’ve used to drive discovery and sales for new and seasonal products.
We use Sponsored Products when launching a new collection.
More than an ecommerce business
“I’ve actually been really impressed—and kind of surprised, quite frankly—at how much Amazon has helped us build the brand; not just on Amazon, but outside of Amazon,” Matt says.
From their “born-on-Amazon” beginnings, the McCauleys made strides. After a year, they launched their own website. Six months later, Hope & Henry and Amazon collaborated to open a physical pop-up store. Meeting customers face-to-face at the pop-up was a success, and it contributed to sales.
From their “born-on-Amazon” beginnings, the McCauleys made strides. After a year, they launched their own website. Six months later, Hope & Henry and Amazon collaborated to open a physical pop-up store. Meeting customers face-to-face at the pop-up was a success, and it contributed to sales.
I’ve actually been really impressed—and kind of surprised, quite frankly—at how much Amazon has helped us build the brand; not just on Amazon, but outside of Amazon.
A Prime Day to sell online
Hope & Henry makes sure their clothing’s always fairly priced, generally choosing to compete on a pricing level instead of using promotions. But they still gave Prime Day a shot because it’s one of the year’s biggest days to sell things online.
For their first Prime Day, Hope & Henry had the opportunity to do some Amazon-exclusive sales. The proof was in the numbers.
“What happened was not just those items on Amazon going through the roof, but it actually seemed to have a halo effect on the overall brand,” Matt says.
For their first Prime Day, Hope & Henry had the opportunity to do some Amazon-exclusive sales. The proof was in the numbers.
“What happened was not just those items on Amazon going through the roof, but it actually seemed to have a halo effect on the overall brand,” Matt says.
Scaling for impact
Hope & Henry have opened brick-and-mortar stores across the United States. They’re continuing to grow in the Amazon store and beyond, and they're sticking with their ambition to make a positive impact through retail.
“If we can really influence others—if somebody says, ‘Wow, there's an example of a profitable company that maximizes the use of organic cotton and recycled fibers, and does a quality product,’ I think that's a huge success,” Matt says.
“If we can really influence others—if somebody says, ‘Wow, there's an example of a profitable company that maximizes the use of organic cotton and recycled fibers, and does a quality product,’ I think that's a huge success,” Matt says.
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