The rise of Boohoo: Exploring the secrets to its success
Boohoo was among the few retailers in the fashion industry to prosper following the coronavirus pandemic. From raising their sales by a whopping 45% in the quarter ending may 2020 to achieving a net worth of $0.75 Billion as of February 2023, Boohoo has reached ground-breaking success since being launched in 2006. Why? In part, because of its capability of staying relevant online regardless of the general condition of the retail sector, demonstrated by its “fun, relatable, and pop-culture-fuelled content”.
Influencers: A good influence?
Due to making Instagram influencers an integral part of their marketing strategy, the profits of Boohoo have come close to doubling over recent years. Boohoo has encouraged influencers to make Instagram posts about recent purchases from the brand with the aim of helping to raise awareness about its products
Since influencers build genuine and trustworthy connections with their followers, witnessing those they look up to promoting Boohoo products will undoubtedly make followers of these celebrities much more likely to buy from the brand. This can be proven by the fact that “40% of people have revealed that they have purchased an item after seeing an influencer use it” on a social media page. Consequently, Boohoo using influencers to promote their products contributes towards their effective online presence
Writing style:
Boohoo utilizes “the perfect mix” of slang used by teenagers and emojis to engage its target audience; those who are aged between 16 and 24.
If young people see way they interact online reflected in the social media posts of Boohoo, they are more likely to feel connected to the brand, and will be more inclined to purchase boohoo products. The brand also posts memes on twitter and Instagram with the aim of building a connection with their target audience.
Posting relatable and humorous memes on a platform such as Twitter will attach a personality to Boohoo which consumers are likely to warm to. Brand personality has been proven to “increase consumer preference and usage” .
#Boohoointhehouse:
Boohoo has clearly demonstrated its “ability to tap into current trends” through the creation of the hashtag #Boohoointhehouse on twitter, Instagram and Facebook. #Boohoointhehouse is not only a social media hashtag, but also a collection of looks suitable especially for staying in the house. During the pandemic, boohoo made their website “full of messaging geared towards the idea of looking glam at home” .
During lockdown, most of us were confined to our homes, and advertising associating Boohoo with being the “go-to” clothing site for homeware is likely why the profits of boohoo “rocketed by one-third” during this time period.
To gain even more trust from consumers, boohoo should use its platforms to be more direct in addressing allegations of labour exploitation, which several Mp’s claim it has “failed to address”. Despite the firm being “shocked and appalled” by claims of its workers being underpaid, MP Philip Dunne believes Boohoo already had knowledge of the exploitation, since in 2018, its chief executive at the time, Carol Kane “appeared in front of the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC)” over accusations of Boohoo paying Leicester factory workers illegally low wages.
