Pittarosso is one of Italy’s largest footwear retailers, with over 13.000 employees and 200 physical stores across Europe. As a leading provider of traditional Italian shoes and fashion items for over 20 years, Pittarosso has found the key to translating its retail success into online orders.
In fact, Pittarosso wasn’t always the digital sensation it is today.
Like many traditional businesses, the leading Italian shoe retailer entered the e-commerce space somewhat reluctantly with the launch of their online store in 2017. Fast forward to today – where their online shop is responsible for millions of orders annually and is generating an increasingly loyal customer base.
So how did Pittarosso transform its traditional business into a multi-million euro e-commerce engine? Join us behind the scenes at their Padova headquarters, where we spoke with Digital Manager Pietro Rossato about the brand’s journey to create a custom online experience and thrive in the world of e-commerce.
The journey from selling in-store to online without compromising customer experience
Only 10 years after their start in 2003, Pittarosso was already one of Italy’s leading shoe retailers with over 200 locations in Italy and abroad. Their success was driven by their ability to provide a high-end experience, helping customers find fashionable styles at an affordable price.
When the time came to digitize in 2017, the team at Pittarosso knew that translating this unique experience into their first online store would be crucial to continuing their success.
Their approach to e-commerce was about more than just selling products online, it was about providing an easy way to access the same great shopping experience:
“A customer’s order is more than just shoes or clothing
– it’s a complete experience with an intuitive online purchasing and easy return process. So you get what you want in just a few clicks.”,
Pietro Rossato, Digital Manager at Pittarosso.
This customer-centric philosophy quickly translated into success.
After a thorough replatforming in 2020, Pittarosso achieved an impressive 97% revenue boost by enhancing the customer experience on their website. This involved seamlessly connecting a scalable backend platform with a headless frontend.
Building on this triumph, they decided to apply the winning formula to their logistics operations, aiming for top-notch deliveries to provide an unbeatable shipping experience.
Managing the logistics for physical stores is relatively easy, as long as you keep them well stocked. Customers walk in at their leisure and select their desired product, with almost everything about their experience in the brand’s control. Compare that to the world of e-commerce, where online shopping relies heavily on the shipping experience before the order reaches the customer.
Turning tracking notifications into customer touchpoints
The e-commerce customer journey doesn’t end once a purchase is completed. On the contrary, online checkout kicks off the most critical part of the story – the part that ends with customers getting their hands on your product.
Pittarosso recognized the importance of fostering customer engagement during this period of heightened excitement. Generic transactional emails were just not going to cut it. So, they created an automated tracking experience that connects customers with exclusive discounts, the latest campaigns, and allows them to follow their order via a fully branded tracking page.
“Customer satisfaction is evident in their consistent return to our site, often driven by promotions and links featured in the tracking emails and in our customized tracking page.” Pietro Rossato, Digital Manager at Pittarosso.
By keeping customers in the loop and providing ways to further engage with the products they love, Pittarosso fosters deeper customer relationships during the delivery process. Proactive communication means customers feel valued and informed at every step of their journey, even if deliveries don’t go as planned.
If the shoe fits (or doesn’t): Hassle-free returns make it easy for customers to buy again
Many fashion brands see returns as the Achilles’ heel of their e-commerce business. But for Pittarosso, processing returns has provided another opportunity to deliver a stand-out customer experience.
Did you know that 54% of European shoppers don’t make a return because it’s too much of a hassle? While fewer returns may sound like a good thing, consider the fact that many of these dissatisfied customers are unlikely to buy from you in the future.
Instead of discouraging returns by making the process unnecessarily complex, Pittarosso simplified returns to a few simple clicks in an online portal – no login required. By empowering their customers with a hassle-free returns process, Pittarosso makes it easy for first-time buyers to become lifelong customers.
And the best part? Improving the returns process is a quick win for any brand looking to elevate their customers’ shipping experience. So ask yourself: Are you still just fulfilling orders? Or are you seizing every opportunity to keep customers coming back for more?
How any brand can learn from Pittarosso’s e-commerce success
The key to Pittarosso’s success? Investing in the right platform to power their e-commerce logistics. By choosing the right partner, Pittarosso can easily optimize and adapt its online strategy to meet evolving needs.
The focus on providing the best customer experience while streamlining processes led them to Sendcloud’s complete shipping platform. By centralizing everything from parcel tracking to carrier management and returns, Pittarosso was able to prioritize efficiency and elevate their customer experience, turning their online store into an e-commerce revenue engine.
“Sendcloud enables us to smoothly handle order fulfillment and shipping, highlighting our commitment as a customer-focused company. We don’t just place a logo; we personally oversee every step of the online order process.” Pietro Rossato, Digital Manager at Pittarosso.
Key takeaways for elevating your digital success
So what are some key takeaways that any brand can apply themselves?
Focus on a smooth customer journey, from checkout to returns. It starts with friction-free browsing and a simplified checkout, where selecting preferred delivery options is as easy as ticking a box. From there, getting orders out on time and keeping customers informed during the delivery process helps maintain trust and engagement, even if deliveries don’t go to plan. Finally, a user-friendly return process helps increase customer satisfaction and turn first-time buyers into loyal fans.
You don’t have to be a tech wizard to harness innovation. With the rapid evolution of things like AI and ‘smart’ technology, bringing your online experience and shipping processes up to speed may seem intimidating. But as the old proverb goes, every journey begins with a single step. For brands, it’s all about finding the right e-commerce solution that makes it easy to implement continuous improvements.
Pittarosso proves that with the right mix of technology, insight, and customer love, taking your e-commerce experience from good to great is not just possible—it’s essential. Inspired to hear more?
