B2C – Customer Experience

Challenges
As Allbirds becoming more popular in the markets they are participating in, there are some noteworthy
downsides when it comes to the B2C aspect of the brand.

Product availability
The Wool Piper Mid in Tartan

Uneven distribution of the new and highly-demand products in New Zealand – where the brand Allbirds
was originally launched

 Together with the limited communications of Allbirds on social media, it could trigger a
frustrating feeling among consumers, tarnishing the brand loyalty.

FACEBOOK
 INSTAGRAM

Social media communication

Frequently post the visual promotion (Videos, and photos) of its products, core values and
collaborations on the social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

FACEBOOK PINTEREST INSTAGRAM TWITTER

However:

- Low social media interaction between the brand and the consumers on the comment sections
and repost/share, especially in Twitter (31.1K Followers; highest interaction in a post: The ad
promo on Time Square gifted by Shopify – 1.5k loves and 162 repost); on Facebook and
Instagram, the interaction is a little bit higher as Allbirds as 3 official IG pages: Allbirds
 [Worldwide] (471k followers), Allbirds Japan (27.7k followers) and Allbirds Korea (11.7k
followers) and a Facebook page (254k followers), but the brand would only pop up if the social
media users ask the products and their availability or provide positive feedbacks [In the
collaboration with Adidas, only when both brands use the IG Collab Feature to promote their
shoes, Allbirds receive attentions]; no interaction at all in the Allbirds’ Pinterest page, despite its
account obtained 583.4k monthly views and 13k followers.
 There are a lot of limitations in terms of sustaining the interactive traffic on social media, despite
a successful attraction of the brand to the consumers as one of the first sustainable and the
most innovative firm in the global footwear market.
 Leading to the decrease of brand loyalty and additional cost for branding to gain brand
awareness

TWITTER | FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST

- An increasing trend among consumers asking the brand to consider stopping the use of wool for
its products as a) the brand image among consumers is sustainability and b) the consumers’
awareness in the animal cruelty, including sheep à Reaction: Allbirds don’t respond to this
situation à it could be a significant risk to the brand image in short term and brand reputation
in long term (long-term only if the company doesn’t efficiently deal with the backlashes); it is
because a) should the use of wool is being receive opposition by the majority of the public and
animal protection organizations like PETA (e.g. the use of animal fur), and b) lacks of experience
in communicating to the consumers in the normal circumstance.

17th Aug | 6th Nov (FACEBOOK)

 PETA’s petition related to the use of wool for
Allbirds’ products, attracting 88,270 individuals signed.

E-commerce and after-sale services

Allbirds’ Cyber Monday sale

CNN

USA Today

Business Insider
The first ever cyber-Monday sale of the brand. However, for some customers experiences some
problems with product availability, warehouse & shipping, customer service and limited timeframe of
the event à Reaction: Allbirds don’t respond to this situation à it could trigger a frustrating feeling
among consumers, tarnishing the brand loyalty, as well as a significant risk to the brand image in short
term and brand reputation in long term.

26th NOV (FB)

2nd DEC (FB)

Furthermore, in the normal circumstances, the customers provided feedbacks via social media that the
company also have problems with product availability, warehouse & shipping, and customer service à
Reaction: Allbirds customer service doesn’t well-handle the problems à it could trigger a frustrating
feeling among consumers, tarnishing the brand loyalty, as well as a significant risk to the brand image in
short term and brand reputation in long term.
 7th
NOV (FB)

2nd DEC (FB)

Proposal
- Product Availability: Provide more products on its e-commerce website (international mode) |
Transparently providing which products are available (worldwide or specific market[s]) on both
its e-commerce website and social media channels
- Social Media Communications: Gradually shifting the focus from raising brand awareness to
brand loyalty (discount for the customers who frequently buy Allbirds’ products, thank-you
party for loyal customers and fan, etc.) and customer interaction (e.g. Wendy’s Twitter) so as to
a) sustain the existing customer and follower base and b) make use of the consumers for the
word-of-mouth marketing, along with the review from the bloggers, reviewers from YT and
other web platforms, newspapers, etc. | Raising opinion about the issues and providing scientific
facts which beneficial for the brand | working with its suppliers for a better industrial practices.
- E-commerce and after-sale services: Adidas-Allbirds collaboration is a good opportunity for the
Allbirds to learn the operational efficiencies of Adidas in terms of product display and update on
the e-shop and after-sale services such as warehouse, shipping and customer services |
Compulsory completions of work training (via workshop which have expert[s]) and/or providing
e-learning resources for the Allbirds’ employees.

LINKS:

https://www.facebook.com/weareallbirds

https://twitter.com/Allbirds?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/53902526779890620/

https://www.instagram.com/allbirds
https://support.peta.org/page/23478/action/1?locale=en-
US&fbclid=IwAR2B1KckzYxHSVVKW_bTfnC4RzpvDBeipJfpwVeVCmEyDKyEIe-0rgT6Z7k

https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/deals/allbirds-cyber-monday-deals-11-2021

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/29/cnn-underscored/allbirds-cyber-monday-sale-2021/index.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/reviewed/2021/11/29/cyber-monday-2021-allbirds-cyber-
monday-deals/8793396002/