Last week, Uniqlo USA delivered a donation of 20,000 units of breathable, moisture-wicking AIRism innerwear products to healthcare workers in New York City.
“Uniqlo wishes to take this opportunity to share our heartfelt thanks for all the hospital workers and first responders who are on the frontlines to combat this crisis,” said Hiroshi Taki, CEO of Uniqlo USA in a statement.
This initiative had prompt us to give Uniqlo our “7 Commandments” treatment since there’s so much more to say about this cutting-edge life wear brand.
Below you’ll find our analysis of whether they are following our 7 best tips for how a brand must “behave” in the post-corona world.
We also give scores.
1. Be Transparent 10/10
They nailed it! The scroll banner that you clearly can’t miss on their homepage reads, “Due to restrictions caused by COVID-19, there are some changes in service.” When clicking on “learn more” you get redirected to COVID-19 Updates, a page dedicated specifically to important questions most shoppers and potential buyers are probably asking themselves before making any purchase right now.
“We are currently anticipating shipping delays as we work to ensure the health and safety of the teams at our distribution centers” is the first sentence that this page reads. “Thank you for your understanding and patience during this unprecedented time. We look forward to welcoming you back to our stores as soon as we are able to reopen” is the closing sentence.
Creating this kind of page and giving it such a prominent position on the homepage makes it all very clear and out in the open for shoppers. Way to go!
2. Give Discounts 8/10
Here’s another major message we were instantly prompted with when entering their site (below). And when navigating to other tabs, the banner with the same discount below kept popping up – further showing us that Uniqlo really want us to take that offer.
The company offers free shipping on your first order when registering an account and free standard shipping for orders over $99. Resonable. Could a brand as big as Uniqlo, however, be doing a tiny bit more though as far as promotions go? A tiny bit.
3. Be Relevant 7/10
All in all, by analyzing Uniqlo, we felt that their branding, messaging, and marketing communications were very relevant to this challenging time.
Everything from the offers that are much needed, to the very clear shipping delay message, and of course the fact that they’re giving back to society:
“New York is our home, where we first opened our doors in the U.S., and the most vulnerable region in the U.S. affected by the virus. We are honored to show our appreciation for their tireless and heroic work to keep our community safe, with apparel designed to make their daily life a little more comfortable.”
On the other hand, no especially relevant offers or bundles seemed to show up as well.
4. Be Helpful 10/10
As an expression of gratitude and support (as mentioned at the beginning of this article) AIRism products were donated to medical professionals at hospitals. These garments are meant to be worn underneath coronavirus protective gear, which can surely get hot and sticky.
As Uniqlo explains, this base layer of clothing will protect medical staff from overheating as it’s made of self-deodorizing, stretchy material, and comfort conditioning technology.
Additionally, Uniqlo takes sustainability very seriously. “As part of our commitment towards zero discharge of hazardous chemicals, we will continue our efforts to prevent and reduce air and water pollution.”
The company’s quest to create a new digital consumer retail industry and become the world’s top brand also incorporates a commitment to a sustainable society.
Uniqlo also launched the Responsible Mill Program to reduce energy usage by 10% and water consumption by 15%. Their goal is to decrease the environmental impact of fabric manufacturing.
5. Personalize 8/10
You probably already know that at PostFunnel, we love personalization. So we couldn’t help but notice those tiny words “Help us tailor our messages to fit you” on the discount banner – giving us the option to tick off our gender.
When adding dresses to our bag, we immediately received additional items that we may like – as well as – similar item suggestions. Making this a smooth shopping experience that quickly helps us find what we’re looking for.
6. Master User Experience 10/10
Just like Amazon, and other major eCommerce giants, Uniqlo offers overall ratings in stars per product view. This details the fit, length, and quality of the product you’re looking at.
And what we found particularly helpful was the actual reviews of the products written by real shoppers worldwide.
This is the perfect tool to add for online shoppers who genuinely want to hear from other consumers (not biased employees) who have ordered that same product they’re interested in.
So, yes! We were delighted with the user experience at Uniqlo (more specifically, the shopping experience we had on their website). Very easy, helpful, and at your fingertips.
7. Leverage Social Media 7/10
Uniqlo offers specific Instagram pages per country to give their followers a social media experience that’s more relevant and personal.
One of their more recent posts includes these very cheerful and colorful tees (that got us very excited to see on our feed) and a simple message making your day just a little brighter:
Their Facebook page is also filled with giveaway posts, exclusive promotions, and event-related content, such as Mother’s Day.
Their social media activity could have been more helpful, though.
Overall, Uniqlo is getting a 60/70 here (86%).
Watch the space for many more brand analyses and ratings coming your way.