As we all find ourselves well into 2021, the concept of momentum is extremely important.

At EYStudios, we have the privilege of observing data around a variety of industries, from automotive to apparel to collectibles. 2020 saw a lot of ups and downs in terms of sales momentum.

  • March – April saw the biggest downturn. This is because people all over the world were trying to figure out how to navigate life in the pandemic.
  • In May – August, we began to see a good bit of stabilization. As PPP loans and revised strategies started to buoy efforts, sales began to start moving back up—some more than others.
  • As the weather started getting cooler and we got closer to the holidays, sales started to really take off. This was the shot in the arm that a lot of merchants really needed. The election period caused some uncertainty, but we saw record-setting sales numbers that exceeded previous “normal” years.

We’re excited to hear from many clients who have told us that 2020 ended up being their best year ever. For others, the way the year ended more than made up for the losses they experienced earlier in the year.

There had already been an obvious trend to shop more online prior to 2020, but this was the year that seemed to cause everything to fast-forward.

One conversation we seemed to have over and over started with a statement that went something like, “Our online store experience is not where it needs to be, and we have to do something about it now.”

So many online merchants had previously depended on channels that were based around in-person, physical activity. Because so much of that has been shut down, their online efforts were more important than ever. If merchants had long ignored much-needed improvements to their online brand, 2020 seemed to be the year that caught up to them. Sheer demand offset those deficiencies to a degree. Now that there is a heightened online focus, customers’ demand for instant information and access to the products they need is greater than ever.

Yesterday, I went to an online audio products store that I frequent very often. They didn’t have the product or even a related solution I was looking for, and it was impossible to connect with someone that could answer my questions. I decided to flip over to one of their competitors. Not only did they have the product I had in mind, they also had a ton of resources (videos and articles) that answered the remaining questions I had. I found their site easy to navigate, and the checkout was a breeze.

I was already satisfied with the experience, but then I got a call this morning from one of their employees, Tyler.

“Hi Eric, my name is Tyler, and I just wanted to thank you for shopping with us. I made sure your order got shipped ASAP, so you should have that later this week. As your personal rep, I wanted to make myself available to answer any other product questions you might have.”

Wow! I was impressed. I did have a few other questions about products, and Tyler was able to answer all of them. He directed me to some product pages, which was exactly what I needed. So Tyler not only made me feel even better about being a first-time shopper—he succeeded in up-selling me on a second round!

What’s the point in sharing this story? Well, successful brands in 2021 are zeroing in on the store experience and the follow-up customer service to really set themselves apart. Even big, established brands can soon become outdated dinosaurs if they’re not swimming faster than their competitors. I seriously doubt I will ever go back to that original audio store—their competitor just stole me away.

 One thing’s for sure—more than ever before, phoning it in is not going to cut it in this day and age.

I’m very excited about where EYStudios is as a company right now. Going into our 17th year of business, delivering excellence is a continued core value for our entire company. I just got through with our first company meeting of 2021, and the enthusiasm level is off the charts. It’s truly a privilege to work alongside such talented people that understand the responsibility we have when a merchant trusts us with their brand.

2020 saw EYStudios introduce quite a few new marketing services that have already netted our merchants amazing returns. As a result, we’re going to double-down on those and many other services to make sure that an EYStudios client gets the service and results they expect.

We’re swimming harder than ever and you have our guarantee to never phone it in! Despite any challenges, I believe it’s the adaptive nature of our company culture and passionate commitment to excellence that has brought us through. Even though 2020 was also our best year ever, we’re determined not to let up in 2021.

Thank you for the trust you place in us. God bless you all as we work together this year.

Contact Us