Building Trust in E-Commerce: The Story of Reviews.io
Company profile
Company business details
Motivation to build the product
The founders, Kao McKifery and his wife Nikki, were motivated to start Reviews.io from their kitchen table in Leicester, UK. They aimed to provide a user-friendly solution that allows smaller online retailers to compete with larger companies like Amazon by effectively showcasing customer feedback.Problem that their product solves
Reviews.io solves the problem of trust and credibility in the digital marketplace by helping e-commerce businesses collect and display customer reviews. The end users are primarily smaller online retailers who need to build trust with their customers to enhance conversion rates and improve their online reputation.Their unfair advantage
Reviews.io offers a user-friendly and feature-rich solution that focuses on quality and innovative review collection methods, allowing smaller retailers to compete effectively against larger companies.Strategies
Pre-Launch (Product Development & MVP)
MVP Development and Fast Validation
Callum Mckeefery, the founder of Reviews.io, identified a gap in the market for a customer review platform after a conversation with a major mobile phone company. He quickly built a rough MVP within a week, using existing code from a price comparison site, to demonstrate the concept. This rapid development allowed him to return to the company and present a tangible product, which, although initially rejected, sparked enough interest for him to pursue the idea further.
Launch Stage
Customer Conversations
In the early days of Reviews.io, Kao McKifery and his team focused on having as many conversations as possible with potential customers. They attended their first expo in Birmingham, where they set up a stand to showcase their review solution. They engaged with attendees, asking for feedback and discussing their product. This approach led to securing their first client, a large flower retailer, which opened doors to more clients in the same industry. The strategy emphasized the importance of direct communication and feedback in shaping their product and gaining traction in the market.
Guerrilla Marketing at Expos
To acquire his first customers, Callum utilized guerrilla marketing tactics by attending expos with a foosball table and minimal setup. He cold-called event organizers to secure a spot at the IRX Expo in Birmingham, where he and his small team engaged attendees directly. This hands-on approach led to numerous inquiries and helped him secure initial clients, which were crucial for building the product further.
Innovative Event Marketing
To promote Reviews.io at industry events, Callum employed creative marketing tactics, such as purchasing a bus wrapped with the company logo and parking it outside a conference center. He also hired tuk-tuk drivers to transport attendees while advertising on their vehicles. These unconventional methods helped increase brand visibility without incurring high costs.
Customer-Centric Product Development
Callum emphasized the importance of customer feedback in shaping Reviews.io's product roadmap. He personally engaged with customers to identify recurring themes in their requests, ensuring that the features developed aligned with their needs. This approach not only improved customer satisfaction but also helped avoid costly missteps in product development.
Learn more about Reviews.io
REVIEWS.io's Founder & CEO Callum McKeefery (Part 1) | The Catch Up Podcast | Episode #024
How to Bootstrap a Company to 10M - Callum McKeefery, CEO of Reviews.io
