Success case Cameranu

About Cameranu

Cameranu has been a well-known name in the Dutch photography and videography market for years. What started in 2003 as a camera sales business from a storage facility in Urk has now grown into an omnichannel specialist with nine physical stores, including one in Belgium. The product range is extensive, and the ambition to continue growing is even greater. To achieve this, a data-driven marketing strategy is crucial. But how do you make smart use of your data with such a large product offering? And how do you measure the effectiveness of online efforts when a significant portion of purchases are made offline? That’s where a Customer Data Platform (CDP) like Spotler Activate comes in.

The challenges

With a product range of around 40,000 items, displaying relevant online content to individual consumers is quite a challenge. “A large portion of our customers research online and make purchases offline,” says Bas Visscher, Web Analyst and CRO Specialist at Cameranu. “Cameras are relatively expensive, so it’s nice for customers to see the products in person and receive proper advice. But in order to get these customers to visit our stores, we need to convince them that we have the right offerings through targeted online targeting. And that can only be achieved if you know who they are and what they want; otherwise, you’re shooting in the dark.”

“We knew that there was a relationship between our online efforts and the offline purchases of customers, but we didn’t know exactly how they correlated. If we could map out that relationship, we could significantly improve the efficiency of our marketing strategy and turn one-time visitors into loyal customers.
– Bas Visscher

To strengthen the collaboration between online and offline channels, gaining insights into customer behaviour and data is of utmost importance.

Understanding RPOP (Research Online, Purchase Offline)

Cameranu was convinced that they could achieve this with the help of the CDP, Spotler Activate. “Spotler Activate collects customer data from various channels and automatically builds customer profiles. As a result, we have a much better understanding of our customers’ interests and preferences than before,” says Bas. The audience builder, in particular, which automatically creates segments based on shared events and properties, is incredibly valuable for Cameranu. Camera owners, for example, tend to be brand loyal, even when purchasing accessories.

“Based on the customer’s favourite brand, the audience builder creates segments that we use on both our website and in email campaigns. This has significantly increased the click-through rates of our homepage banners and within our emails. But we are also using pop-ups to encourage store visits and promote events in the region more effectively.”
– Bas Visscher

In addition to increasing the relevance of online marketing content, Spotler Activate also provides better visibility into the ROPO effect. According to Bas, this has significant advantages: “It prevents us from mistakenly scaling back our online budget and shrinking as a result. It also ensures that we don’t invest time and money in campaigns that don’t work.”

Cart and browser abandonment

Two use cases that have yielded significant results are cart abandonment and browser abandonment. Bas explains, “Previously, we could only email logged-in users who had abandoned their carts. With Spotler Activate, we can now also remind unknown users about their abandoned shopping carts and add relevant accessories.”

The browser abandonment email, automatically sent to website visitors who have shown interest in a product, has an impressive open rate of 67%. “This ensures that we remain top of mind during the research phase and helps us build customer loyalty.”

From third- to first-party data

An additional advantage of data collection through the CDP is that Cameranu builds customer profiles based on their own first-party data. This is especially valuable considering the stricter privacy laws. “Thanks to Spotler Activate, we are well prepared for a future without third-party cookies. We have more data in our own hands and therefore less dependent on data from third-parties. That’s why this product also suits the maturity level of this organisation,” says Bas.

Results and plans for the future

Since implementing Spotler Activate, Cameranu has made significant progress in data collection and personalization. They have gained better insights into the ROPO effect, have a clearer understanding of customer behaviour, and can target their marketing efforts more effectively. Additionally, their online communications and emails have become more personalised, making them more relevant to customers. However, there is still plenty on the to-do list.

Bas says, “We are currently working on building new customer journeys that incorporate more advice and education. In addition to our extensive product offering, we have a wealth of knowledge that we want to share. Community building is also crucial in turning customers into loyal fans. The key is to do this at the right moment with the right customers, and that’s precisely where Spotler Activate helps us.”