Show Notes | Series 1, Episode 10 | Truffle Shuffle
About our podcast
Brightpearl’s Lightning 50 E-Commerce Growth Hacking podcast, hosted by Caroline Baldwin, is a bitesize 15-minute podcast that gets under the hood of highly successful e-commerce brands to discover the key technologies they are using to power growth.
About our guest
Truffle Shuffle is a retro 80s and 90s apparel retailer based in South West UK. When Founder, Pat Wood wore a Dukes of Hazzard t-shirt into a local Bristol nightclub in 2004, he received so many compliments that he tried selling a couple on eBay. 15 years later, Truffle Shuffle has maintained its cult status as a one-stop-shop for all things nerdy-retro. Selling DTC via its website and operating on a bespoke, self-built e-comms platform, the brand grew 235% in 2019/20. For this podcast, we spoke to the MD of Truffle Shuffle, Pat Wood.
Transcript highlights:
● “I’m an 80s nerd, one who was daring enough to buy a t-shirt from an American website in 2004 - and that daring nerd thing is core to our business. Our adage is that all the products are made for fans and by fans, and we get their input on new products whenever we can.”
● “Growth has never been a huge driver for us at Truffle Shuffle - then 2-3 years ago we thought it was time to ramp up to a larger level. Our one driver was to increase our product mix, bring on some higher priced apparel like dresses, hoodies and accessories and increase the average basket spend for core customers - who used to be in their twenties but are now in their thirties with more disposable income.”
● “We had achieved double digit growth leading up to the pandemic - then all the shops shut and our growth reached triple digits. We were prepared for gentle expansion but it ended up extremely steep, but we were able to keep stock coming in thanks to our proficient buying team who worked tirelessly to keep up with demand.”
● “We’ve always created our own bespoke tech - a leftover from starting in 2004 when e-comm platforms weren’t a thing. The landscape has changed since then, and as a startup today I wouldn’t go down that route as there’s plenty of great solutions out there. We could install Brightpearl and Shopify for example, and probably be in this same position - but our legacy platform has been built and customized over 18 years so works well for us.”
● “Our original team has been with us for over 15 years, and we’ve got a great staff retention record. That nurturing of staff and a great team culture really makes us what we are.”
● “The strategy we’ve been working on is being more bespoke and finding our niche again. It’s a crowded market with few barriers to entry in e-commerce, so you need to have your product and service absolutely nailed.”
● “Realistically you’re not going to get anywhere close to sustainable growth if you can’t serve your customers in the way you expect to be served. When we started, two weeks’ delivery was fast - now two days is considered slow. Similarly, if you don’t answer your customers’ emails, they’re no longer your customers. There’s a huge amount of things to get right in this landscape and so you need to get that foundation down before you consider growth.”
● “We always look at new tech and whether it’ll work for us; Klarna is a great example - it bulldozed the entire retail landscape and I can’t think of many retailers now that aren’t Klarna merchants. We’re also looking to integrate WhatsApp for customer service.”
● “In 2004 we were growing 200-300% every year for the first few years, but we’d long forgotten those levels of growth. To be back on the scene and have the Lightning 50 to shout about is an absolutely wonderful achievement - and a great indicator for us that our team does a fantastic job, year in, year out.”
Top takeaways
● Truffle Shuffle ranked 25th place on the Brightpearl Lightning 50.
● That followed a 235% YOY revenue increase in 2019/20
● The tech instrumental in the brand’s growth was its customized, bespoke platform of 18 years.
● As a company that started before e-comm platforms in 2004, the brand believes using key tech tools such as Shopify and Brightpearl is the best route for any merchants looking at growing a business today.
● The landscape has changed - quick delivery is expected, rapid response times essential. Without getting the foundation right for excellent service, Truffle Shuffle says growth is impossible.