How Raishma's 12-year online journey, customer-first approach, and stunning designs captivated global stars & more…
Hey,
Quick question: Who’s been hit with snow this week? Here in Manchester, it’s starting to feel like winter’s really here – and it’s only November!
With December round the corner, it’s already shaping up to be a busy month, but we’ve got something you’ll definitely want to add to your calendar.
EP & DTC Live are hosting a Christmas party for eCom agencies & brands on 6th December. We’d love for you to join us. We’re in for a night of (plenty) of drinks and festive fun. Grab your tickets below.
??The Moretown Belle
? 6th December - 7pm
Check out our sponsors ??????
Now onto today’s topics?
??How Raishma's 12-year online journey, customer-first approach, and stunning designs captivated global stars
??From scroll to sale: How to make TikTok shop work for your brand
??How Estée Lauder is revolutionising with AI: Is your brand ready to take the leap?
??'Tis the season for exciting offers and exclusive events! ??
??Why testing is key during Black Friday (and how to do it quickly)
How Raishma's 12-year online journey, customer-first approach, and stunning designs captivated global stars
Raishma is all about making women feel amazing. With her passion for designing beautifully cut occasion pieces that exude femininity and glamour, she’s on a mission to ensure her stunning creations are for everyone—no matter their age, size, background, or culture. It’s no wonder her designs have won over a global fan base, including stars like Princess Beatrice, Amanda Holden, and Mel B.
Raishma’s collections have taken centre stage at Paris Couture Week and continue to inspire and celebrate women around the world.
Just last month at our DTC Live London conference, I sat down with Raishma to chat about how she ensures her brand stays customer-focused.
“I started in fashion 25 years ago. Now we do ready-to-wear, beautiful colour-printed and beaded dresses—very size inclusive, very flattering on the body.” Right from the start, Raishma knew what she wanted for the brand. “It’s very much about having an international customer, really beautiful dresses to make women feel just brilliant about themselves.”
?? Tip: Be clear about your brand’s mission and who you’re creating for. It shapes everything from design to customer experience.
Raishma wasn’t a DTC brand from the beginning. “We were in store first,” she says. But over 12 years ago, she made the bold move to go online. “At that time, people weren’t really doing online that much. It was quite a big journey for me.” The decision paid off, giving the brand a chance to reach women far beyond the stores. “It was a huge change, but it’s what allowed us to connect with customers around the world,” she adds.
?? Tip: Don’t be afraid to pivot or take bold steps. Expanding online or into new markets can open up opportunities you hadn’t imagined.
What truly sets Raishma apart is its commitment to quality and craftsmanship. “I manufacture in India, and it’s not the easiest place to work with in terms of manufacturing. It’s pretty hard, to be honest,” Raishma admits. But for her, the key is building strong, trusted relationships. “Building strong relationships with factories and making sure they know we’ve got loyalty is essential. You need loyalty with your factories to move forward.”
?? Tip: Invest time in building long-term, trusting partnerships with suppliers. It’s these relationships that help maintain product quality and navigate challenges smoothly.
Expanding into major retailers like John Lewis, and soon launching with Zalando and Nordstrom, was a big moment for Raishma. But, as she puts it, it came with challenges. “Integration with some of the bigger retailers, like Zalando, is quite tough,” she explains. “You need to understand their expectations, timelines, and make sure your supply chain is really strong. Delivering on time is one of the key things.”
?? Tip: When working with major retailers, always align on expectations and timelines. A well-prepared supply chain can make all the difference in successful partnerships.
Customer service is another area where Raishma goes above and beyond. “We’re still on the phone, on chat, on email. If a customer needs something, we’re there,” she says. This level of care is especially important when customers are shopping for special occasions. “It’s always a wedding or something like that, and we make sure to prioritise the customer as much as we can.”
?? Tip: Make customer service a top priority. Personal touches create loyal customers who spread the word.
Raishma’s growth has always been about focusing on the product. “We’ve actually kind of built our brand the other way around, where it’s been about the product and not about the marketing,” she admits. It’s hard work, but seeing the results makes it worthwhile. “There’s just so much work involved, but it’s obviously very satisfying when you see your product online.”
?? Tip: Let your product shine. Great products naturally create loyal customers and organic word-of-mouth marketing.
“It’s all about making sure your customer is number one. That’s what keeps them coming back,” Raishma sums up. And that’s what makes Raishma more than just a fashion brand—it’s a brand with heart.
Check it out now ?? raishma.co.uk
From scroll to sale: How to make TikTok shop work for your brand
Customers are scrolling faster, expecting more, and tuning out anything that doesn’t grab them instantly. That’s where TikTok Shop comes in—a platform that doesn’t just sell but entertains, captures attention and converts all in one.
But let’s be real: TikTok Shop isn’t a simple plug-and-play channel. To make it work, you need the right mix of strategy, product selection and partnerships.?
Social Tale’s latest insights offer a roadmap to help your brand connect, engage, and grow on TikTok Shop. Here’s how you can turn TikTok’s entertainment-focused ecosystem into a revenue driver for your brand.
Why TikTok Shop Matters
TikTok Shop combines commerce with the joy of discovery. From shoppable videos to live-streamed shopping, it’s built to make the purchase journey feel natural and engaging.
Tip: Don’t just list your products. Think about how to tell a story around each item that feels genuine and adds value to the viewer’s day.
??Know Your Brand’s Spot in TikTok’s Ecosystem
Social Tale breaks brands on TikTok Shop into four categories: Curios, Growth, Stagnant, and Beast Mode. Each level reflects how well a brand is leveraging TikTok’s tools and reaching its audience.
Tip: Regularly track your performance and adjust your strategy to keep moving up toward “Beast Mode,” where engagement and visibility peak.
??Spotlight Your Hero Products
Not every product is TikTok-ready. The ones that perform best are unique, demonstrable, and grab attention in seconds. Focus on hero products that solve a specific need, bundle items to increase average order value, or create TikTok-exclusive products for an added edge.
Tip: Use quick, eye-catching demos to showcase what makes your product special. A clear, memorable hook is essential in TikTok’s fast-scrolling world.
??Crafting a Standout Shop Page
A TikTok Shop page should be clean, visually appealing, and highlight new arrivals and top sellers. Think of it as your storefront—users should get a quick sense of what you offer and why they should stick around.
Tip: Keep it simple. Don’t overwhelm with too many products or details. Focus on new releases and best-sellers to catch attention instantly.
?? Driving Sales: The Four Essentials
Social Tale pinpoints four main ways to boost sales on TikTok Shop:
Tip: Start with organic content to lay a foundation, then scale with affiliates, ads, and live sessions to maximise impact.
??Affiliates as Growth Drivers
Affiliate partnerships can create a “snowball effect” on TikTok—more content, more visibility and more influential creators wanting to work with you. It’s a cycle that can significantly amplify your reach if managed well.
Tip: Streamline the affiliate process and offer clear incentives. Make it easy for them to promote your brand, and you’ll start to see traction. Use Marketplaces, Reconnect with Past Partners, Automate Mass Outreach and Personalised Outreach.
With TikTok Shop, there’s huge potential for DTC brands to reach engaged audiences in fresh, dynamic ways.
?If you need more tailored advice or want to dive deeper into your BFCM strategy, feel free to reach out to Ashely at Social Tale.?
How Estée Lauder is revolutionising with AI: Is your brand ready to take the leap?
Estée Lauder has taken a big step into the world of AI through a partnership with OpenAI.?
They’re now using over 240 custom AI tools (GPTs) to streamline how they work across all their brands, like Clinique and La Mer.?
It's a major shift in how they’re handling everything from product development to marketing.
What’s happening at Estée Lauder? They’ve been sitting on a goldmine of data —think 75+ years of consumer surveys, clinical trials, and product feedback. Before AI, making sense of all that data was time-consuming. Now, with 240+ custom AI tools (GPTs), they can get insights in minutes. Here’s how they’re using them:
Tapping into AI doesn’t mean changing everything overnight—it’s about making processes more efficient so teams can focus on what they do best—being creative and connecting with customers.? Here are some ideas for your brand:
Make Your Data Work for You ??: You don’t need endless data for AI to make a difference. With customer feedback, sales trends, or survey responses, the right AI tools can turn those into clear, useful insights. This means quicker decisions and less time spent on manual work.
Boost Your Team’s Efficiency ?: Automate repetitive tasks like data sorting, report generation, or customer service FAQs so your team can focus on what matters most. Outsourcing can also help with ongoing tasks. Consider automating these time-consuming areas:
This way, your team can spend more time on the important stuff.
Start Small and Build Up ???: You don’t need loads of AI tools to see results. Begin by automating one or two key tasks, like data gathering or content drafting, and scale up as you go. Small steps can make a big impact! ??
AI is becoming a useful tool for brands to work smarter, not harder. Think about how this could fit into your strategy.?
'Tis the season for exciting offers and exclusive events! ??
Check out the fantastic deals and upcoming webinars from our trusted partners, all designed to help you level up your business as you prepare for the new year.
Get ready for our upcoming DTC Live Webinar on scaling customer support during peak season, featuring Tim Martin-Harvey, Head of E-Commerce at The Bottle Club.
As the holiday rush hits, customer support can quickly become overwhelming, but Tim from The Bottle Club and George Loraine from Onepilot will share their secrets to keeping things running smoothly.
Learn how Onepilot helped The Bottle Club reduce response times and improve customer satisfaction with 2,000+ freelance agents handling 100 million+ tickets in over 35 languages.
Don't miss out—register now for practical tips and insights to prepare your team for success this holiday season!
2. Unlock Maximum Value with ChaChing
As a part of ChaChing's commitment to 'pay per sale' advertising, brands have the opportunity to book a free 30-minute affiliate consultation with a member of the team.
During the call, they'll walk through affiliate advertising strategies and end by setting up your affiliate program. From there, you'll be able to drive sales through content publishers, cashback, CSS, and influencer deals.
3. Got an hour to spare on 4th December? Check out our New Year, New 3PL: Elevate Your Logistics Strategy webinar
With customer demands on the rise and the market getting more competitive, DTC brands need logistics that can keep up and stay efficient.
Join us for the DTC Live Webinar where we’ll break down how to future-proof your supply chain and pick the right 3PL partner, featuring Shaka Miller, Business Development Manager at Sprint Logistics.
Shaka will share insights on the latest logistics trends, must-have 3PL qualities, and practical tips for handling international logistics challenges and day-to-day operational issues.
Don’t miss out—sign up now for some helpful tips to get your logistics strategy ready for 2025!
Why testing is key during Black Friday (and how to do it quickly)
Black Friday is one of the busiest times for e-commerce, making A/B testing essential for maximising results. Here’s why:
How to run A/B Tests quickly and effectively
Key considerations for testing during Black Friday
Small Changes, Big ResultsI
I’ve put together a?free deck of A/B testing templates tailored for Black Friday campaigns?to help you implement tests that drive meaningful results.
I’ve put together a?free deck of A/B testing templates tailored for Black Friday campaigns?to help you implement tests that drive meaningful results.
Here’s what’s inside the deck:
Using these templates, you could see an?expected revenue boost of 10-36%?by optimising just a few key areas of your site or ads during Black Friday.
Click here to download your free templates?and start optimising for the biggest shopping event of the year!
Upcoming Events to Join!
December Gamechangers | 6th December
Ecom Christmas Party | 6th December
Don’t forget to sign up to our Community Platform launching in January! You will be able to connect with other brand owners and c-suite level decision makers and create a network of pods that will allow you to connect with like-minded people and businesses and drive relevant content to help you grow and scale your DTC channel.
Apply for early access to our new community platform… launching soon!
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