# Herbivore Botanicals: 60-Day CVR & AOV Optimization Strategy

## Executive Summary

Herbivore has strong brand equity, a loyal millennial customer base, and excellent product-market fit. The opportunity lies in optimizing the existing funnel to capture more value from traffic you're already paying for.

**Target Outcomes:**
- CVR lift: 15-25%
- AOV lift: 20-30%
- Subscription conversion rate: 2x current

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## Week 1-2: Popup & Email Capture Optimization

### Current Gap
Standard popup likely underperforming. Clean beauty buyers are research-heavy; they need more than a discount to convert.

### Actions

**1. Exit-Intent Popup with Quiz CTA**
Instead of generic "10% off" popup, lead with identity:

> "Not sure which Herbivore is right for your skin? Take our 60-second quiz and get a personalized recommendation + 15% off your first order."

- Quiz segments by: skin type, primary concern, sensitivity level
- Captures zero-party data for email personalization
- Higher perceived value than flat discount

**2. Welcome Flow Upgrade**
Current welcome series likely product-focused. Shift to belief-building:

- Email 1: "Why we banned 2,700 ingredients" (mission/values)
- Email 2: "The problem with traditional retinol" (problem agitation)
- Email 3: Quiz results + personalized product rec (mechanism)
- Email 4: Social proof specific to their skin concern (proof)
- Email 5: Offer + urgency (conversion)

**3. SMS Opt-In Integration**
Add SMS checkbox to popup. Clean beauty buyers respond well to behind-the-scenes content via text.

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## Week 3-4: Bundle & AOV Architecture

### Current Gap
Products likely merchandised individually. Herbivore's collection structure (Lapis, Nova, Coco Rose) is perfect for bundle logic.

### Actions

**1. Default to Bundle on PDPs**
When someone lands on Bakuchiol Serum ($68), show:
- Single: $68
- **Routine Bundle (DEFAULT):** Serum + Cleanser + Mist = $138 (Save $20)
- Complete Collection: Full 5-product routine = $220 (Save $50)

Make bundle the pre-selected option. Customers can opt DOWN to single.

**2. "Complete Your Routine" Cross-Sell**
Post-add-to-cart slide-out:

> "Most customers with [skin concern] also add: [complementary product] — Add for $XX"

Show 1-click add button. No friction.

**3. Subscription as Default**
Current Subscribe & Save (15% off) likely buried. Make it default selection:

> ○ One-time purchase: $68
> ● Subscribe & Save 15%: $57.80 every 60 days
> (Edit frequency anytime. Cancel with one click.)

Add reassurance copy. Reduce friction.

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## Week 5-6: Shipping Threshold & Cart Optimization

### Current Gap
Free shipping at $50 is good but may not maximize AOV if average cart is already near threshold.

### Actions

**1. Dynamic Progress Bar in Cart**

> "You're $23 away from FREE shipping! Add a mini to unlock:"
> [Show 3 minis under $25 with 1-click add]

Visual progress bar increases completion motivation.

**2. Raise Threshold Test**
Test $75 free shipping threshold. If core customer is buying $60-70 anyway, nudge to $75+ with:
- Free mini sample at $75+
- Free deluxe sample at $100+

**3. Cart Abandonment Upgrade**
- Email 1 (1hr): "Still thinking about [product]?" + social proof
- Email 2 (24hr): "Your skin concern won't fix itself" + ingredient education
- Email 3 (48hr): Limited-time offer (free shipping or small gift)

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## Week 7-8: Retargeting & Funnel Leakage

### Current Gap
Likely running basic retargeting. Clean beauty buyers need longer consideration windows and more touchpoints.

### Actions

**1. Segment-Based Retargeting**
Create distinct audiences:
- Quiz completers (highest intent) → Show their specific rec + offer
- PDP viewers by collection → Show that collection + testimonials
- Add-to-cart abandoners → Direct offer
- Past purchasers → Cross-sell complementary products

**2. Creative Rotation by Funnel Stage**
- Top of funnel: Us vs Them, Myth-Bust (education)
- Middle of funnel: Feature, Testimonial (consideration)
- Bottom of funnel: Notes App, Meme (relatability) + offer

**3. 60-Day Retargeting Window**
Clean beauty purchases are considered. Extend retargeting window to 60 days with frequency caps. Show educational content weeks 1-4, conversion content weeks 5-8.

**4. Lookalike Refresh**
Build lookalikes from:
- Repeat purchasers (not just all purchasers)
- Quiz completers
- Subscribers
- High-AOV customers ($100+)

---

## Quick Wins Checklist

### Week 1
- [ ] Audit current popup CVR and email capture rate
- [ ] Draft quiz flow (5-7 questions max)
- [ ] Rewrite welcome email series with belief-building structure

### Week 2
- [ ] Launch new popup with quiz CTA
- [ ] Add SMS opt-in
- [ ] Implement new welcome flow

### Week 3
- [ ] Create bundle offers for top 3 hero products
- [ ] Default PDPs to bundle selection
- [ ] Add post-ATC cross-sell module

### Week 4
- [ ] Default Subscribe & Save as selected option
- [ ] Add subscription reassurance copy
- [ ] Test increased shipping threshold

### Week 5
- [ ] Implement dynamic cart progress bar
- [ ] Add mini product recommendations at threshold
- [ ] Upgrade abandonment email sequence

### Week 6
- [ ] Segment retargeting audiences
- [ ] Assign creative by funnel stage
- [ ] Extend retargeting window to 60 days

### Week 7
- [ ] Build refreshed lookalike audiences
- [ ] Launch segment-specific ad creative
- [ ] A/B test landing page vs. collection page traffic

### Week 8
- [ ] Full funnel audit
- [ ] Calculate CVR and AOV lift
- [ ] Plan Phase 2 optimizations

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## Expected Outcomes

| Metric | Current (Est.) | Target | Lift |
|--------|----------------|--------|------|
| Popup CVR | 2-3% | 5-7% | +100% |
| Email Welcome Series CVR | 1-2% | 3-4% | +100% |
| Site-wide CVR | 2-3% | 2.5-3.5% | +20% |
| AOV | $60-70 | $80-90 | +30% |
| Subscription Rate | 5-8% | 12-15% | +80% |

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## Why This Works for Herbivore

1. **Identity-Aligned Messaging**: Your buyer isn't shopping for products—she's shopping for alignment with her values. Every touchpoint should reinforce "you're the woman who refuses to compromise."

2. **Collection Structure = Built-In Bundles**: Lapis, Nova, Coco Rose, Bakuchiol—these aren't just product lines, they're complete routines waiting to be packaged.

3. **High-Quality Repeat Purchase Behavior**: Clean beauty users are loyal once converted. Optimizing for subscription and repeat purchase compounds value.

4. **Strong Social Proof**: 50K+ 5-star reviews is an underutilized asset. Deploy strategically at every objection point.

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## Next Steps

1. **Audit Call**: Review current analytics, identify specific leakage points
2. **Prioritize**: Pick 3 highest-impact items from each 2-week sprint
3. **Implement**: Execute with clear ownership and deadlines
4. **Measure**: Weekly check-ins on core metrics

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*Prepared by Scale With Steven*
*Questions: steve@scalewithsteven.com*
