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Born & Bred - Case Study
We helped Born & Bred transform ecommerce from a supporting channel into a core profit centre and growth driver for the business.
Market
- Retail
- Gifts & Homeware
- Northern Irish & Irish Design
Technology
- Shopify
- Syncio B2B
- Klaviyo
- Meta Ads
- Google Ads
Services & Service Packages
Fractional Director of Ecommerce
- Ecommerce Growth Strategy
- Competitor & Market Analysis
- P&L & Margin Oversight
- Product Range Planning
- Growth Forecasting
Implementation
- Ecommerce Audit & Optimisation
- Full Marketing Calendar Planning & Execution
- On-Site Promotional & Merchandising Updates
- Email Marketing Setup & Management (Klaviyo)
- Meta Advertising Strategy & Agency Management
- B2B Platform Setup
Our Impact:
In the last 12 months alone, we delivered significant commercial growth while strengthening overall profitability.
- 92% year on year online sales growth
- 80%+ year on year profit growth
- Ecommerce now representing approximately 50% of total business revenue
Over the course of our partnership, ecommerce has evolved from contributing roughly 5% of revenue to becoming a core pillar of the business, now rivaling the iconic Belfast store operation
About:
Born & Bred is a Belfast based retail brand celebrating Northern Irish creativity, design and culture. Operating an iconic physical store in Belfast city centre, the brand has built a loyal following through its curated selection of local makers, Irish designers and distinctive gift products.
With strong in store performance and a recognisable regional identity, the opportunity was to develop an ecommerce channel capable of matching the strength of the Belfast store and extending the brand beyond Northern Ireland.
The Challenge:
When we began working together, ecommerce accounted for approximately 5% of total revenue. The Shopify site existed but had not been strategically developed as a primary growth channel.
Online traffic was modest. Email marketing was underutilised and paid acquisition didn’t really exist in a consistent form. Despite strong brand equity in Belfast, online performance did not reflect the full commercial potential of the business.
The objective was to grow ecommerce meaningfully and profitably, in a way that supported the store rather than competing with it.
The Approach:
Foundation & Optimisation
We began with a full ecommerce audit to identify:
- Conversion friction points
- UX and navigation improvements
- Technical and structural fixes
- Tracking and reporting gaps
Shopify was retained and optimised properly for scale, with ongoing technical updates and on-site refinements implemented to support growth.
We introduced Klaviyo as the dedicated email marketing platform, implementing structured lifecycle flows alongside a disciplined campaign calendar. Email quickly became a reliable revenue and retention channel.
Klaviyo now attributes approximately 30% of all online revenue, with total email revenue increasing 290% year on year. Importantly, this has become a margin supportive channel, strengthening profitability rather than relying solely on paid acquisition.
Full Implementation & Ecommerce Strategy
Beyond optimisation, we operate as part of the business through full implementation support combined with Outsourced Director of Ecommerce oversight.
This includes:
- Building and managing the complete ecommerce marketing calendar
- Planning and executing promotions aligned to margin targets
- Implementing on-site merchandising and campaign updates
- Ongoing technical and structural site improvements
- Full email campaign management and optimisation
- Paid acquisition strategy and oversight
- P&L and margin monitoring
- Competitor analysis and demand research
- New product range planning
- Growth forecasting and channel prioritisation
- Launch of a dedicated Shopify B2B wholesale platform
Closely working with FWD partner agency Vend Digital , Meta Ads became the principal driver of online acquisition. Campaigns focused on:
- Brand storytelling rooted in Belfast identity
- Product launches and curated collections
- Audience expansion beyond Northern Ireland
- Controlled scaling aligned to margin and stock position
Meta now represents the primary paid channel and has been central to sustained sales and profit growth.
Increased online visibility has also contributed to record store performance, reinforcing the overall brand rather than competing with it.
The focus throughout has been structured, commercially aligned growth with consistent execution behind it.
The Results:
- 92% Year on Year Sales Growth
- 80%+ Year on Year Profit Growth
- Ecommerce Now ~50% of Total Business Revenue
- Email Revenue +290% Year on Year
- Klaviyo Attributing ~30% of Total Online Revenue
- Dedicated B2B Platform Successfully Launched
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