Independent retail / e-commerce · Bristol
Marina & Pine
An Etsy seller who wanted to own her brand — and her customer data.
Services
Brand identity, Shopify development, Photography direction, Email strategy
Timeline
4 weeks
Budget
£1,250
Status
2024
The brief
Marina sold hand-blocked linen tea towels and napkins through Etsy for three years, building a loyal following of around 2,000 buyers. She wanted her own brand site — partly because Etsy fees were eating 25% of margin, mostly because she wanted to own the relationship with her customers and start an email list. She didn't want a generic Shopify template; she wanted something that felt like her.
The approach
- 01
Editorial product photography — each piece shot in three contexts: as object, in use on a table, in a finished interior. Visual storytelling over feature lists.
- 02
Story-led product pages — each product has a paragraph on the print's history, the dye process, the maker. Read more like a magazine than a checkout.
- 03
Shopify storefront on a fully custom theme — keeps the easy backend, loses the templated look.
- 04
Newsletter signup with a real incentive — 'Quiet Sundays', a monthly note from Marina with one new piece and a recipe. 14% signup rate from visitors.
- 05
Email automation tied to abandoned baskets and post-purchase follow-up — entirely on-brand, written in Marina's voice.
The outcome
Overtook Etsy in 3 months
Direct sales vs Etsy
£28 → £41
Average order value
0 → 1,800 in 4 months
Email list
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