El Ganso’s Journey to Success: An Interview with Elena Salazar
Twenty years ago, the Cebrián brothers, Clemente and Álvaro, founded the men’s fashion brand El Ganso. Since then, the company has grown significantly, with over 150 points of sale across the globe. Despite facing challenges in recent years, El Ganso has managed to regain full control of the company and is now focusing on its future growth.
Understanding the Customer’s Purchasing Experience
Elena Salazar, Ecommerce & Big Data Manager at El Ganso, emphasizes the importance of understanding the customer’s purchasing experience. “Digital transformation has revolutionized many sectors, and in the case of retail, it is no exception,” she says. “The customer’s purchasing experience and personalization are key to our strategies and differentiation.”
Differentiation Strategies
El Ganso has implemented various strategies to differentiate itself from competitors, including:
- Product and service differentiation: Offering unique, high-quality products or products with exclusive features that competitors cannot match.
- Building a strong brand: Investing in building a recognized and reliable brand to avoid entering into a price war.
- Customer experience: Providing an exceptional shopping experience, including excellent customer service, easy web navigation, fast shipping and payment, and flexible return policies.
- Segmentation and personalization: Personalizing communication with clients to the maximum, depending on their needs and preferences.
- Building customer loyalty: Improving the loyalty program each year, offering incentives and rewards to repeat customers.
- Effective communication of value: Ensuring that customers understand the added value of El Ganso’s products and services.
Online Sales and Digital Projects
Online sales represent 15% of El Ganso’s turnover, with the website being the store that sells the most. The company has invested 360,000 euros in digital projects, focusing on data analytics to improve the customer’s shopping experience.
Diversification of Sales Channels
El Ganso’s turnover is distributed as follows: the online channel represents 15% of the total turnover, the multi-brand channel 25%, and physical stores 60%. This diversification allows the company to reach different market segments and optimize its sales strategies.
Improving the Fashion Experience
El Ganso is working on various digital projects to improve the fashion experience, including:
- Augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR): Improving the online shopping experience, allowing customers to try products virtually and visualize how they would look in their home or environment.
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning: Improving personalization, product recommendations, and data analysis.
- Conversational commerce: Exploiting the use of chatbots and virtual assistants to interact with customers and guide them through the purchasing process.
- Sustainability and ethics: Differentiating itself by addressing environmental and social concerns in its online operations.
- Omnichannel integration: Developing and improving the unified and seamless customer experience.
- Logistics and shipping: Improving their efficiency and sustainability, adopting greener delivery models and optimizing the supply chain.
Payment Methods and Sustainability
El Ganso plans to incorporate Bizum as a payment method, which is increasingly popular in Spain and provides a lot of security. The company is also committed to sustainability, working with brands such as Sepiia and Beston, and partnering with Better Cotton for cotton garments and Acciona to make sneakers with recycled materials and vegan leather.
Marketing Strategies and Collaborations
El Ganso’s most effective marketing strategies include offering exclusive offers, rewards, and personalized loyalty programs. The company also works with micro-influencers, who generate greater trust and authenticity. Collaborations with brands and artists have allowed El Ganso to reach new audiences and reinforce its brand image.
Adapting to Changing Consumer Needs
El Ganso adapts to the changing needs of today’s consumer by focusing on customer experience, using data analytics to get to know them better and build loyalty, and having an omnichannel strategy to retain customers and enter new markets.
International Expansion Plans
El Ganso is working to grow in different markets and countries, mainly through the online channel. The company’s goal is to grow internationally in all those countries where the brand works and is profitable.
Future Goals and Objectives
El Ganso expects to close 2024 with a turnover of around 75 million euros. The company’s main goals and objectives include growing internationally, offering increasingly personalized products, facilitating the shopping experience, optimizing stock, and anticipating market trends.