Mum’s bikini business sees 328 per sales spike during coronavirus lockdown

When the coronavirus pandemic first struck in March like many businesses owner Rebecca Klodinsky was forced to re-evaluate her bikini line IIXIIST. “I had to rejig our marketing plan immediately and force myself to think on the front foot this entire time,” she told news.com.au.
But instead of scaling back her bikini business Ms Klodinsky decided to take a leap of faith and offer customers $50 to spend as they wish on IIXIIST, which is sold via the brand’s website, with no restrictions except to use it within a five day period.
The gamble has since paid off for the mum, who saw a staggering 328 per cent spike in sales as a result of the offer.
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Ms Klodinsky said she came up with the offer after seeing a rising number of her swimwear customers abandoning planned purchases through her website.
“While we are still operating as per normal and our sales are the same, our abandoned cart stats were up by 86 per cent,” she said.
“So our brand awareness has spiked and clicks to the website have increased. but there is a much greater abandoned cart figure that irked me.
”Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs and spending money has dried up.”
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After feeling saddened by the number of abandoned online sales, Ms Klodinsky decided to offer $50 off as a way to brighten her customers’ days.
“I offered the $50 to my subscribers (new and old) because it helps, because it’s an act of kindness, because it’s basically 50 per cent off and because without my customers – I wouldn’t be here surviving the storm,” she said.
“So it’s a multifaceted offer.”
As well as giving her sales a massive boost, Ms Klodinsky said the “feedback was so fantastic”.
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“The campaign wasn’t sales driven, it was just an act of kindness to promote some good faith,” she said.
“The spike was huge and I hadn’t anticipated it this much.”
Ms Klodinsky founded IIXIIST, formerly known as Frankii Swim seven years ago when she was only 24.
The brand started as her side hustle soon became a full-time gig which sees IIXIIST make a staggering $7 million a year.
It also has a who’s who of celebrity fans that would make any red carpet jealous, with Kim Kardashian, Kyle Jenner, Rhianna and Hailey Bieber all wearing IIXIIST’s designs.
Ms Klodinsky credits her brand’s success down to the fact that her bikinis both “fit properly” and “wear well”.
“In a flooded market I think having something of quality will forever trump a quick-buy, the quality of our swim translates to these celebs,” she said.
“We all just want a really great bikini and that’s exactly what IIXIIST are.”
Ms Klodinsky said that while the coronavirus pandemic was making things complicated for business owners it was important to remember we “really are all in this together”.
“Big or small – we are all going through it,” she said.
“Cut your costs where you can, try and reduce overheads, and re-evaluate your marketing and business plan.
“However more importantly, just do your best, do what you can and don’t be so hard on yourself because in one way or another everything will work out.”