Sellpy, a Stockholm-based second-hand e-commerce, owned by the H&M Group, aims at making it easy to buy and sell second hand online. By 2021, Sellpy had established itself in Sweden but still aimed to boost customer acquisition. That's when the brand's team saw an opportunity through Pinterest. 

Their commitment to encouraging the reuse of clothing and reducing environmental impact resonated with Pinterest’s user base, which is significantly inclined towards sustainability. For example, Britons on Pinterest are 63% more likely than non-users to favor environmentally friendly products and companies—a sentiment echoed across Europe, with Germans and French users on Pinterest 39% and 47% more likely, respectively, to let eco-friendliness guide their purchases.¹ 

Sellpy launched their always-on Pinterest campaign in September 2021. It was designed to strike a balance between fostering brand recognition and driving direct new customer acquisition, with the brand ultimately aiming to allocate the majority of their budgets towards building brand awareness and the remaining towards boosting new customer acquisition.² This strategy, while initially focused on performance marketing, yielded an impressive brand lift.²

Striking a perfect balance

The campaign capitalised on Pinterest’s extensive insights on the latest fashion trends and key seasonal moments. This allowed Sellpy to craft content that was not only trendy but also perfectly timed to capture the interest of potential new customers who hadn’t yet purchased from Sellpy, aiming to introduce them to the benefits of sustainable shopping.

On Pinterest, Sellpy’s mission of sustainable fashion and accessible second-hand shopping found a natural home amongst conscious consumers. These Pins, featuring stylish second-hand outfits, aspirational lifestyle imagery, and practical styling tips, kept the audience engaged and informed.

Central to Sellpy's approach was a willingness to experiment and understand their performance better. In this, running an MMM study was crucial. From leveraging seasonal moments and trending topics to partnering with influential creators, new tactics were trialed relentlessly. What really set the retailer apart was their adaptability—with an in-house team that was able to swiftly develop, test, and refine new ad variations for optimal performance. This approach led to strong ROI returns across both direct sales and long-term brand metrics.²

Throughout the campaign period, Sellpy utilised a variety of ad formats including Video, Static, Idea Ads, Carousel, and Shopping ads. Sellpy's mastery of the Carousel ad format has been a game-changer, effectively mimicking a real-world browsing experience. This seamlessly transitioned users from casual observers to active shoppers.

Three years on, the proof is in the numbers. With Pinterest delivering the highest ROI of any channel for both direct sales and brand building, Sellpy’s investment in awareness alongside acquisition tactics has paid dividends. In fact, Pinterest was the most cost-efficient media channel for attracting new customers via lower-funnel performance campaigns with 1.5x higher ROI than their next best digital advertising channel.² It’s a lesson that perseverance and creativity, not to mention a commitment to testing new ideas, remain an ideal recipe for growth on Pinterest.

Tips for your next campaign

Try these Pinterest best practices to get more out of your ads. 

1. Foster Open Communication: Regularly engage with your Pinterest team and apply their data-backed creative best practices. 

2. Test Relentlessly: Always continue experimenting with your content. Try out different formats, styles, and ideas to see what resonates with your audience.

3. Embrace a Diverse Ad Strategy: Rather than focusing solely on one advertising tactic, blend various goals like CPM and CPC. This varied approach broadens your brand’s exposure, boosting recognition and engagement.