In the realm of e-commerce, success stories often emerge from the most unexpected corners. One such tale of triumph is that of Beachwaver, a brand that skyrocketed to prominence within a mere three months on TikTok Shop, amassing a staggering total sales volume of $380 million. Today, we delve into the case study of Beachwaver, unraveling their unique marketing strategies that propelled them to the summit of success on TikTok Shop, providing valuable insights for aspiring international merchants.

1. Brand History: The Journey of Beachwaver Co.

Beachwaver Co., headquartered in Illinois, USA, was founded by celebrity hairstylist Sarah Potempa alongside her sisters Erin Potempa-Wall and Emily Potempa in 2010, marking a journey of 13 years and counting. What began as a simple idea blossomed into a global hair care empire, specializing in the production and distribution of various hair styling and care products. The brand's name, "Beachwaver," reflects the essence of its flagship products, transforming hair into captivating "beach waves" through their iconic curling wands.

2. Sales Channels: A Digital Focus

Beachwaver's sales channels primarily encompass their brand website (standalone), TikTok Shop, and Amazon. While the brand's standalone website has long been a pivotal sales avenue, the tide turned in September 2023 when Beachwaver allocated substantial resources to TikTok Shop. With monthly traffic ranging from 1.3 to 1.8 million visitors, driven mainly by Google SEM and overseas social media platforms, Beachwaver strategically divided its social media efforts. Facebook spearheaded informational ads, TikTok served as the lead generator, and YouTube specialized in professional reviews and hair styling tutorials.

Within the US TikTok Shop, Beachwaver achieved remarkable sales milestones. Holding the top spot on the sales leaderboard for three consecutive months since September, the brand's revenue surged from $14.19 million in September to $38.028 million in November. During this period, Beachwaver sold a total of 600,000 units, underscoring the widespread appeal of its products in international markets.

3. Precision Product Positioning

Beachwaver's product line revolves around curling wands and associated accessories, priced between $49 and $59. Noteworthy are the highest-priced item, priced at $159 and selling 580 units, and a $99 product that sold 5,383 units. Of particular significance are two best-selling products, with sales figures of 250,000 and 18,000 units respectively. Notably, the store's prices are $20 cheaper than those on the brand's official website, indicating Beachwaver's prioritization of TikTok Shop.

4. Strategic Influencer Marketing Abroad

By leveraging #thebeachwaver and #beachwaver hashtags on TikTok, Beachwaver garnered extensive exposure, reaching 170 million and 1.6 billion views respectively. This achievement stems from their effective influencer marketing strategy, collaborating with influencers of various tiers to boost brand and product visibility.

Beachwaver demonstrates precise strategy in influencer marketing. High-tier influencers shape brand image and hair styling tutorials, mid-tier influencers provide in-depth product insights, while lower-tier influencers sustain brand and product relevance. Encompassing a diverse range of categories including family life, beauty, fashion, and skincare tutorials, Beachwaver's diversified influencer selection facilitates broader audience engagement and fosters brand influence and awareness across various domains.

A standout case is Dylan or @everythingdad, a top overseas influencer with 2 million followers, who seamlessly integrates Beachwaver products into daily videos of styling his daughter's hair. Beyond amassing 2 million views and 120,000 likes, the video resonates widely, evoking empathetic interactions in the comments section. Such immersive storytelling not only enhances brand emotional value but also imbues Beachwaver with warmth and humanity, fostering brand affinity and loyalty among target audiences.

Additionally, all influencers capable of sharing links on TikTok include TikTok Shop links, while those unwilling to do so mention the official account, effectively converting social media traffic into sales.

5. Beachwaver's Strategic Planning

In contrast to Sweet Furniture, Beachwaver focuses on mid-tier Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) rather than Key Opinion Consumers (KOCs) in selecting overseas influencers. From this, we derive three conclusions:

Market Competition and the Limitations of KOCs: In a market vacuum, KOCs hold a certain advantage due to their low costs, especially in categories with minimal competition. However, as category homogeneity and competitive pressure intensify, consumers tend to trust products recommended by influencers with substantial followers. This shift indicates that in intensifying market competition, the influence and credibility of mid-tier KOLs far outweigh KOCs'.

Content Quality and the Significance of Intellectual Property: Balancing authenticity with higher content quality and clearer brand IP, mid-tier KOLs often yield higher ROI on their videos compared to KOCs. This aspect holds particular importance for subsequent video promotions and content heating. Human beings naturally gravitate towards visual aesthetics, hence high-quality content better attracts and retains viewers.

The Brand Value of KOLs: Compared to KOCs, KOLs contribute significantly more to brand value. In the US market, neglecting brand sedimentation in the early stages may result in new entrants fragmenting existing market shares as the market matures. This underscores Beachwaver's strategic finesse—by partnering with mid-tier KOLs, they not only enhance immediate sales and exposure but also lay crucial groundwork in brand building.

Using the top-tier TikTok analytics tool Shoplus, you can access more information on outstanding TikTok shops like Beachwaver. Shoplus is a powerful TikTok shop analytics tool that provides real-time and accurate TikTok data. It assists sellers and creators in understanding TikTok trends, viewing the view and like counts of trending tags within a specific timeframe, and directly searching for popular TikTok tags related to their products.

Conclusion: Carving Out a Niche in the Market

In the battlefield of commerce, brands serve as bastions. Beachwaver's example vividly illustrates the importance of brand building. While pursuing immediate sales and conversion, they haven't overlooked the long-term value of brand establishment and market positioning. Through their international brand layout, this foreign-born brand showcases the gaping disparity in foresight. Evidently, they anticipated your anticipation, aiming to monopolize this category and leave no room for competitors. Such foresight and strategic positioning pave the way for Beachwaver's success not only in the current market but also for sustainable future growth.