Book browsing begins
The Folio Society, creators of beautiful book editions since 1947, represents the timeless art of physical books in an increasingly digital world. Operating from London’s creative quarter, they produce award-winning illustrated editions that are labours of love from dedicated artists and editors. Despite their premium product offering and loyal customer base, they faced challenges with customers abandoning purchases and failing to return after initial transactions. Their digital-only remarketing wasn’t effectively re-engaging these culturally sophisticated customers who appreciate tangible, premium experiences.
Premium persistence
Paperplanes partnered with The Folio Society to implement programmatic direct mail targeting three key customer segments: recent purchasers who hadn’t returned, customers being encouraged to make follow-up purchases, and those who had abandoned baskets before completing transactions. Each mailing was designed to reflect The Folio Society’s premium aesthetic and craftsmanship values, creating physical touchpoints that aligned with their customers’ appreciation for beautiful, tangible objects. The campaigns were carefully timed to maximise re-engagement during optimal purchasing windows.
Story of success
The results demonstrated the powerful synergy between The Folio Society’s premium brand and physical direct mail touchpoints. One in ten customers returned after receiving direct mail, with next purchase mailings making customers 1.5x more likely to return. The winback campaign was particularly effective, generating basket values 57.3% higher than regular mailings. Engagement metrics showed remarkable improvement, with abandoned basket recipients staying 50% longer on-site and viewing twice as many pages. The campaign achieved an impressive £2.98 return for every £1 invested, with 23% of targeted customers making multiple additional purchases, demonstrating strong repeat purchase propensity.
