What are Branded Storefronts for Creators?

Branded storefronts for creators are bespoke, personalized eComm pages that enable brands to leverage the power of a creator’s voice and authenticity. These branded storefronts function as an online store, providing a dedicated space for creators to showcase their favorite products and build stronger partnerships with brands.

Branded storefronts typically feature curations and collections of the creator’s favorite products from the brand. Most also contain user-generated content (UGC) like ‘get ready with me’, OOTD, looks, hauls, unboxings and more. Effective storefront design is crucial in making these pages visually appealing and easy to navigate, which enhances user engagement and drives sales.

A creator branded storefront on boohoo.com – with several creator collections and user-generated content (UGC)

The ultimate goal of Branded storefronts is to deliver an unparalleled social commerce experience natively on eCommerce. This then boosts session lengths, conversion rates, and average order values for the brand.

Why do Influencer & Affiliate Programs Need Branded Storefronts?

Gen Z and the Rise of Social Traffic to eCommerce

Social media and influencer marketing are becoming increasingly important sources of traffic for eCommerce sites.  The trends are clear, consumers are spending more time on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and more importantly, the platforms are inspiring far more purchases.  

For Gen Z, these trends are even more pronounced, with 92% of Gen Z adults crediting influencer recommendations as the most important driver of purchases.

But eCommerce brands have a big problem.  Despite all of this traffic and importance, on average, social media traffic does not convert relative to other channels. And it is getting worse (down 20% in 2022).

The disconnect is the eCommerce shopping journey.  On social media, people are discovering products and getting inspired by influencers, affiliates, and customers.  No one searches for “shoes” on Instagram, you discover a pair of shoes from someone you are following.  Creators drive traffic and provide inspiration.

However, when someone is inspired by a creator and lands on the eCommerce site, the context completely changes.  No longer is the consumer delighted with a creator-centric experience (which is why they are there).  Instead, the consumer has to shift context and begin shopping by product categories.  The results speak for themselves.

This challenge is not unique to just social media and influencer traffic.  With conversion rates of .5 – 1%, affiliate traffic suffers the same challenge.  When you discover a product via an affiliate channel, the link provided often guides the user to a generic, non-personalized experience.

Far too many conversion opportunities are being wasted on legacy shopping experiences that don’t compliment their traffic source.

Branded Storefronts as the Solution for Creator Traffic

That’s the problem that we’ve solved with branded storefronts for creators. It focuses on creating a more relevant shopping experience for social media, influencer, and affiliate traffic. 

Each creator that is driving traffic will receive their own customizable page (as opposed to a generic link) which includes their profile, content that they’ve created, and favorite products.  A shopping experience that is tailored uniquely to their audience.

The result is a triple win:

1. It radically improves conversion rates for traffic generated through creators.  Our research suggests brands have experienced 3.24% average conversion rates, which is 4 times the industry average.
2. It drives up the AOV (average order value) for consumers, since they want to shop all of the creator’s picks. Shopify cites that product bundles can increase AOV by 60%, so letting creators build product bundles radically scales a powerful conversion tools.
3. It creates tremendous excitement and alignment with the creator. Leader to greater creator retention. What is cooler than having your own storefront on the brand’s site? 

Which Creators or Customers Should Get an Influencer Storefront?

These branded storefronts are radically improving conversions from social traffic… so who should be using them?

• Influencers and affiliates – anyone that brands give an affiliate link or code is losing conversions from a conversion funnel that doesn’t align with the creator. They will convert more with their own page (and drive more traffic when they feel more aligned with the brand).
• Brand ambassadors and micro-influencers – Perhaps the highest potential segment that needed branded storefronts. These individuals have extremely high conversion rates based on their smaller, hyper-focused audiences. And they will be more excited than anyone to have real-estate on an eCommerce site.
• Customers and brand advocates – Unless the brand wants to open these storefronts to general traffic, the only way to end up on a branded storefront is to click a unique link. Cutting edge brands find that there is no downside to offering every single customer their own storefront. It builds alignment and engagement with the brand, helps build loyalty among customers, and strengthens the brand’s presence online. Even though many customers will not drive meaningful traffic, it still allows them to curate their favorite products and share them with their friends. Word of mouth marketing and loyalty marketing baked into one.

Creating a Branded Storefront

Creating a branded storefront on Amazon is a foundational step for any brand looking to boost sales and establish a strong online presence. The process begins with enrolling in the Amazon Brand Registry, which not only protects your brand’s intellectual property but also unlocks advanced branding and marketing tools. This program ensures that only authorized sellers can represent your brand, helping to build trust and brand recognition among customers.

Once registered, brands can use Amazon’s Store Builder tool to create a well-designed storefront that reflects their unique identity. The Store Builder offers a variety of customizable templates, allowing you to showcase your brand logo, high-quality product images, and lifestyle imagery that resonates with your target audience. By curating a visually appealing and engaging shopping experience, you can attract more customers and encourage them to explore your full product range.

Effective inventory management is also crucial when creating your storefront. Keeping inventory levels up-to-date ensures that your best-selling items are always available, preventing missed sales opportunities and enhancing the overall customer experience. A thoughtfully designed and well-managed storefront not only drives sales but also helps build a loyal customer base that returns to your Amazon brand time and again.

Designing a Branded Storefront

Designing a branded storefront goes beyond aesthetics—it’s about crafting a space that embodies your brand identity and delivers a seamless customer experience. Start by defining your brand story and values, then use Amazon’s Store Builder to bring them to life through engaging content tiles, product tiles, and curated product categories. A well-designed storefront should make it easy for potential customers to navigate, discover new products, and connect with your brand on a deeper level.

Incorporate user-generated content, such as customer testimonials and product reviews, to build credibility and trust. These authentic voices can influence purchasing decisions and foster a sense of community around your brand. Leveraging advanced strategies like influencer marketing and social commerce can further drive traffic to your storefront, expanding your reach and increasing sales.

Don’t forget to highlight your best-selling items and use lifestyle imagery to showcase how your products fit into your customers’ lives. By focusing on both form and function, you create a shopping experience that not only attracts new customers but also encourages repeat visits, helping your brand stand out in a competitive world.

Customer Experience and Loyalty

Delivering an exceptional customer experience is at the heart of building a loyal customer base and driving sales through your branded storefront. A seamless and intuitive shopping experience encourages customers to explore more, increasing both brand recognition and the likelihood of higher sales. Utilizing Amazon’s Store Insights tool, you can track key metrics such as sales, traffic, and customer engagement, allowing you to make data-driven decisions that optimize your storefront’s performance.

Listening to customer feedback is essential for continuous improvement. By identifying pain points and making necessary adjustments, you can better meet your customers’ needs and expectations. This proactive approach not only enhances customer satisfaction but also strengthens customer loyalty, turning first-time buyers into loyal customers.

To further drive sales and increase average order value, implement cross-selling opportunities and targeted promotions within your storefront. By recommending complementary products and showcasing curated collections, you encourage customers to add more to their carts, maximizing each shopping session. Ultimately, a focus on customer experience and loyalty will set your brand apart and ensure long-term success in the e-commerce landscape.

Technical Considerations and Integration

Behind every successful branded storefront is a robust technical foundation that ensures a seamless shopping experience for customers. Integration with Amazon’s systems—including inventory management, order fulfillment, and customer service—is essential for smooth operations. By leveraging Amazon’s API and other technical tools, brands can synchronize their storefront with existing e-commerce platforms, streamlining processes and maintaining accurate inventory levels.

Optimizing your storefront for mobile devices is also critical, as more customers shop on-the-go. Ensure that your storefront loads quickly, displays correctly on all devices, and offers a secure, hassle-free checkout process. Advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning can further enhance the customer experience by personalizing product recommendations and automating inventory management.

By addressing these technical considerations, brands can create a reliable and user-friendly storefront that not only increases sales but also fosters customer loyalty. A well-integrated storefront supports every stage of the customer journey, from product discovery to purchase, ensuring that your brand delivers a consistent and satisfying shopping experience every time.

Examples of Branded Storefronts for Creators

Branded Storefronts in the Wild

Some of the largest DTC brands and retailers have built a home-grown solution for giving creators branded storefronts. These stores often highlight featured products to attract shoppers and showcase the best items a brand has to offer. Branded storefronts are a key part of a brand’s marketing strategy, helping engage both creators and customers while driving sales.

Influencer Storefronts on Amazon

Amazon has shifted a large part of its affiliate business to the Amazon Influencer Program. The program enables influencers to create an Amazon storefront—a custom-branded online store on Amazon where they can curate and showcase their favorite products. An Amazon storefront functions as a personalized shopfront, enhancing brand visibility and providing a curated shopping experience for followers. Amazon storefront creating involves a step-by-step process where influencers carefully plan and design their storefronts to maximize engagement and sales. Amazon storefronts play a significant role in the Amazon ecosystem by allowing influencers and brands to differentiate themselves, control their brand identity, and improve customer experience. In addition to influencer storefronts, Amazon offers the brand store—a dedicated, customizable storefront for brands to tell their story, showcase products, and build customer loyalty. Influencers can manage and optimize product listings within their storefronts, ensuring each product is presented effectively. These storefronts help drive sale for both influencers and brands by increasing visibility and facilitating targeted promotions.

In 2024, Alix Earle promoted her Influencer Storefront as part of Amazon’s Prime Day campaign.

Creator Storefronts on Target

Target offers influencers their own personal storefront to refer to in UGC. Creators earn commissions on sales that involve their storefront link. Creators can further personalize their storefronts by using their own design, allowing for a unique look and feel that stands out from standard templates. Target also ensures consistent messaging across all creator storefronts, reinforcing a unified brand identity and building customer trust.

In 2023, Target frequently featured its best creator storefronts throughout its BFCM and holiday marketing materials.

Branded Storefronts on Fabletics

Fabletics maintains a dedicated page for its branded storefronts, dubbed the ‘Influencer Hot List’. Fabletics maintains a rotating selection of branded storefronts using the voice and branding of well-known macro and mega-influencers.

Branded Storefronts Powered by LoudCrowd

Creator Storefronts on boohoo

On a boohoo.com Creator Storefront, influencers will be able to curate whole collections/edits/looks easily. They can choose products from pre-selected options from the boohoo team, or navigate through the entire website to choose the products.

On top of that, boohoo storefront creators can create shoppable UGC by tagging products in content directly from their storefront, attracting shoppers looking for curated collections and a seamless shopping experience. The UGC featured on these storefronts often includes lifestyle content, using authentic storytelling and visually engaging images or videos to inspire and engage potential buyers. See the below example of shoppable UGC on a boohoo branded storefront.

Ambassador Storefronts on Melinda Maria

The Melinda Maria Ambassador Program has hundreds of very passionate creators. Each creator is given their own branded storefront on melindamaria.com. These branded storefronts are a powerful tool for driving engagement and collaboration amongst the creators. The program has led to increased sales and generates hundreds of thousands of dollars in eComm revenue per year.

Influencer Storefronts on ColourPop

ColourPop is a beauty brand pioneering branded storefronts for its influencers. ColourPop provides its influencer makeup artists a branded storefront.

Conclusion

Branded storefronts represent the newest social commerce solution for DTC eCommerce brands looking to grow through influencers, creators, and customers. Branded storefronts solve a key issue with the social media to eCommerce funnel – context shifting.

By leveraging the power of a creator’s voice, authenticity, and knowledge of their followers, branded storefronts boost conversion rates, average order values, and retention.

Every DTC eCommerce brand should be providing branded storefronts to its influencers, creators, affiliates, or customers. LoudCrowd can empower any eCommerce brand to deliver an enterprise-grade, white-label branded storefront experience in as little as hours.

Learn more here.