Revolve is targeting its existing consumers to become micro-influencers with its new brand ambassador program, which launched this week.
A favorite with influencers, the marketplace sells clothing from over 500 fashion brands and more than 20 owned brands, including two influencer-led brands, Song of Style by Aimee Song and the Camila Coelho Collection. As e-commerce has been infinitely more agile to respond to changing consumer trends, Revolve has solidified its position as a leader, even dominating this season’s NYFW with a strong social media strategy.
With the Brand Ambassador program, consumers will now be able to act as influencers for Revolve, receiving rewards and prizes for engaging with their favorite brands and products from the retailer. The program will also offer commissions, including exclusive incentives like early access to new brands, participation in #RevolveAroundtheWorld trips and access to events including the Revolve Festival.
Raissa Gerona, Revolve chief brand officer said, “With the changing landscape of social media, the term ‘influencer’ has also evolved so much. We always want to adapt with and grow our network by leading the way with innovation. The Brand Ambassador program recognizes the influence and power of our community’s performance at many levels, and integrates members more fully in our world, with special contests, such as the opportunity for top sellers to collaborate on an ‘X Revolve” capsule collection. This is truly an extension of the Revolve influencer experience, and we are incredibly excited to be able to offer it to a broad audience.”
According to Revolve’s press announcement, “Ambassadors are able to create customized landing pages that operate as storefronts, to which they can add ‘favorites,’ and curate products around specific themes. From these landing pages, individuals link directly to their social channels, allowing them to use their platforms and voices effectively to generate earnings from sales.” The soft launch for the ambassador program boarded over 3,000 members and drew a waiting list of 10,000 applicants.
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The Brand Ambassador program will offer top sellers the opportunity to create an X Revolve capsule collection, giving micro-influencers the option to sell their items on the retailer’s website. Four ambassadors from four follower count tiers (from under 100,000 Instagram followers to over a million) who drive the most sales of merchandise from their links will have a chance to create a collection.
This peer-to-peer sales tactic is common among brands like Stella and Dot, Avon and Beautycounter, which have made customers sellers and influencers among their own communities. James Nord, founder of influencer marketing company Fohr, said, “For years, we have been pushing brands to take a community-first approach to their influencer strategies, and it makes sense that a brand like Revolve that has such a passionate consumer base would start tapping into that to find a new class of influencers. We pioneered this approach when we launched Sephora Squad three years ago and love seeing industry leaders like Revolve using this strategy to evolve what it means to be a brand ambassador.”
Revolve has had a very good year since its IPO, making both its founders, Michael Mente and Mike Karanikolas, billionaires. The retailer reported its Q3 earnings earlier this month of net sales at $244 million, with a year-over-year increase of 62%.
