Lumer Shop's success story

Are you curious about how a small idea can turn into a success story? Meet Lumer Shop, the Croatian webshop that took the punk scene by storm, not just locally but on the international stage. It all started with a passionate individual, Josip, who turned his love for punk music and its culture into a thriving online store, at the end offering custom merchandise and screen-printed apparel worldwide. But how did he manage to expand beyond borders while keeping the punk spirit alive?

Background

Josip really likes punk music, but he's got no musical talent. So, he just started making shirts for punk bands instead. With a background as an educator and a punk enthusiast, Josip combined his passion for music with his entrepreneurial spirit to launch an online shop dedicated to filling this void. Initially focusing on punk bands who struggled to produce and distribute their own merch, Lumer Shop quickly expanded its services.

What sets Lumer Shop apart is its commitment to the DIY ethos of punk culture, merged with a sharp understanding of e-commerce dynamics. Besides selling products, Josip saw an opportunity to create a community hub for punk fans and bands alike. This vision translated into a business model that supports bands by offering them a platform to get their merchandise to fans without the hassle, while also providing fans with high-quality, authentic gear.

The uniqueness of Lumer Shop lies in its dual approach: it operates both as a direct-to-consumer online retail store and as a bespoke printing service. This allows for a wide range of customer needs to be met, from individual fans looking for their new favorite tee to bands needing bulk orders of their latest designs.

Challenges

As Lumer Shop's reputation and customer base grew, so did the challenges. Josip recognized that expanding internationally and scaling the business required hard work, but also smart strategies, especially in building and maintaining customer trust. For a niche business like Lumer Shop, standing out while ensuring customers felt confident in their purchases was essential. This is where the need for Trustprofile emerged—a platform designed to enhance online trust and credibility.

Josip realized that "... in the e-commerce world, customer feedback is gold...", and Trustprofile could help them mine it effectively. By displaying verified customer reviews, Lumer Shop could boost its credibility but also provide valuable social proof to potential customers.

Results and Lessons Learned

When you check out Lumer Shop's Trustprofile, everything is neatly up-to-date. They offer a clear description of their business, along with their logo and a background image that enhances their brand's feel. All customer reviews are summed up into a general score, showcasing transparency and customer satisfaction. Additionally, they've earned certification from eCommerce Hrvatska, our Croatian partner trust seal, further establishing their credibility. This thorough attention to detail is also why we've featured them on our wall of fame for Croatian webshops.

After joining Trustprofile in October 2021, Lumer Shop started seeing real improvements in their online reputation. They chose to sign up for a paid membership from the start and soon realized the benefits of Trustprofile's automated review invites. This feature significantly increased customer engagement, bringing in about 125 reviews in just two months. This initial success set the stage for a more structured approach to using customer feedback to enhance their online presence.

In 2023, Lumer Shop expanded their use of Trustprofile's features to include product reviews, gathering over 300 product-specific testimonials, and over 500 shop reviews on Trustprofile. In his own words, Josip described what is known as the social proof theory when sharing his experience with the system:

"The product reviews triggered an increase in sales because when people see that others tried those products and left a review, they buy. " - Josip Vrban

Moreover, Lumer Shop started using Trustprofile's multi-platform review feature, which proved to be a game-changer. By sending review invites for other platforms as well, they managed to triple the amount of feedback received on Google Reviews. 

Josip's strategy was clear: focus on simplicity and efficiency. Unlike businesses that pour vast resources into building an online presence, Lumer Shop found a more streamlined path to credibility through Trustprofile. The platform made the process of managing and showcasing customer feedback less labor-intensive, allowing them to focus on their core business operations.

"(The system) is smooth, and it brings me a lot of reviews. It saves time, and the price is peanuts compared to the value we get - it's the best thing ever." - Josip Vrban

Conclusion

Lumer Shop's journey, alongside its relationship with Trustprofile, offers valuable lessons for online businesses looking to boost their online image and earn their customers' trust. By smartly using automated review invites and carefully adding product reviews, Joseph showed how important customer feedback is for increasing sales and building loyalty.

Lumer Shop's story highlights an essential truth: doing well online is about what you sell, but also it's about the relationships you build. By focusing on customer feedback, Lumer Shop enhanced its service and nurtured a devoted community. Trustprofile's tools played a key role here, showing that a strong feedback system can turn happy customers into a major force for growth.

For anyone wanting to mirror Lumer Shop's online achievements, using a system that makes gathering and showing off customer reviews easy is key. Listen to your customers, not just to their words but also to the insights you can gain from their feedback. And remember, the goal is not just to gather feedback but to act on it, continuously improving and adapting to meet your customers' needs.