It’s about time we got the DL on the Kardashian/Jenner clan’s most successful ecommerce ventures.
Sure, there are some that have done better than others. And we’re here to lay out all the facts so you can see exactly which Kardashian put the pedal to the metal and made it work. Or, which failed to hire the best marketing agency (awkward wink here)...
Each of the Kardashian/Jenner women has been successful with from their platform. No matter if you agree with how they rose to fame, they’ve grabbed it by the horns and rode straight to the top of money mountain.
From Kim’s SKIMS to Khloe’s Good American, the Kardashian ecommerce stores have taken the world by storm. Gripping Kardashian lovers and providing them with their next Kim K fix and Kylie Cosmetics lippy to put all other lip kits to shame. Although, if anything, it just spurred competing brands to release even more lip kits. But that’s a story for another day.
Now let’s get stuck into the Kardashian’s ecommerce stores and see what can be learned from their marketing strategies…
SKIMS
SKIMS is marketed as an inclusive brand that offers a wide range of sizes and skin tones. The brand's campaigns often feature models of diverse body types, ethnicities, and ages. This commitment to inclusivity resonates with consumers seeking representation and authenticity.
But inclusivity isn’t the only strategy SKIMS have. If you’re into shapewear, you’ll know SKIMS is often imitated. And (now, we really like this one), the team at SKIMS had an idea that has really stood out compared to the rest. They have created a ‘SKIMS dupes’ collection - genius!
That way, when users search for ‘SKIMS dupes’, they’re still going to see a SKIMS collection at the top of the SERPs, not an imitated dupe.
As for the site’s performance, it’s solid. Visibility seems to be rising and ranking keywords are strong. Below is the SKIMS visibility score (in the US), according to Sistrix.
Kim operates SKIMS off a Shopify CMS, and we can’t say we blame her.
SKKN by Kim
A new era of skincare… OR a new era of marketing and making revenue? SKKN may not be as ‘duped’ as its sister, SKIMS, but oh boy – it’s made some waves.
Although technically successful (albeit in its infancy, SKKN by Kim is only two years old, basically a baby, right?), the brand took some heat on TikTok after the SKKN team sent out some packages to buyers. And let’s just say those receiving the packages were somewhat underwhelmed.
But as for the ecommerce nature of the site, its performance shows some interesting figures. We’ve taken the below graph from Sistrix, it shows the site’s visibility (UK) over the last 12 months (May 2023 - May 2024) and it’s pretty impressive to say the least.
The steady growth is promising. Let’s see how this one plays out…
And, of course, Kim chose to stick with her trusted Shopify when choosing what CMS to go for when launching SKKN by Kim.
Drink 818 Tequila
Step aside Kim, it’s Kendall’s time to shine. Who is also rocking her ecommerce site using Shopify’s platform, Kendall Jenner launched drink818 in 2021.
Jenner faced backlash shortly after the launch of 818 for allegedly appropriating Mexican culture posting images from an Instagram promotion. In the images, Jenner rode a horse into an agave field where local farmers were gathering the plants for the advertisement. Once the post started getting some unwanted negative feedback, Kendall removed comments from the post.
Poorly planned Instagram posts aside, the site seems to face some ups and downs of its own. Let’s look at 818’s visibility in the USA specifically over the last 12 months, it’s a little volatile. But we’re sure Kendall’s not overly worried.
Kylie Cosmetics
“The planet's youngest self-made billionaire”, according to Forbes. Kylie Jenner launched Kylie Cosmetics in 2015 and with a fine balance of a strong visual branding and a social media frenzy, Kylie Cosmetics rocketed.
If we look at the interest over time for “Kylie Cosmetics” according to Google Trends, things seem to have tapered off.
However, this hasn’t stopped Kylie from becoming the planet’s youngest ‘self-made’ billionaire. Some folk took some disliking to the ‘self-made’ part of Forbes’ statement. Although Kylie Cosmetics was technically self-made, as it was not inherited.
Opinions on whether Kylie is self-made or not aside, we can’t fault her marketing team. Kylie Cosmetics has now expanded into Kylie Skin and Kylie Baby (also proudly sat on Shopify). Kylie Cosmetics puts a high emphasis on brand aesthetics, from product packaging to social media posts.
Its sleek and eye-catching design appeals to a young demographic that values visual appeal. This consistent and attractive branding helps maintain a strong brand identity. In other words, (insert Shopify cash register sound here!) – ecommerce success.
Khy
Another one of Kylie Jenner’s ventures, Khy, the clothing brand that focuses on offering curated collections that aim to blend luxury with everyday style. Khy's content marketing approach leverages Kylie Jenner's influence and personal brand to promote its fashion collections. But is it as successful as its big sis, Kylie Cosmetics?
From a marketing perspective, Kylie Cosmetics receives way more screen time than Khy. However, sales of Kylie Jenner's first-ever Khy, exceeded $1 million in the first hour. So, you tell us if you’d call that a success or not?
The ecommerce site sits on Shopify (we can imagine you’re seeing a pattern here – honest, we’re not biassed, and not all of the Kardashian/Jenner ecommerce sites are on Shopify, although we would recommend they should be).
Related article: The Shopify Trends Every Ecommerce Manager Needs To Know.
Good American
Good American, an inclusive fashion line with denim designs and inclusion ingrained in its concept, was co-created in 2016 by Emma Grede and Khloé Kardashian.
Brands often say they are inclusive and promote body-positivity, but do little more than just say it. Good American is one of the few brands that we’d say actually put their money where their mouth is…
Since the launch in 2016, they have focused on inclusivity by offering a wide range of sizes, from 00 to 32, catering to more than your small to medium body types. This was a significant departure from the industry's norm.
But even with their body positivity and inclusive sizes, gaining visibility in search engines requires more. Below is Good American’s visibility score over the last five years. And sadly, it’s slowly but surely taking dip after dip.
Lemme
Perhaps one of the lesser-known branches of the Kardashian/Jenner business ventures tree. Lemme was first launched in September of 2022 by Kourtney Kardashian Barker.
The brand’s USPs are clear, there is absolutely no gelatin, corn syrup, glucose syrup or artificial sweeteners in their supplements. So, basically, Kourt wants her consumers ‘to be, like, lemme live a healthy life’.
Another Shopify stan, Lemme offers gummies, capsules, tinctures, and apparel. However, the site’s pool of keywords ranking on page one in your trusted Google search engine is relatively low. Although these keywords could be best in the biz – so let’s not judge too soon, hey?
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