Customer Story
When foot traffic fell 75%, SMS helped Lollyology drive online sales
Overview
Challenge: Respond quickly to a 75% drop in foot traffic by launching ecommerce, marketing the new online store, and moving seasonal stock ahead of Easter with limited time and resources.
Solution: Launch a Shopify store in four days and use targeted SMS campaigns to promote online ordering, drive local traffic to the website, and turn in-store customers into repeat online buyers.
Results: Fast list growth, low opt-outs, strong website traffic and 7–8% conversion from SMS campaigns.
“The challenge for small business is, how do you get your online presence out there, because it’s a very loaded space. It’s very hard to be seen and heard. But being able to communicate directly with customers who care, who are interested, who signed up willingly, is actually a real benefit.“
When COVID-19 disrupted in-store shopping, Lollyology faced a sudden shift in customer behaviour. The family-run confectionery retailer had been doing most of its business through foot traffic, with digital transformation still sitting on the back burner. But when foot traffic dropped by 75%, the business had to move quickly. With Easter approaching — typically the biggest sales period of the year — and around $30,000 worth of Easter stock already ordered, Greg Smith and his team needed a practical way to start selling online and reaching customers fast.
A fast move online under pressure
Although Lollyology had talked about ecommerce for years, COVID made the decision urgent. Greg set up a Shopify store while his staff photographed products, prioritising Easter stock first. Within just four days, the business had an online store live, with its first sale coming on March 27 — only three weeks before Easter. But launching the site was only part of the challenge. Lollyology still needed a way to market the new store and manage delivery without overcomplicating things or stretching already limited resources.
To keep things manageable, the business focused on its local Knox community. That meant promoting a low $5 delivery fee in the surrounding area and leaning into the fact that customers wanted to shop close to home. Greg and his family used several low-cost tactics to spread the word, including social media, local community networks, and friends and family. But SMS quickly became one of the most useful tools for creating direct, immediate engagement with customers who already knew the brand. Using Sinch Engage (formerly MessageMedia), Lollyology was able to add SMS into its local marketing mix at a time when speed mattered.
Using SMS to drive fast, targeted online sales
To build an SMS list, Greg personally asked in-store customers if they wanted to receive promotions and specials by text. The response was strong. Within the first 3–4 days, Lollyology had collected 100 numbers, with more than 90% of customers willing to share their details. Over the full campaign period, opt-outs stayed below 2.5%, giving the business a solid, permission-based audience it could reach directly.
According to Greg, SMS consistently triggered immediate website activity. Around 10% of customers visited the website within five minutes of receiving a promotional text, and 7–8% of the customer base converted to purchase. In the lead-up to Easter, that helped Lollyology move 20% of its in-store stock through online sales alone. The overall sales picture was still tough — Easter sales were down 58% year over year, and April sales fell 65% — but that is exactly why this story works. SMS did not magically erase the disruption. What it did do was give Lollyology a fast, targeted way to promote its new online store, move seasonal stock, and start turning local store customers into online buyers.
