Levi’s Ecommerce Revamp Already Driving Improvements as Brand Moves Toward Becoming DTC-First

Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co) has shared details of its progress in becoming a DTC-first business, a big part of which has been improving the retailer’s ecommerce experience. Levi’s first announced the pivot in 2022, and since that time ecommerce has been growing at “a healthy pace,” according to a company blog post. Ecommerce sales were up 13% last year and are up 19% as of the second quarter of this year.

“We are constantly innovating and experimenting to deliver the best ecommerce experience for our fans,” said Priya Buening, VP of U.S. Ecommerce at LS&Co in a statement. “We are proud of the progress we have made in improving our site speed, search, navigation and product storytelling, and we are excited to continue to enhance our digital capabilities and offerings. Our ecommerce channel is a key pillar of our DTC-first strategy, and we are committed to meeting our consumers wherever they shop and exceeding their expectations on all our channels.”

Among the improvements the company has made to its ecommerce experience are:

• Faster page load times and an improved SEO ranking thanks to an overhaul of the website’s rendering model. Site speeds have improved more than 40% over the last year, and app launch time has improved 50% in that time frame as a result of these efforts;
• A new search solution via a new third-party vendor that allows customers to find products more quickly and easily and has driven a 10% improvement in search-to-product rate;
• Revamped site navigation that is more intuitive for customers based on site analytics and consumer insights. For example, many consumers said they expected to see products grouped by gender first, then category, and the site navigation now matches that expectation.
• Enhanced fit information focused on the three features customers care about most — rise, fabric stretch and leg opening. Products now feature new highlights for these three features to better help customers find the perfect fit; and
• Elevated product imagery and videos, such as dynamic walk-on and walk-off videos for select items to help consumers better understand the product’s look and fit.

“We were committed to listening to and learning from our consumer from the start,” said Jason Sack, Director of UX Design at LS&Co in a statement. “They were our North Star. By maintaining this level of consumer obsession, we’re able to both create an easier shopping experience for our consumers and drive meaningful results for our business.”

The ongoing ecommerce improvements are only part of Levi’s growth strategy under the purview of new CEO Michelle Gass, who took the helm earlier this year after the retirement of long-time CEO Chip Bergh.