How maude’s Unique Retail Strategy has Them in More Retailers Than the Average Brand

A modern sexual wellness company, maude makes intimacy products that are accessible to all people.

maude’s accessibility makes their products a great fit in just about anywhere, and DCL has the experience to fulfill their products wherever they need to go.

“Our retail strategy wasn’t to just focus on one type of retailer, but it was actually to see where we could be and how we could resonate,” says Éva Goicochea CEO and Founder of maude. “The fact that DCL has a wide geographical footprint was really a consideration for us. Plus having a team that is dedicated to our account is really important—it means we can build a long-term relationship, which is of interest to us.”

Ecommerce Case Study: maude

• Problem: Maude was getting into retail outlets quickly and needed help managing their retail accounts.

• Solution: DCL is well-versed in routing guides and the specificity it takes to perfectly meet retail fulfillment requirements for each account.

• Result: With DCL’s help managing their many retail outlets, Maude was able to focus on winning new accounts and growing their brand.  

Turned On—Activating The Right Sales Channels

From independent boutiques, to salons, to department stores, maude products ship to a very wide variety of retailers. Éva explains, “Our brand has always led with design and accessible pricing—the design is quite elevated and different from what this category has seen before, at least when we started out three years ago. We are a brand that is able to speak to many types of audiences, so our products speak to many types of retailers.”

Shipping to dozens of retailers is rare for a medium sized startup. The more stores you’re in, the more complex your fulfillment operation becomes. To manage the varied retail relationships requires an abundance of communication and dedication.

At maude we recognize that whatever we’re putting out, whatever we’re communicating to the world is exactly how we think and act behind the scenes. We recognize that there has to be a symbiotic relationship between our branding and our fulfillment. What’s most important is that everyone gets the whole picture for the customer.

Each retailer has very specific routing guides that contain detailed instructions on how to ship products to their facility. Some retailers define what carrier they prefer, receiving guidelines, and some even specify a required number of units per pallet. These rules are a way for the retailer to organize products coming to their facility from a wide variety of vendors.

One unique aspect of maude’s fulfillment strategy is that they ship products to hotels, which is an uncommon partnership for an ecommerce startup. Éva says, “I think that hotels are now thinking more about their choices around personal care products—whether it’s haircare or soap, or the minibar—they’re pretty considered. Sometimes they’ll have a white-labeled sexual wellness kit, if they have them at all. The fact that people in hotels are more comfortable just relaxing makes it a really perfect place for us to be.”

Pleasing the Customer—Effortless Fulfillment Meets Sleek Branding

Consumers may think that a sleek brand like maude appears that way only because of their beautifully suggestive photos on Instagram, but there is so much that goes on behind the scenes to create that simple accessibility for customers. The fulfillment and operational systems need to match the marketing and brand aesthetic, and at maude those back-end systems are just as inclusive as effortless as their products.

“When we think about fulfillment and packaging, it’s really less about aesthetics (though this matters) and more asking the questions: ‘Can it be recycled?’ ‘Is this too difficult for a fulfillment team?’” Éva explains, “We are looking for form and function—really considering where we need to marry recyclability with our branding. I mean, when you think about it, after you open a box, do you really think about the box anymore? No. You just want the products.”

Regarding the intersection of fulfillment and marketing, Éva explains, “one cannot survive without the other for everything that you’re putting out in the world.”

Smooth fulfillment has a direct correlation to customer satisfaction. “If you can’t get your products to the customer in an efficient way—not damaged, sent on time—then it honestly doesn’t matter.” Éva adds, “At maude we recognize that whatever we’re putting out, whatever we’re communicating to the world is exactly how we think and act behind the scenes. We recognize that there has to be a symbiotic relationship between our branding and our fulfillment. What’s most important is that everyone gets the whole picture for the customer.”

DCL recognizes the need to operate in the digital era while simultaneously doing this very manual, old-school job behind the scenes. They have the right balance—they marry new technology and an easier way to communicate with their brand of operations and fulfillment.

A Stimulating Connection—Innovative Products Require Modern Systems

maude has redefined sexual wellness and intimacy products, and DCL has helped them broaden the places where their products can be found. From bath soaks, to pleasure devices, condoms, lube, and cleansers, maude creates products that are simple, quality, and made for every body.

Éva says, “I’ve tried to cultivate a true sense of inclusivity at maude. We want to act with the same integrity that we’re promoting out there in the world. We all come from various places across the country, and that really helps us in terms of thinking about our customers. Having everyone around the table who has a different perspective is really important to us. We give everybody a voice and we try to really think empathetically for our customer.”

To make quality products is one thing, but to build a quality brand requires so much more. Fancy branding doesn’t get packages to doorsteps, so to impress your customers quality fulfillment is needed to support quality products. Éva says, “I know DCL is the right partner for us, whereas sometimes navigating this space feels like you’re dealing with either an antiquated organization, or you’re getting all the flash and no experience.”

maude has set a new precedent for personal care products, just as DCL is dedicated to providing modern, technology-focused fulfillment. Éva explains, “DCL recognizes the need to operate in the digital era while simultaneously doing this very manual, old-school job behind the scenes. They have the right balance—they marry new technology and an easier way to communicate with their brand of operations and fulfillment.”

About maude

Launched in April 2018, maude is a sexual wellness essentials brand on a mission to make intimacy better through quality, simplicity, and inclusivity. Featured in 1000+ publications including The New York Times, Vogue, and Forbes, maude was voted one of CircleUp’s 25 and was heralded as “redefining the sex essentials industry for modern consumers.” Founded by Eva Goicochea, one of only 10 Latina founders to raise over $10M, the company is backed by investors including True Beauty Ventures, Fable Investments (Natura & Co’s venture arm), CASSIUS, RRE and Dakota Johnson.