Why This VP Swapped Edible Arrangements for Scalp Health and Haircare

From clever gift arrangements to scalp health and haircare, former Vice President of eCommerce at Edible Arrangements Erica Randerson has made an interesting pivot and is now leading growth strategy for direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand Divi. But why?

“One of the things that drew me to Divi was that it was birthed out of a problem, and it was Dani and her team fully dedicated to finding a solution. They really pioneered scalp health out of her bathroom and realized that they created a product that worked so well for her and potentially many others,” Randerson said in an interview with PYMNTS.

Getting to the Root of Hair Loss

Hair loss is a problem many people experience but remain hush-hush about. In fact, more than 80 million Americans are affected by hair loss. It is such a prevalent issue that by the time they reach 35, two-thirds of men will have experienced some degree of hair loss. However, it is not just limited to men, as 40% of Americans experiencing hair loss are women.

Divi was founded by Dani Austin, an entrepreneur and digital content creator, as a scalp health and haircare brand, and has reportedly aided thousands of men and women in regrowing their hair and understanding the significance of maintaining a healthy scalp care routine.

Today, Divi’s product range includes a scalp serum, shampoo and conditioner and is aimed at supporting individuals experiencing the distressing effects of hair loss and thinning by creating an optimal environment for new hair growth. All products are noted to be dermatologist-tested, paraben-free, sulfate-free, cruelty-free and 100% vegan.

Poised to Take On Scalp and Hair Health

Over the years, Divi has looked to lean less and less on its founder’s influential following, with over 1 million followers on Instagram, but it’s a component that plays to their advantage.

Other D2C haircare solutions with the same focus include Vegamour, Hims & Hers, Nutrafol, and Prose. But what they lack is a leader with an already established influence. To create the same impact, external influencers would be necessary, however, this approach could incur additional expenses for the brand.

This observation aligns with the fact that the influencer marketing industry reached a value of $16.4 billion in 2022, with 67% of brands and retailers planning to increase their influencer marketing spend in 2023. Furthermore, 23% of these companies intend to allocate over 40% of their marketing budget to influencer marketing.

See also: Why TikTok’s ‘Deinfluencing’ Trend Is Just Another Form of Influence for Brands

Apart from the influence of Divi’s founders, Randerson’s proficiency in online marketing, customer engagement, and eCommerce could aid Divi in broadening its reach and establishing connections with a larger customer base. This appointment emphasizes Divi’s dedication to using digital platforms to enhance its brand and extend its outreach to a wider audience.

In addition, Randerson’s background in eCommerce and customer engagement could enhance Divi’s overall customer experience. With Randerson’s expertise, Divi could potentially double down on the community it has built and provide a more personalized shopping experience for its customers, including targeted product recommendations, customized promotions, as well as additional loyalty incentives.

Community, Conversation and Listening

For Randerson, Divi’s customer feedback and reviews have been both heartwarming and data driven. Going through the product pages and reading the stories of how the scalp serum has helped customers has been an emotional experience. At the same time, as an eCommerce marketer, Randerson sees this as a goldmine of data that can be used to improve the customer experience, create targeted marketing campaigns, and drive sales.

“Our scalp serum was our first product that we launched, and what we did not expect was an outpouring of organic customer feedback and reviews nearly overnight,” Randerson said.

Today, the company reports the product to have over 10,000 customer reviews.

“From your customers telling you, ‘Hey, I had this problem, and here’s how you solved it.’ It’s actually how we started understanding that there are people struggling with dandruff, not just hair loss,” Randerson said. “So, we’re very big into data analysis and allowing data to drive the decisions.”

And as Divi looks to customer feedback and reviews, the company is also set to launch its hair vitamins called “To the Roots,” an additional product to help with overall scalp health.

Where She’s Been, Where She’s Going

Prior to joining Divi, Randerson worked as vice president of eCommerce at Edible Arrangements, where she was responsible for making daily eCommerce decisions and creating strategic plans for the company’s international websites and more than 900 franchise retail locations.

In Randerson’s new role at Divi, she will be tasked with overseeing all of the company’s eCommerce operations, such as brand marketing, website strategy, social media and influencer programs.

“We are in growth mode,” Randerson said. “It feels like we’re on a rocket ship that won’t slow down anytime soon. I am truly excited to be joining Divi at this point in the journey. Big things are coming.”

According to Randerson, Divi had a prosperous year with revenues just under $40 million and is expecting to perform even better this year. To accomplish this goal, Divi intends to optimize its current channels by assessing its effectiveness and integrating its eCommerce team seamlessly. This involves implementing conversion rate optimization (CRO) and customizing the website to offer a more personalized customer experience.

Divi is enthusiastic about the potential for growth with the launch of new products and testing of new marketing channels, as well as for the overall brand. Today, Divi’s Scalp Serum, Shampoo, and Conditioner can be found online and at more than 400 Ulta locations.