From 0 to 15 million! Product differentiation may become a weapon for going global

Product differentiation as a global strategy, from 0 to 15 million

There is a brand that has become a pioneer in going global by grasping the segmented track of the overseas home market, occupying the TOP1 of the Home & Kitchen category on the Amazon platform in 2021, and defeating all competitors from Europe and America.

That brand is Bedsure, a top-level home brand seller that has already formed a certain brand effect overseas.

It is understood that since 2015, Bedsure has seized the trend of cross-border e-commerce and sold products to countries and regions such as North America, Europe, and Japan through channels such as Amazon, achieving a compound growth rate of over 100% for five consecutive years and winning the love of more than 15 million users.

However, Bedsure’s road to going global has also gone through several explorations and finally found the most suitable development direction for its own brand.

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What users really care about?

As a cross-border home textile brand under Wuxi Shangbai Global E-commerce Co., Ltd., Bedsure is committed to providing high-quality and fashionable home textile products, focusing on creating a comfortable, elegant, and practical sleep and home experience for consumers. Its business has gradually extended from Amazon US, Europe, and Japan sites to emerging sites such as Amazon India, Singapore, and the Middle East.

If you look at Bedsure’s products, you will find that its product line has both quality and comfort, fashion design and diversity, but in the view of the brand, its clever “product differentiation” is worth learning from other brands going global.

It is understood that Bedsure’s CEO Josh Zhu once shared an important discovery when positioning the brand –

In the home textile market at the time, there were two types of brands that dominated. One was international first-line luxury brands that emphasized the design of the product itself, such as highlighting a well-known designer. The other was functional home textile brands that solved sleep problems, and they would emphasize cutting-edge technology fabrics in their promotions.

However, Bedsure believes that both types of brands overlook one question – what do users really care about? Is design and fabric the key issue to consider for home textile products?

Bedsure’s answer is negative. Bedsure believes that home textile products should consider how users can sleep well or how they can match their own home style.

It is understood that Bedsure conducted in-depth market research on the pain point of “how to sleep well”, integrating consumer comments and searches that many home textile brands have ignored, and developed products based on this. Bedsure’s brand concept is to “help you sleep well”, and it has developed home textile products at different price points, truly meeting the needs of European consumers, while distinguishing itself from other home textile brands on the market.

According to Bedsure’s independent website, it feels like “a mother’s love wrapping around you”, allowing you to sleep comfortably.

(Image source: Bedsure independent website)

Its unique positioning attracts users’ curiosity, but what really sets Bedsure apart may be its offering of diverse and personalized choices.

It is understood that Bedsure’s product line covers various bedding, such as sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases, blankets, and cushions. Whether it is simple and modern, classic retro, or fashionable prints, Bedsure can meet users’ needs.

In addition, they also conduct research and development based on the needs of different groups of people, such as those who are sensitive to heat or cold, those with rheumatism, and those with allergies. Through different choices and targeted product development, Bedsure ensures that everyone can find bedding that suits them and achieve a comfortable sleeping experience.

Many brands may have fallen into the trap of “inwardness” in their products – stronger functionality, more exquisite design, lower prices… Bedsure’s experience shows that products should give users what they really want, rather than being trapped in the pursuit of products by the enterprise itself.

It should be noted that what determines the quality of a product is the user who purchases and uses it.

Just like many early DTC brands, they found differentiated demands in the red ocean market by directly communicating with consumers, enabling them to get a slice of the pie from various giants.

Standing out through overseas social media platforms

In addition to its unique brand positioning, Bedsure’s social media marketing is also very outstanding.

It is reported that Bedsure actively participates in multiple social media platforms and flexibly creates and promotes content based on the characteristics and audience characteristics of each platform. The platforms it covers include Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok, etc.

On social media, Bedsure focuses on releasing original content and attracting users’ attention with exquisite visual presentation. Through meticulously designed pictures, videos, and graphics, it showcases the characteristics and advantages of products, while conveying the brand’s style and personality.

(Image source: Tik Tok)

For example, as of May 2023, Bedsure’s official account @bedsurehome on TikTok has 74,000 followers, and videos under the tag #bedsure have a total of 22.7 million views. Looking closely at the popular videos under the tag, more of them are collaboration videos with KOLs and KOCs.

(Image source: Tik Tok)

These KOLs typically have a certain level of influence and expertise in areas such as home decor, bedding, and lifestyle. Their personal style and brand image are consistent with Bedsure’s philosophy and positioning, which can bring more attention and recognition to the brand.

Through the KOLs’ personal influence and creative expression, the brand’s products and philosophy are presented to the target audience. In the videos, KOLs integrate personal stories, real experiences, and professional insights into displaying and introducing products, making the overall video information more vivid and interesting.

In this way, through cooperation with KOLs, Bedsure can leverage their authority and influence to enhance the brand’s trust and recognition. When KOLs recommend and praise Bedsure’s products, their fans are often more inclined to believe and try these products. The intimate relationship established between KOLs and their fans can transform the brand image and product promotion into more persuasive word-of-mouth communication.

Of course, in addition to working with KOLs, Bedsure also encourages users to share content related to the brand, such as photos, reviews, and stories of using Bedsure products. Bedsure promotes user engagement through social media interactions, comments, and specific UGC activities, enhancing the interaction and connection between the brand and consumers.

(Image source: Bedsure standalone website)

In addition, Bedsure also regularly launches promotional activities, special products, and coupons to attract consumers to purchase and increase sales. These promotional activities can be conducted on its standalone website, social media platforms, and e-commerce platforms (such as Amazon), and are sent to subscribers through email and text messages.

BrandArk Observes Brands

In a sense, the rise of Bedsure is very similar to the early star DTC brands:

Dollar Shave Club, with a price of $1, allowed everyone to buy good enough razor blades; Casper satisfied the insomniac population with a mattress and became a unicorn; Allbirds captured a group of Silicon Valley elites with its environmentally sustainable concept.

They all formed differentiated products and brand positioning through deep and detailed user insights, and thus achieved a certain situation.

From Bedsure’s journey, we can conclude that there are many differences between selling products and selling brands.

Perhaps the biggest difference is that:

When selling products, we will pay more attention to the competitors in the market;

When selling brands, we may need to pay more attention to users, whether we can have more benign interactions with users in more scenarios, so that they can form different links through products and brands.

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