When John Bagui opened his health supplement and wellness store, Baguio Sports, in the heart of Rockingham, Western Australia, he was able to secure his dream location but there was one thing missing—foot traffic.
“It was really hard for us to get noticed since we were a new store and opened in the midst of the pandemic,” explained John, who balances a full-time job working for the Royal Australian Navy. “One day, Wish popped up on my Facebook page, and I realized the platform could help people discover my shop. I was a bit skeptical at first because I hadn’t heard anything about it before and I had no idea how it worked; however, I figured there was no harm in trying.”
A few weeks later, 15 boxes of Wish parcels showed up at his store.
“I was freaking out because I realized the platform is the real deal,” he said “Soon after more and more people began coming into the store and asking me, ‘Is this Wish? Do they have supplements, too?’ I would explain how the Wish Local partnership works, while also taking the opportunity to share information about in-store products as well as our very own Baguio Sports line of supplements and activewear.”
Since joining the program, the growth for Baguio Sports has been so explosive that John says people even complain when they cannot choose the store as a Wish Local pickup location when it maxes out due to capped capacity.
Here are some of the key ways John has utilized customer-centric strategies to promote the Wish Local program to help his business thrive.
1. Go the extra mile to educate the community about Wish
“At the beginning of the program, it was not just new to me, but also to my local community. We had to take the time to train the local community on how to use the app,” said John. “Additionally, Rockingham had nothing like this before, and people were a bit suspicious. To help ease their fears, I would use my app to buy items for them to prove it’s authentic. I may have to spend a few dollars to buy the item, but the return is worth it. For example, I once did this for a customer and a few days later he brought back almost 20 people.”
2. Reciprocate Wish customers’ support
“When customers arrive, I don’t just ask for their Wish QR code, give them their parcel, and then they leave,” John explained. “Instead, I spend time chatting with them while I am processing their shipment to find out what they do and learn about their hobbies. Through this, I noticed some people buy a lot of DIY crafts materials. I let those customers know that if they have any finished products, they are welcome to sell them at my store, or I can help them to sell them at the Sunday market. I make it a point to tell the customers who buy their products that the maker bought the materials on Wish, and this introduces even more people to the app. I am now known as the ‘Wish Dude’ in Rockingham. I always encourage people around me and my customers to ‘keep wishing’ on Wish!”
3. Use excess inventory to support a community charity
“When I have to liquidate items that were not picked up, I put them into a basket and ask for a $2 donation. All donations go to Open Arms, a charity that offers mental health services for Australian veterans and their families.”
4. Have a customer-focused mindset
“Customers love to see me in the shop and often tell me their personal stories. I love being an ear to listen to them which builds trust,” he shared. “I have a lot of Wish Local customers who are veterans and since I work with the Defense Force, we share a common language and can talk all day.”
“Another way I try to provide a differentiated customer experience is through understanding. For example, I have customers who are working in the mines and they cannot make it on time to pick up their parcels, or there could be a case where someone needs to quarantine. All they need to do is to send us a message and we will help them to scan it and put it aside for them.”
5. Authentically raise awareness
“I have been deployed many times, so I travel a lot and I tell everyone about the Wish Local program,” John said “Even when I was recently interviewed on television as a local hero, I mentioned I’m a Wish Local partner. I already serve the nation and put my life in danger, but I want to do things for the community. I want to bring this awesome experience to the community where they can save on their shipping and buy such great bargains. Helping people will actually bless me with great blessing, just like how I joined Wish Local and shared how Wish is great. I never expected to be interviewed by the company, but look! Wish is featuring my story, and now so many other people can learn about Baguio Sports.”
To learn more about Wish Local and how the program can help your business, click here.
