As Levi Strauss & Co. shifts to a direct-to-consumer-first model, the retailer is upgrading its website and product storytelling features. Its efforts so far helped to drive a 19% increase in ecommerce revenue in the second quarter of 2024. During that quarter, Levi’s reports its DTC sales climbed by 11%, marking nine consecutive quarters of strong sales growth.

This week, the denim brand detailed how it has improved its site experience. The company highlighted three key areas where it focused on boosting ecommerce growth:

• Revamped its rendering model to speed up page loads and improve SEO.
• Launched a new search solution to deliver more relevant results, helping consumers find and buy products faster.
• Redesigned site navigation to match customer expectations based on analytics and feedback.

“One of the company’s key strategies is to be DTC-first, not to be confused with DTC-only,” a Levi Strauss & Co. spokesperson told Digital Commerce 360 by email.

In its fiscal second quarter, DTC sales made up 47% of Levi’s total sales, and the company now believes DTC can account for more than half of its total net global revenues in the long term, with ecommerce as a key driver.

Levi Strauss & Co. is No. 162 in Digital Commerce 360’s Top 1000 ranking of the largest North American online retailers. The database categorizes Levi’s under Apparel & Accessories. Digital Commerce 360 projects Levi’s total ecommerce sales for 2024 to reach $576.75 million, up from $556.11 million in 2023.

Levi & Strauss Co. web sales by year

Levi’s website changes

Over the past year, Levi’s switched to a hybrid rendering model. That meant combining its server side and client side to speed up page loads and boost SEO. Its website now loads only necessary components, and a team updates the site twice a week instead of every three weeks, improving site speed by over 40% and app launch time by 50%.

The change is significant as more people shop online using their mobile phones. In Q4 2023, smartphones made up 78% of global retail site traffic and two-thirds of all online orders, according to a Red Stag Fulfillment report.

For search, Levi’s teamed up with a third-party vendor to launch a new solution. The company claims it was able to drive a 10% improvement in its search-to-product rate as a result. Levi’s website navigation was revamped to better match how customers shop, such as grouping products by gender first, then category. Highlighting key product features like rise, fabric stretch, and leg opening has also boosted ecommerce sales. Additionally, Levi’s introduced denim lifestyle images for women and dynamic “walk-on and walk-off” videos across its ecommerce channels, leading to more items being added to shopping carts.

“Consumers need to be able to easily and quickly navigate the site without any frustrating delays,” the company stated. “And in online shopping, when consumers can’t feel and touch the product, we must do what we can to bring those products to life and give our fans a better sense of how a product will look and fit.”

DTC’s role in driving profitability for Levi & Strauss

In Levi’s second-quarter earnings call, president and CEO Michelle Gass said the company is “laser-focused” on boosting productivity and profitability across its DTC business. She noted improvements in all store metrics, thanks to higher units per transaction, better conversion rates from new product launches, and more.

“Our U.S. DTC business was up 12%, led by our mainline stores, and AURs and mainline were up low single digits as consumers gravitate toward our full-price premium products,” she noted.

While inflation has made consumers cut back on non-essential spending, Levi’s highlighted its 170-year history, saying, “When times get tough, consumers shop with the brands they trust and love the most.”

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