DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kibo, the world’s leading cloud-based omnichannel commerce platform, and HOBO, a premier manufacturer of beautiful, authentic leather goods, today announced the launch of hobobags.com. The new eCommerce site highlights the exquisite quality, craftmanship and functionality of their handbags, wallets and accessories, and allows shoppers to easily navigate and shop by parameters such as style, color and price.
In the first three weeks of 2018, HOBO has seen exciting growth, including a +62% increase in revenue comp, significant improvements in conversion rate and units per transaction are up +12%.
“When we began the search for a new platform, we looked for a company that was the right fit for HOBO, as our goal was to build a long-lasting partnership,” said Jane Scott, Senior Director of Direct To Consumer, HOBO. “Most importantly, we were seeking a company that would provide the support required for the growth that our emerging direct-to-consumer brand is experiencing. Kibo had the perfect blend of a savvy and flexible front-end, an intuitive and ever-improving admin site, and an experienced and passionate team that is constantly working to ensure that we all grow together.”
The new site reflects HOBO’s passion and enduring design philosophy with hand-picked leathers, timeless designs, flawless functionality, and a nostalgic tribute to the methods and soul of the 70s, creating bags that only get better with age. Shoppers can easily browse through product styles and utilize the Quick Shop feature to see color options and multiple product angles, and seamlessly add to their cart or wishlist.
HOBO cites that the open format of the Kibo platform gives their team the creative and coding control over their brand representation, which further allows them to share their story in the most authentic and pure way. As a multi-tenant SaaS solution, users of the Kibo platform are always on the latest release and never have to worry about upgrading their site to a new version again. Adds Scott, “The regular platform releases honor Kibo’s commitment to keeping the platform relevant and up-to-date.”
“Hobo’s new site is a perfect reflection of their brand message and relentless passion for their customer,” says Kelly Lynn, Principle Product Manager, Kibo. “They know every aspect of their customer—her style, expectations of quality, her buying journey—and it’s delivered in a truly beautiful site design. HOBO is also able to more easily pivot from B2B to B2C, by leveraging the same catalog, marketing and merchandising tools across both channels, which allows them to focus attention on their product and customer experience.”
As a mid-sized player in the handbag space, HOBO seeks to make use of the competitive advantage of their size, that being their ability to be dynamic.
“We are not the huge brand in the handbag space- we are a startup story, founded before companies were called startups,” says Scott. “We are proud to be a second-generation family-owned company that stays true to our heritage and founding principles. Working with Kibo keeps us fresh and we look forward to staying focused on the future and growing rapidly together.”
Visit hobobags.com to browse the collection and visit kibocommerce.com to find out more about the platform.
About HOBO
Established in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1991, HOBO’s origins lie within the craft of leather. When Toni Ray, creative force behind the legendary 70’s D.C. leather shop, Georgetown Leather, founded the brand with her daughter, Koren Ray, they wanted to keep the company firmly grounded in the belief that our possessions should reflect our journey. Raised on the road in a VW bus, and spending time under the craft bench as her mother worked in her iconic shop, Koren learned first-hand to create with beauty, soul, and purpose. As HOBO thrives as a second generation, privately-owned and family-operated brand, Koren and her husband, David Brewer, focus on creating beautiful, authentic leather goods that are made to last. They stay true to their passion and enduring design philosophy with hand-picked leathers, timeless designs, flawless functionality, and a nostalgic tribute to the methods and soul of the 70s, creating bags that only get better with age. The HOBO Collection can be found at fine boutiques as well as online at www.hobobags.com.
About Kibo
Kibo is a leading omnichannel commerce platform for retailers and branded manufacturers with over 800 customers fulfilling orders in 75 countries. Clients achieve optimal performance and loyalty through truly connected customer experiences across customer devices and retail touchpoints. Kibo’s unified approach includes a leading ecommerce platform, big data 1:1 personalization, mobile POS, and distributed order management delivered via a modern, cloud-based infrastructure. The Kibo platform can scale as clients grow their business while maintaining a low cost of ownership and faster time to market than other solutions. Kibo enables you to reach higher peaks of sales and customer loyalty. No matter the challenge, Kibo powers your success. For more information, visit kibocommerce.com.
