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Case Study

Goorin Bros.

April 01, 2022

Founded in 1895, global hat, apparel and accessories brand Goorin Bros. instituted an affiliate marketing program and applied Refersion’s technology to heighten brand awareness while challenging customers to embrace their unique style.

IndustryFashion and Accessories
Ecommerce PlatformShopify Plus
Affiliate Sales$1M
New affiliate registrations600+

Created in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1895, Goorin Bros. embodies the spirit of timeless craftsmanship when it comes to their products. The global hat, apparel and accessories brand has evolved while passing through the generations of Goorins – from early years of selling products wholesale for exposure to moonlighting as the official hat brand at the Winter Olympic Games in 1960. Even after dedicating more than a century to perfecting their artistry, Goorin Bros. continues to challenge and shape the fashion industry by pushing style, culture, and expression forward.

Today’s consumers likely recognize Goorin Bros. for “The Farm,” a playful hat, apparel, and accessories collection emblazoned with patches of animals and their respective tongue-in-cheek labels. Whether reinventing classic designs or adopting the latest fashion, Goorin Bros. has always prioritized history and integrity in their products.

An Intentional Approach

For Nicky Cutler, Social Media Manager at Goorin Bros., remaining stagnant in style was never an option. “We are on a mission to help people cultivate their own unique style and rise to their full potential. Our origins remain as expert makers of a timeless craft – but we are always reinventing new takes on the modern classic.” 

In order to embody the same commitment to integrity and innovation in their marketing efforts, Goorin Bros. opted to establish an affiliate marketing program. Pioneered by loyal brand enthusiasts, an affiliate marketing approach would not only help grow Goorin Bros.’ brand recognition, but also allow them to remain authentic to their word-of-mouth origins. 

“I really wanted to create a way to compensate the many influencers that were working to spread the brand around to their fans and followers. I felt like this was a new way to achieve success and had heard of other brand success stories using affiliates, so we decided to give it a try.”

Nicky Cutler, Social Media Manager at Goorin Bros.
Trying On A New Technique

In February 2021, Goorin Bros. turned to Refersion’s affiliate marketing platform for assistance with the management, data tracking, and payment of their brand ambassadors through their ecommerce platform, Shopify Plus. Without a pre-existing affiliate marketing program, Goorin Bros. was primed to turn their affiliate marketing channel into a significant driver of sales growth and brand awareness – with the help of Refersion. 

Through Refersion’s technology, Goorin Bros. invites their most devoted customers to become champions for their brand – and receive timely compensation as an incentive. Interested candidates submit their application through the Goorin Bros. website, which then seamlessly translates over to the Refersion platform for the Goorin Bros. team to review. As applicants are accepted into the program, the Goorin Bros. team can track, manage, and pay their affiliates, all within Refersion’s streamlined platform. 

For the majority of these affiliates, receiving on time payments for their sales is a major incentive to promote Goorin Bros. products. Through Refersion Pay, Refersion’s payment and tax solution, the Goorin Bros. team can automatically pay their affiliates with automated order conversion approvals and scheduled commission payments. This allows affiliates to receive payment directly from the brand’s bank account to their own, increasing Goorin Bros.’ appeal as a top-tier partner to affiliates seeking trust and timeliness. 

Aside from delivering timely payments, Goorin Bros. also works to ensure their affiliates function as engaged and valued members of the team. Affiliates of Goorin Bros. receive weekly newsletters, keeping them informed on the latest drops, new arrivals, and incentives. Armed with educational materials and encouraged to showcase their creativity, Goorin Bros. motivates their affiliates to open up their social media platforms and generate significant buzz for the brand.

“Refersion’s affiliate marketing platform is the fuel to excite our customer base into spreading the word of our brand all over town!”

Nicky Cutler, Social Media Manager at Goorin Bros.

After just one year of using Refersion’s affiliate marketing platform, Goorin Bros. saw:

  • $1M in affiliate sales
  • 10,000+ approved affiliate conversions
  • 600+ new affiliate registrations
Out with the Old

If the next hundred years of the Goorin Bros.’ brand are anything like the last, the company is certain to remain at the forefront of fashion innovation. As the Goorin Bros. team looks to the future, Nicky already has a strategy in mind for affiliate marketing expansion. “We want to build our Refersion program even further by creating a larger network of folks to join from our customer base,” Nicky shared. “We also hope to work with larger publishers in new ways to grow our customer acquisition and generate even greater sales.

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