by John Larkin
John runs the blog here at eCommerceLift and is a verified Shopify Expert. Interested in an initial growth consultation? Click here
7 years ago
How Uberpong Transformed the World of Ping Pong from Bland To Awesome
Building a brand around a product that people perceive to be uncool or unexciting can be difficult. How do you get people on board and recognizing the value of your product? Well you do everything you can to make your product cool!
That is exactly what the Shopify store Uberpong has done. This store that loves all things ping pong, have taken a seemingly “uncool” sport and added some excitement to the game making it an intriguing eCommerce case study.
That is exactly what the Shopify store Uberpong has done. This store that loves all things ping pong, have taken a seemingly “uncool” sport and added some excitement to the game making it an intriguing eCommerce case study.
Tell a Story
So how does Uberpong make the world of ping pong sexy? They let their engaging, funny and relatable story do the work. The brand do an amazing job at telling how the company came to fruition and their goals on the About page. It’s told in a light yet informative way that really connects with customers.
They start by setting the scene:
So how does Uberpong make the world of ping pong sexy? They let their engaging, funny and relatable story do the work. The brand do an amazing job at telling how the company came to fruition and their goals on the About page. It’s told in a light yet informative way that really connects with customers. They start by setting the scene:
“It was the end of the workday on a cool Friday in October in London, England. David Lowe and his opponent were locked in an epic ping pong battle. The score was 20-20 in a best-of-21 game.”
Immediately their story is engaging and relatable for so many ping pong players who have most likely been in similar positions while playing. They continue by saying:
“Through the game of ping pong, the employees became sharper, more competitive and befriended each other. They became a dynamic team that worked well together and fostered a competitive and productive work environment.”
It’s a familiar story that so many people will identify with and thus connect with the company. They then continue with how the eCommerce store Uberpong as we know became by saying how their founder David Lowe came up with the idea:
“David noticed that everyone there had a unique personality and style, but neither was reflected in the game… David created Uberpong, a company that would bring style and customization to table tennis and change the face of the game.”
This story is a real insight into the Uberpong brand. It captures the attention of both casual and hard-core ping pong fans and shows that this store really loves and knows ping pong. It’s a great way to get to know the brand and add an interesting element to the business of ping pong.
Custom & Designer
To make the game of ping pong more stylish and contemporary Uberpong decided to allow their customers in on the action when it comes to designing their paddles. As all customers have unique and differing playing styles, Uberpong felt that their paddles should reflect that.
Customers can use whatever images they want and even use pictures from their social media to make paddles their very own. Allowing customers to customize the products they buy gives them that added personal touch that so many of them want from eCommerce stores today. It's a fun way to get customers involved and it's a smart move by the brand.
To make the game of ping pong more stylish and contemporary Uberpong decided to allow their customers in on the action when it comes to designing their paddles. As all customers have unique and differing playing styles, Uberpong felt that their paddles should reflect that.
Customers can use whatever images they want and even use pictures from their social media to make paddles their very own. Allowing customers to customize the products they buy gives them that added personal touch that so many of them want from eCommerce stores today. It's a fun way to get customers involved and it's a smart move by the brand.
To further add to the ping pong paddles cool factor, Uberpong also have enlisted designers to design paddles that are highly stylized. Different artists have contributed their designs and aspiring designers can also submit their ideas that could potentially be used on a paddle and sold at the store. The designs are really interesting, artistic and appeal to the brands fans who are looking for an cool experience.
A Real Passion for the Game
Just because the brand want to make ping pong stylish doesn’t mean that Uberpong have abandoned the pragmatic and technical sides of the game. They still strive to be the best at what they do and want to nurture a following through being the place to go for ping pong enthusiasts.
To make customers aware of how serious they are about ping pong they outline the how their paddles are not only stylish but they have substance also. The brand talk in-depth about how their paddles were “designed taking ergonomics and playability into equal consideration”.
They also highlight the workmanship and quality of their paddles while also showing they are the best on the market by saying “The result is a perfect combination of grip, shock absorbency, thickness and weight - giving your finished Uberpong Paddle an ideal feel and balance for recreation or nonprofessional competition.” It’s clever reassurance that Uberpong know what they are doing and they are the markets best at making paddles for ping pong fans.
Just because the brand want to make ping pong stylish doesn’t mean that Uberpong have abandoned the pragmatic and technical sides of the game. They still strive to be the best at what they do and want to nurture a following through being the place to go for ping pong enthusiasts.
To make customers aware of how serious they are about ping pong they outline the how their paddles are not only stylish but they have substance also. The brand talk in-depth about how their paddles were “designed taking ergonomics and playability into equal consideration”.
They also highlight the workmanship and quality of their paddles while also showing they are the best on the market by saying “The result is a perfect combination of grip, shock absorbency, thickness and weight - giving your finished Uberpong Paddle an ideal feel and balance for recreation or nonprofessional competition.” It’s clever reassurance that Uberpong know what they are doing and they are the markets best at making paddles for ping pong fans.
To further prove they have a vested interest in ping pong and connect with customers and fans, Uberpong sponsor and hold events that are ping pong related. They hold ping pong smack downs and tournaments as a way to get fans talking about the brand, build awareness and just generally show they are a force in the ping pong world.
Brand Influencers
To give Uberpong an extra added flare of coolness the store has turned online influencers. These are celebrities and sports stars that have sway and influence fans opinions on different things. The brand frequently use these influencers to show how awesome their paddles actually are.
Brand Influencers
To give Uberpong an extra added flare of coolness the store has turned online influencers. These are celebrities and sports stars that have sway and influence fans opinions on different things. The brand frequently use these influencers to show how awesome their paddles actually are.
Celebs and sports starts are sent custom paddles, invited to events and are photographed using Uberpongs paddles. These images are put on the brands social media and on the influencer’s social media and then seen and shared by their fans. It adds and extra legitimacy and air of cool to the brand as customers see people they admire and respect using Uberpong’s products. It’s an ingenious way to get the brands message out their that ping pong isn't dull, it's awesome.
What Can Merchants Learn From Uberpong?
Uberpong is a case study that merchants should learn from. They are a brand that took something that was perceived to be uncool but have turned it around and made ping pong paddles exciting and creative. eCommerce stores should think about the tactics they used and ask "how can we be as inventive as Uberpong?"
What Can Merchants Learn From Uberpong?
Uberpong is a case study that merchants should learn from. They are a brand that took something that was perceived to be uncool but have turned it around and made ping pong paddles exciting and creative. eCommerce stores should think about the tactics they used and ask "how can we be as inventive as Uberpong?"
0 comments