What Is Rebranding and How to Use It for Your Online Shop?

Experienced shop owners know that many things change over time - in the industry and in the company itself. In order to gain a foothold in the e-commerce world in the long run, it’s important to constantly improve your products and product range, but also to be consistent in terms of communication, brand image, and your logo. Modifying these elements is often referred to as “rebranding”.

What exactly is rebranding about, when should it be carried out, and what do you need to keep in mind when implementing it? In today’s article, you'll learn everything you need to know about rebranding in e-commerce.

What is rebranding?

Rebranding is a long-term process involving various measures. All of them aim at changing the key element (or some smaller elements) of a brand’s public image.

Many people think rebranding only refers to the changing of a logo or other graphic and visual elements concerning a business.

However, that is only part of what actually goes into rebranding a brand or shop. Any strategies and changes that aim to improve a brand's image are included.

Rebranding - apart from changes concerning the logo - can also consist of the following changes:

Colours and graphic elements of the brand that are visible in ads or on the website (key visuals).
Slogan
Products and their packaging
Offers
Brand name
Target group
Distribution and sales channels

As you can see, rebranding must go hand in hand with a shift in the marketing strategy of a brand or product.

For example, in the sense of rebranding, new marketing campaigns can be specifically designed for a new target group.

It is also possible to highlight one of your most important products or switch to other communication channels (i.e. social media).

Basically, the aim is to reach customers that may already know your brand, but to whom you now want to present a new side of your company or product.

It is therefore important to maintain a certain continuity within your brand, while your company or a specific product undergoes some changes.

Branding vs. rebranding

Before we dive into the actual rebranding process, it's worth taking a look at other key strategies related to it.

You’re probably already familiar with the concept that is ‘branding’.

Branding refers to the creation of a specific brand image that precedes the marketing activities of a particular company. The final goal is to bring the brand, logo, or product into the consciousness of your ideal customers.

Rebranding, on the other hand, refers to consciously changing or adjusting these brand or product associations to new ones.

Let's imagine, for example, that an online shop owner at first had the idea that consumers should primarily associate their brand with low prices.

After years in e-commerce, however, this online retailer would now like customers to perceive the brand and the shop primarily as eco-friendly, for example.

For this “make-over” to happen, a rebranding is needed.

Recommended reading:
The Big Branding Guide: Logos, Social Media and Much More!

Lifting

As we already mentioned, most people associate rebranding only with a change of the logo. Actions like these are what we call 'lifting': a kind of upgrade for the graphical elements of a brand.

Just as the branding process can be compared to a revolution, a lifting is reminiscent of an evolution. Brands usually use this strategy to bring the outdated look of the logo in line with current trends within the industry.

In the lifting process, only the visual level is being changed. The respective target audience, the communication, etc. stay the same.

Redesign

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On the other hand, rebranding shouldn’t be confused with a so-called “redesign”. When talking about redesign actions, one refers to a process that can be part of both rebranding and lifting.

Changes to visual elements are also made (logo, advertising materials, website design). However, it only involves changes to the elements that no longer serve their purpose for various reasons.

In other words, when undergoing a redesign, brands basically “fix” and optimise elements that didn’t produce the desired results. Again, the values of the company or audience remain the same.

When to rebrand

What else should you know before getting started with a rebranding of your online shop or your products?

You need to understand that this isn’t just a long-term, but also a costly process that, if badly implemented, can in fact result in losses for the company.

Rebranding should therefore not be the result of a spontaneous, rash idea or whim, but rather something that was built upon efficient and profound planning and analysis.

Before you begin the rebranding process, you should know the answers to the following questions:

✔ Why and for what purpose do you want to put a rebranding into practice?

✔ How will it affect your business and its future?

✔ What kind of problem/issue do you wish to solve with the rebranding?

There are all kinds of reasons why marketers and shop owners decide to rebrand. Here are some of them:

A merger, company takeover or expansion into new markets or industries
Launch of a new product or product range that could change the public perception of the brand
A desire to change, expand, or narrow the target audience
A change in the market or industry situation (e.g. due to the Corona crisis, or other cultural or demographic changes)
A desire to improve your image and customer communication after a crisis/controversy
A change in business strategy (e.g. a new owner)
Adaptation to competition or emerging trends in the industry
Adjustments of mistakes in the brand communication from the past (e.g. if the product reaches a different target group than the one chosen or does not fulfil promises to the clientele)

In summary, the desire to go through with a rebranding should result from particular business needs. We recommend you to not only involve your marketing team, but also the executives and responsible leaders in your company.

Make sure to communicate and share your plans of the rebranding transparently within your company. This will allow for even more coherent communication outside of your business.

Rebranding your business: What to consider

Shutterstock/ANDREI ASKIRKA

Once you have reflected and determined what needs to be improved through rebranding, you can move on to actual implementation.

It is impossible to say how long this process will (or should) take. However, the implementation may take longer than you first expected.

Planning: make a list

As we once mentioned before, the key to a successful rebranding is consistent communication.

This is why it's particularly important to consider everything and to include all of the channels you operate on social media, all of your website domains, and your local store(s) (if there are any).

In other words, any 'place' your brand comes into contact with customers.

Therefore, if you already know what the purpose of the rebranding is, we recommend you to first make a list of all the specific actions you want to take during the course of the rebranding process.

Not only will this help you organise your rebranding process, it will also allow you to better plan the expenses that come with it.

Speaking of expenses…

Calculating the budget

As we addressed earlier, rebranding is a fairly costly activity, but if done well, can bring your company many benefits, such as more customers (and therefore more sales).

Make sure to analyse which elements need to be changed as part of the rebranding and how much this may cost. This could include hiring graphic designers or implementing new elements on your website.

Also consider the communication tools you will use to inform your customers about your changes and if there are any costs related to them.

The right timing

It cannot be denied that rebranding is an important process both from the brand’s perspective as well as the customer's. After all, it's a revolution!

It's already clear that a rebranding should be planned in advance. However, you might need to consider being careful when to announce the changes you've made.

If you present your new brand image, product range, etc. around holidays or other important events, you run the risk that all the work and the results of the painstaking process will recede into the background.

Communicating the upcoming changes: To your customers

As rebranding affects your customers as well, you need to be transparent with them and inform them about the reason for the change and the implications.

Answer how this process will benefit your customers and what it means for your brand.

Keep in mind that not everyone likes change. Therefore, you may have to justify yourself to satisfy buyers who already associate the company with other values, slogans or logos.

To get customers interested in the upcoming changes, you can creatively announce the rebranding (e.g. on social media or in your newsletter), run a competition, or a countdown to reveal the new version of the brand.

Make sure that the rebranding will be a pleasant surprise for your customers and not just a refresh of the logo.

Let them know what your basic idea behind the whole process was and what motivated it.

Remember that the presentation of the rebranding effects is just as important as the process itself. Also, make sure that your customers are looking forward to the reveal and presentation.

Communicating the upcoming changes: To your team

Not only your customers should know the reasons for the rebranding, but also and especially your employees.

Involve them in the whole process and inform them profoundly about the next steps and the planned effects of the measures.

Make sure that they are aware of what the rebranding means for your business - after all, they are the ones who will present the new ideas to the customers.

Again, ensure consistent communication across all channels at the same time.

This is why it is so important to follow the list mentioned above. Failure to do so may cause chaos and negatively affect the image of the company.

And remember - rebranding is an excellent opportunity to expand awareness and recognition of your brand. However, for this to happen, its communication must be consistent.

Your rebranding should be well-organised - this is one of the keys to success. Try to stick to the list mentioned above as much as possible.

And remember: A rebranding is the perfect opportunity to raise and increase awareness for your brand!

Conclusion

Rebranding doesn’t have to be a difficult and nerve-racking process, provided that you have considered everything and planned the process carefully.

Make sure to define the purpose of the rebranding and communicate it well to all the parties involved in your company.

A well-executed rebranding will lead to a series of positive effects for your business and online shop. This includes, for example, not only greater brand awareness and visibility, but also more sales.