The switch to Rivo marked a turning point in how we think about retention. The program reflects who we are now as a brand, it’s flexible, it’s personalized and it drives results.
From an apartment in LA to one of the fastest-growing beauty brands in the world
Kitsch began as a bold vision in a small Los Angeles apartment, a brand built on the belief that beauty should be effortless, accessible, and a little bit playful. Meet Cassandra Thurswell, Kitsch Founder and CEO, over the years grew it into a global force, with millions of loyal customers and placement in over 32,000 stores across 92 countries. The belief that delivering a great product is only part of the equation. What sets them apart is how customers feel when they interact with the brand: the care behind the packaging, the feeling of discovering a day one or favorite, the sense that Kitsch understands and values them. Alongside Cassandra, Jeremy Thurswell, COO of Kitsch, has been instrumental in shaping the customer experience and building programs that keep those loyal fans coming back.
That commitment to customer experience has always been the north star. It pushed the team to re-evaluate how they approached loyalty and retention, especially as customer acquisition became more expensive and genuine engagement more elusive.
A loyalty program that couldn’t match the pace of growth
As Kitsch expanded across email, mobile, and retail channels, the limitations of their existing loyalty stack became more apparent. It struggled to scale, lacked the personalization needed for a brand of their stature, and failed to reflect the polish and cohesion of the overall Kitsch experience.
The program was functional, but it didn’t resonate. It wasn’t keeping up with how Kitsch customers shopped or what they expected. The team needed a solution that could consolidate their efforts, support scale, and enhance the brand experience at every customer touchpoint.
When customers feel seen and rewarded, they come back – simple as that. You can throw numbers around all day, but the real story is our highest-tier customers buy almost 9 times more than everyone else. The best part is the revenue lift, but it's also hearing customers talk about our loyalty program like it’s their club. That’s where Rivo nails it.
Integrated and unified with Rivo
In pursuit of a more seamless and integrated customer experience, Kitsch turned to Rivo. Rivo’s loyalty and referral solutions promised not only a smoother integration into Kitsch’s Shopify instance but also offered extensive customization capabilities beyond table stakes functionality. Jeremy, COO at Kitsch, shared, “The support from Rivo was outstanding from the start. Their team helped us move platforms in what felt like overnight.”
The integration process was designed to be transparent and efficient, minimizing disruptions to Kitsch’s operations and allowing them to leverage Rivo’s cutting-edge technology seamlessly. “The in-checkout integration with Rivo was night and day compared to what we previously had, Rivo gives us that end to end seamless checkout experience,” said Lexi, Senior Director of Technology at Kitsch. When Kitsch needed a way for retail customers to upload receipts to earn points, Rivo’s team spun up a temporary solution in just hours and delivered a fully automated version within a week, showing speed and adaptability. “We threw a curveball at the Rivo team with the receipt uploads, and they just got it done. A quick fix for uploading receipts in hours, and a fully automated solution in a week – that kind of speed makes a huge difference.” says Jeremy.
Kitsch moves from clunky to smooth
“What’s been incredibly impactful is that Rivo applies to both our subscription and one-time purchase models,” said Jeremy Thurswell. Kitsch’s loyalty strategy now reflects the same level of craft, care, and scale as the rest of the business. “Everything from onboarding to reporting has been tailored to how we operate,” Jeremy added. “It’s clear Rivo is built with brands like ours in mind.” From development support to program execution, Rivo’s flexibility and depth helped build a retention engine that’s driving real value across channels.
Since launching Rivo, Kitsch has seen major gains across every key metric:
- Over $5.8M in loyalty-attributed revenue
- 1.2 million customers activated and engaging with the program
- Customers in their highest tier show an 8.7x higher repeat purchase rate
- Redeeming members place 3.6x more orders, with a $50 average order value
- 1,200+ new customers acquired through referrals, driving over $62,000 in revenue
- 1.8 billion points earned, with over 1 million redemptions
“The data in Rivo speaks for itself,” said Jeremy Thurswell, COO of Kitsch. “We’re seeing higher repeat rates, stronger LTV, and a level of engagement that’s helping fuel our next stage of growth.”
“They understand what high-growth brands need and have helped us level up every aspect of our retention playbook.” said Jeremy. “They’re the best team in the game, collaborative, fast, and they genuinely care about the brands they work with,” he added. With a strong foundation in place, Kitsch continues to expand what loyalty means to their community, bringing rewards into product drops, content experiences, and campaigns that keep customers coming back.
