Bern Helmets

Transforming Direct-to-Consumer into a Profitable Growth Engine

Traffic growth is easy in moments of disruption. Building a profitable digital business is not.

For Bern Helmets, the surge in online demand exposed a direct-to-consumer (DTC) channel built for volume, not margin. While revenue increased dramatically, the underlying economics were not yet optimized for long-term profitability—making it clear that growth alone would not secure long-term success. What followed was a strategic transformation to rebuild the digital business for efficiency, scalability, and profitability.

Overview

Founded in 2004, Bern Helmets established itself as a leader in low-profile, design-forward helmets that blend safety, performance, and style across cycling, snow sports, and urban riding. Historically, growth was driven primarily through specialty retail partners such as REI.

In 2020, shifting consumer behavior accelerated demand through Bern’s e-commerce channel. While online revenue spiked, the DTC business remained unprofitable—exposing foundational gaps in the digital operation.

This inflection point prompted a comprehensive reset of Bern’s digital strategy.

The Strategic Challenge

Bern’s early DTC infrastructure was not built for a profitable scale. Core challenges included:

• Limited organic search visibility
• Conversion rates below industry benchmarks
• Low average order value (AOV)
• Heavy dependence on paid media with unsustainable acquisition costs

Despite strong demand, the channel economics were misaligned. Without a more advanced digital approach, revenue growth would continue to outpace profitability.
 

The Transformation Strategy

A comprehensive assessment of Bern’s digital ecosystem identified structural, performance, and marketing inefficiencies. The resulting transformation focused on four integrated pillars:

• E-Commerce Optimization

  The site experience was re-engineered to reduce friction, improve performance, prioritize high-impact products, and seamlessly integrate upgrades and accessories—driving higher conversion rates and increased average order value.

• Marketing Funnel Efficiency

  Advanced remarketing workflows segmented prospects based on product engagement and behavioral signals. This enabled a 70% reduction in social ad spend while maintaining assisted conversion volume, significantly lowering cost per acquisition.

• Custom SEO Program

  A tailored SEO strategy expanded organic visibility, increased owned keyword rankings, and accelerated search-driven revenue—reducing reliance on paid media over time.

• Promotion Rationalization

  Long-running promotions were evaluated and sunsetted where margin impact outweighed performance, further strengthening profitability.

Together, these initiatives rebuilt the DTC channel into a modern, scalable, and financially sustainable operation.

Results

Within the first year, the transformation delivered substantial impact:

• 54% improvement in DTC profit margins
• 33% increase in average order value
• 190% growth in SEO-driven revenue
• 400% increase in overall search visibility
• 98% growth in owned keywords

What began as a response to pandemic-driven disruption became a fundamental shift in Bern’s digital business. The DTC channel evolved from a high-volume, low-margin operation into a profitable growth engine positioned for long-term scalability.