Referrals have always been a natural fit for Ollie. Dog owners are a tight-knit community, and recommending a product they trust to fellow pet parents comes organically. Their challenge was scaling their homegrown referral program alongside their growing subscription and DTC business. Managing program security and customer support inquiries required frequent troubleshooting, which took time and resources away from program optimization—limiting the ceiling for engagement and conversions. They also saw potential for deeper integration with their mobile app and e-commerce platform.
Ollie needed a platform that could handle the complexity of a growing referral operation and remove user friction points, allowing the marketing team to focus on making referrals more visible and high-impact. In addition to providing security and structure, the ideal referral solution would also empower Ollie’s team with tools to build seamless, on-brand referral experiences in-app and online that would resonate with each unique customer segment. After considering several providers, Ollie chose Extole to power their referral program thanks to their robust security measures, testing and targeting capabilities, and deep mobile integration. Prioritizing these features would enable them to focus on optimizing every step of their referral flow, from first touch to reward redemption.
Ollie’s referral program is built around the moments when customers are most engaged. Rather than relying solely on email or an onsite CTA, the team focused on their mobile app—the primary touchpoint for active subscribers managing their dog’s meal plan. In 2024, Ollie added an Extole-powered content card to the app homepage, along with CTAs in the settings menu and the order customization portal, which quickly became the highest-performing share drivers in the program. Ollie runs a diverse mix of program formats through Extole, including their core RAF, holiday sweepstakes, and a high-impact employee ambassador program with tiered rewards. Extole’s Shopify integration also allows Ollie to automate discount code generation and referral tracking, significantly reducing manual program administration so the team can stay focused on referral growth. Much of that energy goes towards extensive A/B testing of campaigns to find the top-performing offers, creatives, and personalization levels. Shares and conversion rates have improved every single year since launching with Extole in 2021—a track record that reflects the cumulative impact of the team’s continuous drive to improve.
