Turning returns into a growth engine: how Bella Freud elevated CX with Reveni
A brand with a story stitched in
Bella Freud launched her eponymous label in the 1990s. The daughter of Lucian Freud and great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud, she grew up surrounded by art and culture. At sixteen she worked in a Vivienne Westwood shop, later returning from her studies in Italy to become Vivienne’s assistant before striking out on her own.
Her label is known for its sharp tailoring and tongue-in-cheek knits. The 1970 jumper became a cult classic, seen on Kate Moss, Alexa Chung and Zoë Ball. Decades on, the brand is still very much founder-led. Bella remains at the creative helm and her values – authenticity, creativity, self-expression and quality – continue to define every decision, from the cut of a blazer to the tone of a customer email.
“With Bella so involved in the day-to-day, we try to reflect that personality everywhere – the website, our storytelling, even the packaging. We want every interaction to feel like Bella Freud.”
Chris Fuller, Head of E-commerce, Bella Freud
The challenge
Before working with Reveni, the post-purchase experience hadn’t kept pace with the rest of the brand. Exchanges were clunky and refunds could take five to ten working days to land in a customer’s account.
During busy periods customers were left chasing their money, which flooded the customer care team with queries. The process relied on manual steps, leaving it open to human error: refunds that were missed or delayed, inventory that was counted twice, stock that couldn’t be resold quickly. It all added up to frustration on both sides and was showing in reviews and ratings.
“We were spending time firefighting tickets instead of improving the experience for our customers.”
Chris Fuller, Head of E-commerce, Bella Freud
What changed
Since switching to Reveni, Bella Freud has turned a pain point into a reason for customers to keep coming back.
Customer service calls dropped by 20 per cent because there were fewer refund-chasing queries. The brand’s Trustpilot rating climbed from 4.3 to 4.8, with customers repeatedly praising the speed and ease of refunds and exchanges.
Average order value has risen as shoppers often trade up when they exchange, and repeat purchase rates have climbed too. With faster inventory turnover, the brand keeps customers in its ecosystem for longer and reduces churn.
Perhaps most importantly, the customer service team now spends its time speaking to customers in ways that strengthen relationships rather than fielding complaints.
“Once we removed that pain point, customers became more willing to return to us again and again – and often with bigger baskets.”
Chris Fuller, Head of E-commerce, Bella Freud
Looking ahead
Chris believes the brands that treat the post-purchase journey as seriously as the checkout will be the ones that win loyalty in the years ahead.
“Automate where you can to avoid errors and scale. Make it as seamless as possible. And don’t underestimate how much instant gratification matters. It builds trust and brings people back..”
Chris Fuller, Head of E-commerce, Bella Freud
Takeaway
Bella Freud’s experience shows that returns don’t have to be a cost centre. With the right tools they can deepen trust, lift revenue and free teams to focus on the moments that make a brand feel human.