Nuts for nuts.com

I’m an Amazon Prime guy. Amazon probably captures 80% of my online spending. But I also eat a lot of fruits and nuts and nuts.com does such a great job of marketing and customer experience that they get 100% of my spend on that category.

But why? Is the website magic? No, it’s a functional e-commerce site that’s nothing special to write home about. Is the product amazing? No, they sell a commodity – nuts. I defy anyone to tell me the difference between a $4 organic fair trade cashew bought at Whole Foods and one from a Planters can other than sanctimony and guilt. Are the prices the lowest? No, they’re about average. I’ve found lower, but I continue to give my business to nuts.com and pay a little more.

So what makes nuts.com so dear to this marketer’s beating heart? All the little things.

The whole tone of their branding makes you smile. They market themselves as a family business that’s been around since 1929 when “Poppy Sol” started the business. That’s a warm and fuzzy. Where ever possible they use a goofy font that is friendly, approachable and resembles a grade schooler’s penmanship – emphasizing the story that there’s real people behind this purchase. The transactional emails are written in a jaunty friendly way that stands out from the cold cold copy of other emails. When my package arrived, they (through the carrier) sent me an email that said “Hiya Christopher! Doorbell. Special delivery from the nutmobile.”. OK, maybe it’s a tad hokey. But I’m a jaded New Yorker and I still think it’s cute.

The packaging is bright and cheery and has little anthropomorphic nut characters on it. The packaging is also durable, easy to open and easy to reseal. It has a little clear window so you can see the contents. Someone clearly put some time and thought into that consideration. Other sites I used to order from just dump the nuts in a clear plastic bag with a twist tie that may or may not be originally intended as a garbage can liner.

Fulfillment is great, I got an email every step of the way and I got my nuts the very next day after I placed my order. OK, it’s coming from a few miles away in New Jersey, but still!

They offer a 100% money back guarantee – for any reason. Now, I’ve had no cause to see if this is true, but it jibes with the whole brand message “we’re a family business of nice friendly people who just want you to enjoy some nuts”.

Jeffrey, Kenny, Uncle Sandy and Cousin David you’re doing a hell of a job.