How to win customer loyalty with every shipment 

When it comes to buying clothes online, I’m sure you’ve had great and poor experiences. If you’re looking for clothing brands that understand how to surprise and delight their customers, then you’ll love this post.

Without a brick and mortar location, online brands must think carefully about the entire customer experience from first click to the moment the box is opened — and beyond. Clothing brands  face unique challenges and opportunities. They have an especially difficult task to create a rewarding customer experience as they have to consider clothing fit, returns, and also find unique ways to spread word-of-mouth.

Sticker Mule aggregated a list of ten online clothing companies that include free, unexpected gifts in their packaging to win their customers’ loyalty. Adding a small gift or sticker to a package is often the final step in taking a first time buyer into a fan that promotes the brand online and in real life. 

*Quick note: We selected these companies based on Twitter and Instagram mentions and in no particular order. We really hope you enjoy this list and maybe decided to implement sending stickers with customers purchases in your company. If you would like to feature your own clothing and apparel company here, please email us at help@stickermule.com and include your information and customers' photos.*

### 1. Lauren James | [laurenjames.com](https://www.laurenjames.com/) | [@ShopLaurenJames](https://twitter.com/ShopLaurenJames)

<Tweet tweetUrl="https://twitter.com/Megan_1116/status/650861221004992513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" />

In mid 2013, Lauren James was founded by a registered nurse turned fashion designer. Lauren James bases its brand on incorporating modern styles into classics and creating clothes that could be worn on every occasion. 

[Lauren James customers love that they receive small free gifts with their purchases.](https://www.stickermule.com/blog/how-lauren-james-used-stickers-to-help-build-an-8-figure-lifestyle-brand) Many customers share their orders on social media and take photos of their purchases with the free sticker or gift that was included. The tweet above is one such example where a customer received a sticker and a koozie as a free gift and shared it on Twitter. As customers share their purchases on social media they expose the brand to a whole new set of potential customers as well as increasing the amount of people reordering from Lauren James.

Lance Stokes, COO at Lauren James, says, “Our team is always finding new ways to connect digital convenience to tangible experiences — stickers are a part of that. I tell our team daily that 'if you're not winning in convenience, you better be winning in experience'. The real goal, however, is to do both."

> Our team is always finding new ways to connect digital convenience to tangible experiences — stickers are a part of that."

### 2. Fraternity Collection | [fraternitycollection.com](http://fraternitycollection.com/) | [@fratcollection](https://twitter.com/fratcollection)

<Tweet tweetUrl="https://twitter.com/IrisIsabellegut/status/744252914781167616" />

Fraternity Collection formed its roots in Jackson, Mississippi. Fraternity Collection was started by two fraternity brothers who aimed at creating a clothing company catering specifically toward the collegiate Greek community. 

Through its stickers, Fraternity Collection has created a very recognizable brand all over the world. Their signature sticker that they send out with every order is a bowtie. Customers collect the different bowtie stickers and attach them everywhere, [especially on cars](https://www.stickermule.com/uses/car-stickers) which creates an easy way for drivers on the road to recognize Fraternity Collection. Fraternity Collection also loves to send surprises to customers such as koozies. These small surprises really build the brand’s connection to the customer and help Fraternity Collection reach new potential customers.

### 3. Cotton Bureau | [cottonbureau.com](https://cottonbureau.com/) | [@cottonbureau](https://twitter.com/cottonbureau)

<Tweet tweetUrl="https://twitter.com/Doomworks/status/748110134786809856" />

<Tweet tweetUrl="https://twitter.com/edcasey/status/742476127663357952" />

Founded in 2013, Cotton Bureau sells high quality, custom designed t-shirts by different designers from around the world. Cotton Bureau allows anyone to submit a custom t-shirt design, but then the Cotton Bureau team selects only the best designs to be sold online. 

Cotton Bureau has a lot of different sticker designs that they send out to their customers. Some stickers are sent out only with certain shirts while other stickers are sent with every purchase to promote the brand.These designs can be found all over social media shared by happy customers. The two most popular designs are the hotdog and ice cream stickers, customers can’t wait to receive these stickers with their order. 

### 4. Roxy | [roxy.com](http://www.roxy.com/) | [@Roxy](https://twitter.com/Roxy)

<Tweet tweetUrl="https://twitter.com/AngAtwood/status/1076471275999150080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" />

Roxy was born when the brand Quiksilver decided to start a women's line in 1990. Starting a surf brand for women was something that had never been done before. Shortly after Roxy was formed, the brand started paying off. Quiksilver saw what a huge opportunity the women’s surf market was. Today, Roxy has expanded into a sportswear, denim and snowwear brand with many more products. 

The tweet above shows just how much customers love stickers and especially stickers from Roxy. Their [iconic black and white sticker can be found on surfboards](https://www.stickermule.com/uses/surfboard-stickers) along dozens of beaches across the United States. Customers are driven to attach these stickers mainly due to their love for the company and as a way to build and display their personality. 

### 5. Vineyard Vines | [vineyardvines.com](http://www.vineyardvines.com/#) | [@vineyardvines](https://twitter.com/vineyardvines)

<Tweet tweetUrl="https://twitter.com/AubreyVandyke/status/619269283000881152" />

In 1998 two brothers, Shep and Ian Murray decided that the wearing suits everyday to work wasn’t for them and instead decided to create a brand that shows off “the good life”, they named this brand Vineyard Vines. Vineyard Vines sells preppy clothing and accessories for men, women, and children. Today it has grown into a huge brand with many outlets and retail stores throughout the United States. 

With unique, creative designs, Vineyard Vines grew their already popular mascot (a smiling whale) into a cultural icon. The smiling whale that comes in many different designs such as the one pictured above inspired people to start collecting the stickers and even reselling them to collectors. Whenever people see the smiling whale they automatically think of Vineyard Vines and "living the good life.” The smiling whale and the Vineyard Vines stickers also took over Twitter receiving hundreds of tweets about them. Stickers have definitely been very successful for Vineyard Vines and their customers love them. 

### 6. Stark Originals | [starkoriginals.com](http://www.starkoriginals.com/) | [@starkoriginals](https://twitter.com/StarkOriginals)

<Tweet tweetUrl="https://twitter.com/StarkOriginals/status/683422230102077442" />

Stark Originals is a very popular and fun clothing company. Stark Originals likes to have fun, play outside, and drink beer. Their designs are very creative and very often contain [really cool art featuring beer bottles](https://www.stickermule.com/uses/brewery-stickers). The company sells t-shirts, sweatshirts and many different accessories. 

Stark Originals knows how to promote on social media well, through their Twitter account they share their sticker designs and promote that they include stickers with every purchase. This proved to be very successful for Stark Originals because customers loved knowing this beforehand and it pushed more people to order from their website. 

### 7. Rivet & Cuff | [rivetandcuff.com](https://www.rivetandcuff.com/) | [@rivetandcuff](https://twitter.com/rivetandcuff)

<Tweet tweetUrl="https://twitter.com/rivetandcuff/status/754364858355843072" />

Rivet & Cuff is a company that first had its roots as a project determined to use technology to solve online sizing and fit. Today there are developing technology that brands and online retailers can license so that customers can find the best fit. In addition to their main goal of solving online sizing and fit they never lost their passion for jeans. Today, they have a large selection of men’s jeans from the best brands for sale.

One of their growth tactics is to send stickers with every purchase. As customers receive these stickers they usually share them on social media and paste them around the neighborhood facilitating a guerilla marketing campaign for a relatively low price.	

Rivet & Cuff explains that “At Rivet & Cuff, we take enormous pride in our brand and our logo which captures the vibe of our boutique specialty denim business. We've been selling premium men's jeans since 2013, and with every pair from day one we've included our Sticker Mule stickers as a way for our customers to remember us, and share their stories. We've tried shirts and other promotions, but our customers seem to want the stickers. They wear our jeans, but  they put our stickers on just about everything else. Our learning is that if you love your brand and your logo, and you have a passionate customer base that share your values, they'll love your brand too - and stickers are the perfect way for them to express it.” 

> We've tried shirts and other promotions, but our customers seem to want the stickers.

### 8. CLE Clothing Co. | [cleclothingco.com](http://www.cleclothingco.com/) | [@cleclothingco](https://twitter.com/CLECLOTHINGCO)

<Tweet tweetUrl="https://twitter.com/danbobbillray/status/457930729163206656" />

Two friends, a graphic designer and an entrepreneur, founded CLE Clothing Co. in 2008. They were both looking for an awesome new project to work on and decided that a clothing company would be a great adventure. Eventually one night after talking it over at their favorite place and having a couple of beers and burgers, CLE Clothing was founded. 

CLE Clothing does a really cool thing with their stickers by sending them out with purchases but also selling the stickers on the website. This a great idea because when the customer get a sticker, they are surprised and are extremely happy that they received a product that usually costs money, for free. CLE Clothing shares their many sticker designs on social media platforms such as twitter to show off their stickers designs and promote purchasing their products. 

### 9. SidemenClothing | [sidemenclothing.com](http://www.sidemenclothing.com/) | [@SidemenClothing](https://twitter.com/SidemenClothing)

<Tweet tweetUrl="https://twitter.com/Loser_Anthems/status/753954708021211136" />

<Tweet tweetUrl="https://twitter.com/_nicolastewart/status/730016437146927104" />

<YouTubeVideo videoId="gcjVYgw5SqA" />

Sidemen Clothing is a brand created by a group of very famous gamers on YouTube in association with their YouTube channel. On the website they sell many different products including clothes, phone cases and gaming controllers. 

The YouTubers behind Sidemen Clothing made the brand incredibly incredibly popular among teens. They built this amazing following through their YouTube channels where they have millions of followers as well as on social media giving the brand a huge head start through their amazing reach on these platforms. They also use stickers to grow their brand and channels, for example with every purchase they send different stickers of the brand and a certain YouTuber that is partnered with Sidemen Clothing. This proved to be incredibly successful and inspired fans to create unboxings with the stickers and share them heavily on social media. 

### 10. Runyon Canyon | [runyon.co](http://runyon.co/) | [@runyonusa](https://twitter.com/runyonusa)

<Tweet tweetUrl="https://twitter.com/runyonusa/status/596770665736368128" />

Runyon Canyon Apparel is an outdoor company that specializes in outdoor & performance sportswear. Runyon Canyon was started as the outdoor brand of Los Angeles inspired by the Runyon Canyon and its urban wilderness. Runyon Canyon allows all people from different places to blend with the animals, art, fashion and the outdoors. 

Runyon Canyon has a great following on social media. On their Twitter account Runyon Canyon shares regularly that they send out free stickers with every purchase. This is also a really cool twist because their followers and customers get to see the design of the sticker before they order. This twist to the usual surprise is also a push for some people to order. This method proved to be very successful for Runyon Canyon because it serves two purposes, helping facilitate orders and reaching the potential customer that will see the sticker and will visit Runyon Canyon’s website in return. 

Runyon Canyon loves stickers and says, “Stickers are great way to extend your visibility and plus people think it’s really cool. We’ve seen our stickers on [Nalgene bottles](https://www.stickermule.com/uses/waterproof-stickers), cars, books, iPads, [laptops](https://www.stickermule.com/uses/laptop-stickers), [skateboards](https://www.stickermule.com/uses/skateboard-stickers), skis, [bikes](https://www.stickermule.com/uses/bike-stickers), helmets… you name it.  It’s worth spending the investment just by watching the creative ways people utilize them sticker alone. Not only do stickers make a fun free gift… They also make a great way to decorate and personalize packaging and branding.”

> Not only do stickers make a fun free gift… They also make a great way to decorate and personalize packaging and branding."

## Concluding thoughts

A great customer experience, branding and packaging doesn't have to cost fortune. Resonate and evoke a positive emotion from your customers when they open your package, see stickers and pick up their apparel for the first time.

There are countless ways to delight _your_ customers and win customer loyalty using stickers and other custom printed products. Check out [more ways](https://www.stickermule.com/uses?ref=blog) Sticker Mule can help your business grow.

<ButtonCta text="100+ ways to use Sticker Mule" href="https://www.stickermule.com/uses?ref=blog" />


Ten online clothing companies that include free, unexpected gifts in their packaging to win their customers’ loyalty. 

15 highly rated free design courses 

Design is a major factor in how people view your company and website. But, what if you don’t know how to design, or can’t afford a full-time designer?

Luckily, there is [Studio](https://www.stickermule.com/studio). A free, easy-to-use online design tool with over 1000+ templates and counting.

But regardless of what tool you use, it's helpful to understand what makes a good design.

We get asked all the time if we know of design courses, especially by people looking to make their own [vinyl decals](https://www.stickermule.com/products/transfer-stickers). 

With that in mind we’ve picked out 15 free design courses that’ll help you build your design skills. Check them out:

## Introductory design courses for newbies
![Introductory design courses for newbies](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/4fc19671966dc043afc2df9cb7f5f96b7951a68a)

### Intro to the design of everyday things (Udacity)

This course on Udacity is created for anyone interested in design, it provides a summary of key concepts from the first two chapters of [The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman](https://www.amazon.com/Design-Everyday-Things-Revised-Expanded-ebook/dp/B00E257T6C/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1). The course trains you to recognize how design affects everyday life and how to make better design decisions.

Check out [Intro to the design of everyday things](https://www.udacity.com/course/intro-to-the-design-of-everyday-things--design101) on Udacity.

### Introduction to graphic design (Udacity)

Here you’ll learn the basics of design theory to create amazing graphics. Unlike other courses you won’t be learning about Photoshop or Illustrator, you will be learning the 5 basics of design. This lays the foundation for a career of design success.

> Great for very early beginners. If you're thinking about pursuing graphic design, but you're just not sure if it's a good fit for you, this course is helpful in giving clear definitions so you know exactly what graphic design means. -Melanie Baker

Check out [Introduction to graphic design](https://www.udemy.com/introduction-to-graphic-design/) on Udacity.

### Photo editing essentials: growing your brand (Skillshare)

[PicMonkey’s](https://www.picmonkey.com/) Jen Reiner shares how to edit a picture and make it awesome without the need for Photoshop. This class is perfect for beginners in design or those that don't want to buy photoshop. Every lesson includes tips and hacks to make your job easier. 

Check out [Photo editing essentials: growing your brand](https://www.skillshare.com/classes/photography/Photo-Editing-Essentials-Growing-Your-Brand/855732974) on Skillshare.

## Design principles courses
![Design principles](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/cb44ac4f7971ee85df1c495d21ae22122a254e67)

### Creative concepting: getting to better ideas faster (Skillshare)

This course by Jessica Moon, creative director at Digital Telephathy, explains how to execute design correctly. She shares exercises, concepts and tactics throughout this 40 minute course. This course is best for anyone serious about becoming professional designer. 

> I absolutely recommend this class to remind some of the key shortcuts and the best ways to make the design process easier and quicker. Great tips! Thank you, I really enjoyed your class. - Cata Gomez

Check out [Creative concepting: getting to better ideas faster](https://www.skillshare.com/classes/design/Creative-Concepting-Getting-to-Better-Ideas-Faster/1408421897) on Skillshare

### Design pitfalls (David Kadavy)

Design Pitfalls is designed by David Kadavy, the author of the best-selling book [Design for Hackers](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119998956/?tag=lilgreendot-20), and lead design at multiple startups. The 6 lessons are delivered 3 times a week for 2 weeks. Each lesson focuses on a pitfall and how to avoid them.

Check out [Design pitfalls](http://designforhackers.com) on Design for Hackers.

### Don't fear the Internet

Everyone has a website these days but not all are visually appealing. With this course you learn “not to fear the Internet” and create a website that incorporates elements of design to increase your visits and engagement. You’ll also learn to take a basic wordpress blog and manipulate the css, html (and some php!) to match your aesthetic. 

Check out [Don't fear the Internet](http://www.dontfeartheinternet.com/).

## Courses on typography & fonts
![Typography & Fonts](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/58c90e3dc8be3b2eb9f2157ea7ccb265fce7f89b)

### Choosing the right font (Canva)

Choosing the right font means the difference between looking like a professional and an amateur. Consider how many people ‘love’ Comic Sans but the professional community finds it childish. 

[Canva](https://www.canva.com/design/DAAkValF-K4/remix) offers a free course that helps you choose the right font for your message, and overall design project. Using the fonts you learned about in this course would help you make some killer [custom magnets](https://www.stickermule.com/products/custom-magnets), give it a shot.

Check out [Choosing the right font](https://www.canva.com/design/DAAkValF-K4/remix) on Canva.

### Typography that works: typographic composition and fonts (Skillshare)

Skillshare offers a more in-depth font course that helps you recognize, use and create awesome compositions with typeface. Beyond choosing fonts, you’ll learn the different types of fonts, when they should be used and what works best for your readers. 

> Lovely introduction to typography with great examples and thought provoking content. Really useful, and achievable projects. -Ann O'neill

[Typography that works: typographic composition and fonts](https://www.skillshare.com/classes/design/Typography-That-Works-Typographic-Composition-and-Fonts/1694217981) on Skillshare.

## Sketching & illustration courses
![Sketch & Vector Graphic Design](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/68fdaa955ceece2b50c574d877d025da62e02ffc)

### How to sketch like an industrial designer (Skillshare)

Julia Troy, who is Quirky's Design Director, created this class to teach you how to sketch your product idea into an image that is presentable and accurately illustrates your idea. This course is best for aspiring industrial designers and anyone that is prototyping an idea or invention.

Check out [How to sketch like an industrial designer](https://www.skillshare.com/classes/design/How-to-Sketch-Like-an-Industrial-Designer/625650159) on Skillshare

### Vector illustration: design a playful character using geometric shapes (Skillshare)

Vector illustrations are a huge part of design, with the help of Jonathan Ball’s instructions you will learn to create playful characters in vector form. This course is great for anyone interested in design since vector format is used universally.

Check out [Vector illustration: design a playful character using geometric shapes](https://www.skillshare.com/classes/design/Vector-Illustration-Design-a-Playful-Character-Using-Geometric-Shapes/1832339814) on Skillshare

## Logo design courses
![Logo design courses](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/a7b19a52cd02e2c0821b1e5dbc78effb9ec58132)

### Graphic design 101: Why that logo is so compelling (Udemy)

Logos are a huge part of your company, they are usually the first thing a client sees and can be influential in decision making. This course explains what makes a logo attractive and how the design process works, so you can choose the perfect logo for your company.

Check out [Graphic design 101: Why that logo is so compelling](https://www.udemy.com/graphic-design-secrets/) on Udemy.

### Creating brand systems: an overview of combining logos and type (Skillshare)

This short class is made for creatives, illustrators, designers or anyone is interested in learning what goes into creating a dynamic logo. Designers Mike Ski and Jessie Jay created this course and have included simple side projects to help create your own dynamic logo at the end of the class. 

Check out [Creating brand systems: an overview of combining logos and type](https://www.skillshare.com/classes/design/Creating-Brand-Systems-An-Overview-of-Combining-Logos-and-Type/1941759612) on Skillshare.

## Design courses for marketing & startups
![Design for Marketing & Startups](https://storage.googleapis.com/sm-content/blog/9adbad75b9ff85d7e90ceb677e767113b4e91537)

### Startups, this is how design works

Startups have to compete with the hundreds of designers at companies like Apple, Google and Facebook. This is perfect for employees in startups or those interested in startup design. The course teaches everything a startup needs to know about design including: logo creation, innovative UI and how to beat your competitors with awesome, kick-ass design. 

Check out [Startups, this is how design works](https://startupsthisishowdesignworks.com/).

### Web design essentials: creating marketing homepages that drive results (Skillshare)

This 60 minute course is for anyone interested in designing websites with high engagement and results. Dennis Field, a product evangelist and designer, teaches narrowing your creative process and capitalizing on feedback. 

Check out [Web design essentials: creating marketing homepages that drive results](https://www.skillshare.com/classes/design/Web-Design-Essentials-Creating-Marketing-Homepages-That-Drive-Results/1513598221) on Skillshare.

### Principles of UX design (Invision)

Timothy Embretson from Best Buy takes you through the importance of user experience in this free design course by [Invision](http://invisionapp.com). This course is great for anyone designing a website, app or web tool.  

Check out [Principles of UX design](https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/ux-principles-to-guide-your-product-design/) from Invision.

## Over to you
Approaching design on your own is no small feat but there are loads of resources that will help you along the way. The most important thing you can do is practice, innovate, and create on a regular basis. 

Ready to see how that new logo or illustration looks in print? Why not start with some custom stickers or magnets? Get $10 off your first order when you sign up by clicking the button below.

<ButtonCta text="Get $10 credit" href="https://www.stickermule.com/unlock?ref_id=7980330701&ref=blog" />

Improve your design skills with 15 free and highly-rated design courses. 

Posts by Lenny Roudik

How to win customer loyalty with every shipment

15 highly rated free design courses