Case Study

OtterBox Makes Data-Driven Decisions with MAP Monitoring from Wiser

OtterBox faced challenges monitoring MAP compliance across a competitive and expanding marketplace. By leveraging Wiser’s MAP monitoring solution, OtterBox streamlined pricing oversight, identified violators, and consolidated key data into an actionable dashboard. This empowered them to enforce MAP policies effectively, reduce counterfeit-related support costs, and protect their brand in a fast-growing industry.

Otterbox logo

Industry

Consumer Electronics

Region

North America

Company Size

500 - 1,000

Related Solutions

eCommerce Brands

Background

OtterBox, the top-selling phone case brand in America, has built its reputation on designing durable and reliable smartphone cases. Operating since 1998, the multi-million-dollar brand leads the competitive mobile accessories market by offering premium products that combine functionality and style.

However, with success comes complexity. OtterBox faced mounting challenges in monitoring and enforcing its Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policy across an ever-expanding network of resellers and marketplaces. To tackle these challenges and protect its brand value, OtterBox partnered with Wiser, leveraging their MAP monitoring solution to drive compliance, reduce inefficiencies, and preserve market integrity.

Challenge

As the leader in a highly competitive industry, OtterBox encountered significant challenges in maintaining control over its pricing and combating unauthorized sellers:

  • Market Complexity: With the proliferation of similar brands and counterfeit products, OtterBox’s reseller network expanded significantly. This growth introduced new complexities in ensuring consistent pricing across general marketplaces and direct reseller websites.
  • MAP Enforcement Gaps: While OtterBox had a program in place to enforce MAP, they lacked the tools necessary to monitor violations in real time or track unauthorized sellers effectively. Existing processes were manual, rigid, and unable to adapt to the dynamic nature of the market.
  • Data Overload: The sheer volume of pricing data from numerous resellers made it difficult to aggregate and analyze insights in one place. This inefficiency led to missed opportunities to address violations and protect brand value.
  • Impact on Resources: The time-intensive nature of their manual processes strained internal resources, diverting attention from strategic priorities and contributing to frustration among the team.

These challenges not only impacted OtterBox’s ability to protect its pricing integrity but also opened the door for unauthorized sellers to dilute their brand image. The team needed a flexible and robust solution to centralize data, identify violations, and take decisive action.

Solution

OtterBox partnered with Wiser to implement a comprehensive MAP monitoring solution tailored to their needs:

  • Centralized Data Management: Wiser’s platform allowed OtterBox to aggregate all pricing data in one place, providing a clear view of compliance across multiple channels, including general marketplaces and reseller websites.
  • Real-Time Violation Tracking: Wiser equipped OtterBox with the ability to monitor pricing violations as they occurred, capturing screenshots and detailed records for each instance. This provided actionable evidence to enforce their MAP policy effectively.
  • Unauthorized Seller Detection: Wiser’s tools enabled OtterBox to identify and track unauthorized sellers, offering insights into where and how counterfeit or unauthorized products were entering the market.
  • Actionable Insights: The MAP monitoring dashboard provided an intuitive, digestible format for reviewing violations, trends, and insights, allowing OtterBox to prioritize efforts and focus on high-impact issues.
  • Proactive Support: With Wiser’s dedicated support team, OtterBox received guidance and assistance to ensure seamless implementation and ongoing success in their MAP enforcement efforts.

This robust solution not only streamlined OtterBox’s processes but also empowered their team to address pricing issues with confidence and efficiency.

“Before Wiser, Otterbox had no real way of enforcing their MAP policy. Now, the can actively go after MAP violaters and catch them to protect their brand.”

OtterBox

Results

The collaboration between OtterBox and Wiser delivered tangible, measurable results that transformed their approach to MAP enforcement:

  • Improved MAP Compliance: With real-time monitoring and actionable data, OtterBox could now actively pursue MAP violators and ensure compliance across their reseller network.
  • Reduced Support Costs: By minimizing counterfeit-related issues, OtterBox significantly reduced the time and resources spent on customer support inquiries tied to unauthorized products.
  • Streamlined Operations: Wiser’s centralized platform eliminated the need for manual data collection, saving OtterBox countless hours and allowing their team to focus on strategic initiatives.
  • Enhanced Brand Protection: By effectively addressing MAP violations and unauthorized sellers, OtterBox preserved its premium brand image in a competitive and fast-growing industry.
  • Informed Decision-Making: The insights provided by Wiser enabled OtterBox to make data-driven decisions, optimizing their pricing strategy and protecting their position as the market leader.

Conclusion

OtterBox’s partnership with Wiser demonstrates the critical role of data-driven solutions in protecting brand integrity and streamlining MAP compliance. With Wiser’s MAP monitoring tools, OtterBox overcame the inefficiencies of manual processes, gained real-time visibility into violations, and empowered their team to take proactive measures against unauthorized sellers.

By centralizing data, reducing costs, and improving operational efficiency, OtterBox not only safeguarded its pricing strategy but also enhanced its ability to compete in a crowded market. This partnership highlights the value of leveraging advanced technology to protect brand value and drive long-term success.