Skylum and FastSpring: A Case Study

Skylum enjoys autonomy, reduced costs, and higher average order values.

Industry

Photo Editing Software

Headquarters

California

Website

skylum.com

The Company

Skylum (formerly Macphun) is a global leader in complex photography applications for Mac and PC.

Discover how Skylum unlocked a global audience and gained control of it’s future with FastSpring.

 

“FastSpring fueled a ton of growth when we transitioned from the App Store to doing business natively. We’ve been able to unfurl our wings and fly because of the robust platform we found with FastSpring.”

Kevin LaRue, VP, Skylum Software

The Challenge

Skylum's continued growth required a major change to their payment process.

Since its inception in 2008, consumers worldwide have enjoyed Skylum’s photo editing applications. In fact, the company has earned the coveted Apple Store distinction of “Best of the Year” five years in a row. Yet, in 2013, with approximately eighty-five percent of its business occurring through the Apple Store, the Skylum team decided they needed a change.

Skylum enjoyed the built-in exposure the Apple Store provided their business, but the model was costly due to the painful 30% “Apple Tax,” and it created a barrier between Skylum and consumers. The team wanted to grow the business and control Skylum’s future, so they decided to transition the bulk of their sales from the Apple Store to their own website.

Skylum’s website was in its infancy and was working with a payment processing vendor that resisted change. So, in addition to shifting their strategy, the team needed a new transaction partner to manage global payments with a robust yet flexible platform.

The Solution

Skylum experienced superior, real-time payment functionality, and a partner in growth.

Skylum needed a secure payment solution that could manage the diverse needs of a global audience with localized language, currency, and taxes. The company also needed a secure technology vendor that could manage every aspect of the back-office, from processing orders and reporting taxes to data security and provide fraud detection. And, most of all, the team wanted a partner who would work with them as they expanded and scaled the business.

It didn’t take long to realize they needed FastSpring.

The Results

They customized the storefront powered by FastSpring to match the look and feel of Skylum’s brand, creating a seamless customer experience. When they were confident that the entire customer journey—from research to payment and order fulfillment—was perfect, they transitioned from the old solution.

With FastSpring up and running, Skylum was ready to challenge the flexibility and customization of the platform. To its delight, FastSpring was exceptionally agile. As the relationship blossomed, Skylum partnered with FastSpring to co-develop new features such as installment plans, ID verification, and unique methods for capturing coupon codes.

FastSpring supported Skylum’s growth in other ways as well. When Skylum expanded into the Japanese market, FastSpring was right by its side. Skylum worked to translate messaging and build influencer relationships, while FastSpring designed a flawless global payment experience to ensure a smooth launch.

Skylum’s plan to transition from the Apple Store to its website became a reality with the help of FastSpring. The company still sells products through the Apple Store, but the majority of their transactions now take place natively, which reduces the cost of doing business. With FastSpring, Skylum has been able to increase its average order value by bundling products, suggesting add-ons, and streamlining the user experience.

Skylum is now looking forward to the next chapter of its evolution. The company is expanding and changing its name to serve a much larger market and, once again, will need to scale. But, with FastSpring as their partner in growth, the team at Skylum is confident they are up for the challenge.

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