Scaling to £1m+ sales in 6 months through non-brand advertising

Linens Limited started selling on Amazon more than a decade ago. However, the bedding category became increasingly competitive over time. With no advertising activity, the brand’s sales and margin declined over time.

At the beginning of 2024, Linens reached out to FordeBaker to turn the situation around. We took a strategic approach by targeting specific generic and niche keywords with both advertising and SEO activities, thus growing the account by +£591K (+95.6%) YoY while building a sustainable mid/long-term business.

Challenges

The brand was up against two dominant, nationally recognized competitors and a flood of low-cost Chinese imports. There was no safety net—no brand search volume to drive a blended ROAS. Success depended on rapidly scaling ad sales in an environment of fierce competition and tight margins.

When we took over, the account was in decline. Month after month, sales dropped as competition intensified and the previous owners failed to invest. The challenge was clear: reverse the trend and unlock sustainable growth.

One major opportunity lay in a high-quality, luxury line with premium features at a premium price. The potential was there, but with low rankings and few reviews, the range wasn’t converting.

The brand’s vast catalog added another layer of complexity. Prioritizing products wasn’t straightforward, especially given its highly seasonal nature. Performance fluctuated not just across categories, but within them—duvet togs, for instance, varied in demand as the weather shifted.

With no historical advertising data to leverage, every decision had to be strategic. We faced a complex puzzle: reversing sales decline, navigating extreme seasonality, and determining where to focus efforts in an expansive product portfolio—all without the advantage of an established brand.

Solutions

Our advertising strategy was designed to reignite growth, balancing immediate wins with long-term scalability. 

Boosting Duvet Sales
Kicking off in January 2024, the campaign prioritized duvets, with a dual focus. The EasyCare range maintained its sales momentum, while investment was strategically weighted toward the Feels Like Down collection. This premium range, with its superior quality and strong value-for-money proposition, presented a significant opportunity for market share growth.

Aligning with Seasonal Demand
Advertising efforts were mapped to consumer behavior, leveraging high-intent keywords that reflected seasonal demand. Tog ratings were a key factor—ensuring the right products were in front of customers at the right time, maximizing conversion potential.

Expanding Beyond Seasonality
To mitigate the impact of fluctuating demand, the strategy expanded beyond duvets. In Q2, campaigns launched for cushion pads and pillows, product lines with consistent year-round demand. This diversification reduced seasonal revenue dips and created a more stable growth trajectory.

Strategy and Implementation

The strategy was threefold:

• Product Prioritization: Analyzing competitors and consumer demand to identify high-potential products, such as the premium duvet range and evergreen items like cushion pads and pillows.
• Seasonal Targeting: Aligning campaigns with seasonal demand, such as promoting specific duvet tog ratings during colder months.
• Diversification: Reducing reliance on seasonal fluctuations by investing in year-round products like cushion pads and pillows.

The implementation involved a combination of targeted advertising and optimization. Key actions included:

• Launching advertising campaigns for duvets in January 2024, with a focus on a range that mimics the feel of natural down to highlight its premium quality and value-for-money proposition.
• Managing over 2000 SKUs effectively, ensuring seamless operations by maintaining a focus on seasonality, purchasing behavior, and a regimented advertising campaign structure—key elements in driving standout revenue success.

Results

In the second half of ’24, our strategic focus on high-intent, non-branded search terms fueled a +172% YoY surge in total sales, with these keywords accounting for 97.9% of total ad-driven revenue. 

Paid drives organic visibility on Amazon. Consequently, organic visibility soared, with a 1,300% YoY increase in top-ranking keywords, securing 114 Page 1 positions by December ‘24. This momentum translated into £0.9M in total revenue (+£0.64M / +221.6% HoH), propelled by an aggressive yet highly efficient advertising approach. Ad-driven revenue surged to £0.55M (+£0.42M / +332.3% HoH), while ROAS improved by 5.9% HoH, demonstrating an exceptional balance between rapid growth and enhanced efficiency.

Within just six months, we achieved an 18% increase in average order value, a key metric for driving profitability in a highly competitive market.

In addition, search terms targeted by our advertising strategy had a massive impact in terms of SEO, improving our page 1 and top 10 organic ranking performance.

Key Learnings

Success on Amazon isn’t just about increasing ad spend—it’s about making every pound work harder. This campaign reinforced the importance of precise product prioritization, seasonal alignment, and a data-driven approach to scaling ad performance. When faced with declining sales and fierce competition, the key was not broad visibility but targeted impact. We learned that category dominance isn’t won through brand recognition alone; it’s built product by product, SKU by SKU, with the right mix of advertising, pricing, and strategic timing.

Understanding the nuances of customer intent—how search behavior shifts with seasons and product types—allowed us to drive sustainable growth, even for a previously underperforming range. Moreover, we proved that paid advertising isn’t just an acquisition tool; when executed correctly, it fuels organic visibility and long-term profitability.

By applying these learnings, we helped transform a struggling seller into a market leader, proving that with the right strategy, even the most competitive landscapes can be won.