Tiertime case study: $0 to $3M in two years in the US
Tiertime 3D went from pre-launch to $3 million in sales in two years. From 2015 to 2017, Wadabu launched the brand in the United States and ran direct-to-consumer and B2B sales with one team.
Tiertime 3D went from pre-launch to $3 million in sales in two years. From 2015 to 2017, Wadabu launched the brand in the United States and ran its direct-to-consumer (DTC) and business-to-business (B2B) sales with one team.
Who is Tiertime?
Tiertime 3D makes 3D printers. It is part of Dover Corp (NYSE: DOV). The company held a patent on FDM (fused deposition modeling) printing but had never sold under the Tiertime brand before. This was a launch from zero.
What did Tiertime need?
A US business with two sides, built from nothing. The first was selling printers directly to buyers online. The second was selling in volume to distributors, universities and government buyers. Most brands build one and add the other later.
What did Wadabu do for Tiertime?
Wadabu ran both sides from launch through scale.
- Launch. Taking a brand with no sales history to US buyers.
- Paid ads and email. Advertising to reach new buyers, and email to bring them back.
- Trade shows and outbound. Showing the printers in person and contacting buyers directly.
- Government and university sales. Contracts with public buyers and sales into universities.
- Wholesale program. A program for resellers and distributors.
- Retention. Keeping existing customers buying.
- Sales and distribution. Scaling how the product was sold and delivered across the US.
What was the result?
$3 million in sales in two years, starting from zero.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Sales before launch | $0 |
| Sales after two years | $3 million |
| Engagement | 2015 to 2017 |
The B2B channel also produced three firsts for Tiertime in the US:
- Its first container-sized orders
- Government contracts
- Major wholesale deals
Wadabu grew our DTC sales and built our B2B channel at the same time. One team landed our first container-sized orders, government contracts and major wholesale deals in the U.S.
Brian Quan, General Manager, Tiertime 3D
What can a startup take from this?
DTC and B2B feed each other. The site and the marketing that sell one unit to a consumer are the same proof a distributor or a procurement officer checks before a volume order. Running both with one team keeps the message and the numbers in one place. For how one team is usually set up, see the fractional marketing team page, and for the choice between hiring and outsourcing, see fractional CMO vs growth agency.
Final thoughts
Tiertime went from no sales to $3 million in two years, with online sales and volume sales built in the same period by one team. If you sell to consumers and want a B2B channel as well, talk to Wadabu.
Frequently asked questions
How fast did Tiertime 3D grow in the US?
From pre-launch to $3 million in sales in two years. The engagement ran from 2015 to 2017.
What did Wadabu do for Tiertime 3D?
Launched the brand in the US and ran paid ads, email, trade shows, outbound sales, government and university sales, a wholesale program, retention, and sales and distribution.
What B2B results did Tiertime see?
Its first container-sized orders, government contracts and major wholesale deals in the United States.
Written by Andrew Zam, Founder of Wadabu, a growth marketing agency for consumer-brand startups.
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