Case Study: Annie’s Hallmark (Spr–Sum, 2025)

Joined on a 3-month contract to support Annie’s Hallmark during a key growth period. With 59 stores (later expanding to 74) and a customer base of 100,000+, the team was preparing for major seasonal launches across multiple store brands - including Annie's, Baldoria, Gretchen’s, and Lucy’s. The challenge:

• A significant backlog of purchase orders needed to be entered to activate key product listings
• The Shopify catalog included 25,000+ SKUs across multibrand seasonal and gift inventory, creating inconsistent navigation and slow backend performance 
• Ornaments, collectibles, and high-volume gift items required accurate, enriched listings in time for campaign launches
• Teams needed better coordination across digital listings, signage, inventory planning, and in-store events

• Build high-quality PDPs for a wide range of multibrand products - from ornaments to apparel, home goods, and seasonal snacks 
• Streamline the catalog for mobile-friendly discovery and easier backend management
• Support timely launch of wishlist and ornament campaigns tied to Dreambook events 
• Ensure operational alignment across digital and physical retail teams

Multibrand Product Listings & Content

• Optimized 1,000+ PDPs for brands across Annie’s, Baldoria, Gretchen’s, and Lucy’s
• Manually entered PO data and applied ChatGPT to write clear, SEO-rich product titles and descriptions
• Resized and edited product images using Adobe Creative Suite for a consistent visual experienc 
• Being a part of a team effort that reduced SKU count from 25,000+ to ~10,000 for improved navigation, filtering, and load time
• Applied thoughtful collection and tag strategies to accommodate seasonal, brand-specific, and cross-category browsing
   

Campaigns & Launch Coordination

• Scheduled and staged over 300 ornaments for phased holiday drops tied to Dreambook Wishlist campaigns 
• Refreshed gift collections for graduation, Mother's Day, and summer promotions
• Ensured listings were launch-ready for inclusion in email campaigns, signage, and direct mail
• Coordinated wishlist routing and PDP setup across both digital storefronts and in-store displays
   

CX & Store Alignment

• Resolved 100+ internal tickets related to product visibility, inventory tags, and store readiness
• Collaborated with warehouse and store teams to streamline restocks and improve item timing
• Listening to Medallia feedback from store staff to better reflect customer expectations in digital listings 
• Participated in signage, campaign rollout, and catalog planning with leadership and operations

• Enabled timely, high-impact launches of ornaments and seasonal gift collections
• Improved on-site SEO, product discovery, and customer engagement across categories
• Supported smoother internal coordination—from marketing to fulfillment
• Helped build a more scalable system for future promotions, acquisitions, and multibrand growth

• Executed SEO strategy and taxonomy for seasonal discoverability and buyer alignment 
• Applied mobile-first UX and structured metadata across PDPs
• Aligned PDP content with store promotions and collector campaigns
• Delivered AI-assisted and manual product copy for e-commerce and in-store use
• Edited seasonal product images and applied metadata for clarity and consistency
• Coordinated with e-commerce, retail ops, and marketing for launch alignment
• Supported signage, fulfillment, and store readiness across key product waves

• Optimized 1,000+ listings for top CPG and seasonal collections 
• Edited and SEO-tagged 1,000+ product images to meet brand and discoverability standards
• Resolved 100+ catalog tickets for accuracy, availability, and trust
• Rebuilt PDP taxonomy to align with Dreambook ornament phases
• Deployed internal systems for cross-functional launch coordination
• Synced digital listings with signage, inventory, and phased drops for channel consistency

• Oversaw 25,000+ SKUs across multiple store locations using Shopify’s product and variant structure 
• Added, updated, and optimized listings directly within the Shopify admin
• Maintained inventory accuracy and ensured variant mapping across collections and tags

• Created and refined product descriptions using AI and SEO best practices
• Edited meta tags, alt text, and keywords to improve search visibility
• Applied consistent tone and formatting across listings using Shopify’s rich text editor and theme settings

• Resized and formatted images for mobile responsiveness and theme compatibility 
• Led seasonal updates and homepage collection refreshes to support campaigns
• Collaborated on branded visuals using Liquid blocks and custom creative assets

• Coordinated with store teams to reflect real-time availability, promotions, and featured product 
• Scheduled product drops and homepage updates based on merchandising calendars
• Troubleshot listing issues and ensured accurate storefront presentation during launches

• Audited menus, filters, and tags to streamline site navigation and user flow
• Refined predictive search and category filters to boost discoverability
• Supported customer service workflows with accurate product detail page data and collection visibility

Three-Phase Ornament Launch at Annie’s Hallmark:

Behind the Scenes of 300+ SKUs

Rolling out 300+ ornaments across 59 -> 73stores and a high-traffic Shopify site with Annie’s Hallmark gave me a clear view of what it takes to coordinate seasonal retail at scale. I supported PDP improvements and observed how teams managed timing, inventory, and messaging across channels.

• Managed SEO metadata and PDP structure for 300+ ornaments 
• Used AI to rewrite copy; edited and resized images in Adobe Photoshop
• Adjusted tagging, filters, and asset timing as timelines shifted 
• Referenced the Dreambook to align structure and product presentation
• Observed campaign rollouts across email, signage, and Shopify
   

• Speed and timing were everything: Ornament demand peaked quickly - launch windows had to be tightly managed across email, web, and in-store.
• Tagging enabled discovery: Accurate tagging and collection structure made it easier for shoppers to browse and build Dreambook Wishlists.
• AI supported scale: AI tools helped update 300+ ornament listings efficiently, but each still required human review to ensure accuracy and tone.
• Customer sentiment shifted fast: Tariff concerns and limited editions influenced buying urgency and required rapid messaging adjustments.
• Shared tools reduced friction: Centralized calendars and asset tracking improved alignment across merchandising and marketing teams.

Annie’s manages hundreds of seasonal and evergreen brands, each with its own specs, pricing rules, and promotions - making digital execution highly manual.

• Products added individually in Shopify 
• Brand-specific tags, images, and categories managed by hand 
• Seasonal collections rotated across 59+ stores (expanded to 74 during observed acquisition growth)
• Required alignment across e-commerce, in-store displays, and inventory systems

• Manually updated Shopify to reflect launches, promos, and vendor resets
• Synced with store teams to match product availability and displays
• Applied Retail.net and RSR for PO tracking and vendor analytics
• Medallia feedback and team input to improve signage, UX, and promo clarity

• Holiday and occasion shoppers 
• Collectors and gift buyers
• In-store pickup and online-to-store customers
• Parents, grandparents, and pet owners
• Shoppers seeking seasonal, sentimental, and lifestyle gifts

• Ornaments, home décor, candles 
• Kitchenware, fashion accessories
• Wellness and bath, puzzles, toys
• Snacks, sweets, pet gifts
• Keepsakes, holiday items, seasonal promotions
   

Annie’s / Baldoria and Gretchen’s / Lucy’s Hallmark sister stores expanded from 59+ to 74 retail locations across key U.S. regions:

• New England: NH, ME, MA, VT 
• Southeast & Mid-Atlantic: FL, GA, NC, SC, NY
• Southwest: NV, AZ

These locations range from high-traffic suburban centers to community-rooted gift boutiques, offering seasonal and lifestyle assortments tailored to local shopper preferences.