How Everlane Generated $1.5M in 90 Days With Onward's Order Upgrade

The Problem

Everlane built a nine-figure brand on radical transparency and environmental responsibility. They show customers the exact cost breakdown of every product: materials, labor, transport, margin. Their commitment to ethical factories and sustainable practices isn't marketing; it's foundational to how they operate.

But shipping incidents were undermining that transparency. Orders lost by unreliable carriers. Packages stolen in major metropolitan areas. Customer Success overwhelmed with WISMO inquiries while trying to maintain fast response times with a lean team.

The finance and CX teams needed a solution that accomplished three goals: control costs, maintain the premium customer experience Everlane was known for, and align with the brand's sustainability values. The challenge was finding an approach that didn't feel like adding friction at checkout or asking customers to pay for something that provided little tangible value.

Traditional solutions didn't fit. Basic shipping protection and tracking didn't deliver the premium experience their customers expected. Platforms charging additional monthly SaaS fees contradicted Everlane's lean operation model. And most critically, standard shipping protection did nothing to address the environmental impact of ecommerce logistics.

Both teams needed something different: a solution that customers would actually value and adopt, while delivering measurable business impact and supporting their sustainability commitments.

The Solution: Premium Protection That Delivers Value on Every Order

Onward's Checkout+ Upgrade transformed basic shipping protection into a membership-style order upgrade that benefits customers whether their package arrives perfectly or not.

When Everlane customers opt-in to Onward, they get:

• Expanded protection for lost, stolen, damaged, missing, wrong items

• 90-day satisfaction guarantee (the standout feature driving adoption)

• 10% cashback in store credit (driving a 13x ROAS for every dollar redeemed)

• Carbon-neutral shipping through verified eco-friendly, non-profit programs

The economics made sense to customers: pay $3, get $15 in future credit, plus they support sustainability with every purchase, they get an extended quality guarantee, and priority support on any delivery issues. Even if the package arrives perfectly, they receive value. For Everlane's environmentally-conscious customer base, knowing their order automatically contributes to carbon offset initiatives adds another reason to opt in.

As a result, Everlane customers showed high demand for the program, redeeming credits and making claims at a rate 30% higher than a traditional loyalty program.

Zero monthly platform fees. White-glove implementation in under a week. Support happens in shared Slack channels, not ticketing systems.

Environmental Impact: Sustainability at Scale

For a brand built on ethical manufacturing and environmental responsibility, Onward's carbon offset program wasn't just a nice-to-have feature. It was a critical component of the partnership.

Every protected order through Onward automatically contributes to verified carbon offset initiatives. In just 90 days, the Everlane partnership has offset 150 tonnes of carbon emissions, the equivalent of:

• Removing 33 passenger vehicles from the road for an entire year

• Eliminating 340,000 miles of driving

• Powering 18 homes for a year

Why Sustainability Drives Adoption

Everlane's customer base doesn't just prefer sustainable options; they expect them. The carbon-neutral shipping feature directly contributed to the 55%+ adoption rate Everlane achieved with Onward, well above the industry average of 30-40%.

When customers see that their $3 protection fee covers shipping issues, provides $15 in future credit, AND offsets the carbon footprint of their delivery, the value proposition becomes clear. They're not just protecting their order; they're making a choice that aligns with their values.

For Everlane, the environmental impact isn't separate from the business impact. Customers who feel good about their purchases come back. The carbon offset program reinforces the brand's values at every checkout, turning a transactional moment into a values-aligned experience.

How Data Transformed the Partnership

Everlane's teams were looking for a solution that would improve both customer experience and business outcomes. What they discovered was that Onward provided something of unexpected value: data and tools that helped them understand and improve their entire shipping operation.

Discovery 1: Some Fraudulent Claims Were Slipping Through

Onward's AI-powered fraud monitoring tools, combined with third-party user verification systems. revealed that an unfortunate percentage of customer claims for "stolen packages" were fraudulent.

The teams wanted to help legitimate customers while protecting the business, however they lacked tools to efficiently distinguish legitimate claims from fraud. Onward's customer scoring system identifies likely fraudulent claims and requires additional verification only when patterns suggest risk. This gives the team greater accuracy in claim decisions without adding friction for legitimate customers.

Discovery 2: Carrier-Level Theft Data Exposed 3PL Problems

Onward revealed carrier-level performance data. Everlane was using a 3PL that chose carriers based on shipping cost, not reliability.

One 3PL carrier had 2x the stolen claim rate of FedEx or UPS. They were dropping packages on New York City streets without delivery confirmation.

The cheap shipping rates were actually costing Everlane money. Even with Onward covering 60-65% of orders through protection, Everlane still had to cover the remaining 35-40% of fraudulent and stolen claims on unprotected orders.

Everlane took this data back to their 3PL and changed carrier policies.

Discovery 3: Tools to Manage Non-Protected Orders

The insights didn't stop at protected orders. Onward is building Everlane unified software (rolling out Q1 2026) that lets them track both protected and non-protected claims with fraud detection tools for orders outside Onward's coverage.

This expanded the value of the partnership beyond just handling protection claims. Onward is giving Everlane's teams tools to be more effective across their entire operation.

The partnership delivered on both goals: improved customer experience and measurable business impact. Onward made Everlane's operations more strategic, more data-driven, and more valuable to the company.

The Results

Financial Impact: $1.5MM+ in the First 90 Days

In just 90 days, Everlane generated:

• $750K in protection revenue (pure profit through revenue share)

• $800K in cashback-driven purchases (topline orders driven by store credit)

When Onward approves a claim and Everlane ships a replacement, Everlane retains the original sale revenue while Onward covers replacement costs. The replacement generates new revenue covered by protection fees, not new customer payment.

Shipping incidents transformed from pure costs into revenue-positive outcomes.

Environmental Impact: 150 Tonnes of Carbon Offset

The partnership has already offset 150 tonnes of carbon emissions through verified offset programs. This environmental impact scales with adoption. As more customers opt in, the collective offset grows, turning everyday ecommerce transactions into measurable sustainability wins.

Customer Experience: Support Without the Burden

Everlane's CX team can now handle higher order volumes without adding headcount.

When shipping issues happen, customers file claims through an Everlane branded portal that maintains their premium aesthetic.

Onward handles back-end claim processing and fraud detection. Everlane's team maintains customer relationships and brand integrity.

Cashback Drives Repeat Purchases

When customers buy protection, that value converts to store credit. Everlane drives repeat purchases without funding a traditional loyalty program since customers already paid for the credit. 

Making Operations More Strategic

Before Onward, Everlane's teams were forced to be reactive. They handled tickets, answered WISMO inquiries, approved claims, and managed customer frustration when things went wrong.

After Onward, operations became more strategic:

Data-Driven Decision Making

Carrier performance data informed 3PL negotiations and carrier selection. Fraud detection protected margin without sacrificing customer trust. Teams prove their value with numbers, not anecdotes.

Proactive Operations

Rather than reacting to shipping problems, Everlane now spots carrier issues early and adjusts before problems scale. Teams shifted from firefighting to prevention.

Focus on High-Value Interactions

Reducing shipping-related tickets freed teams to focus on product recommendations, styling advice, and community building. High-value interactions that actually differentiate the brand.

Strategic Partnership

When teams can show that carrier selection costs money and fraud erodes margin, they become strategic partners in operational decisions. They moved from cost center to value driver.

Onward didn't just handle claims. They gave Everlane's team the tools to be more effective, more strategic, and more valuable to the business.

What This Means for Other Premium DTC Brands

Traditional protection only covers shipping incidents (rare). Satisfaction guarantees cover product concerns (common).

Cashback turns protection into loyalty. When unused protection converts to store credit, you're funding repeat purchases with money customers already paid. It's loyalty without the traditional program overhead.

Fraud detection protects margin. If 40% of claims are fraudulent, you're hemorrhaging money without knowing it. Tools that distinguish legitimate claims from fraud protect margin without sacrificing customer trust.

Carrier data drives operational improvements. When you can prove that one carrier has 2x the theft rate, you have leverage to change carrier policies or renegotiate with your 3PL.

Operations become strategic. When your teams have data showing how carrier selection, fraud patterns, and protection adoption impact margin, they move from reactive support to strategic operations.

Sustainability becomes a competitive advantage. For values-driven brands, the carbon offset program transforms shipping protection from a transactional necessity into a values-aligned customer experience. Customers who feel good about their purchases come back.

Brand alignment matters. Onward's zero-fee model matched Everlane's efficiency philosophy. The value-add approach aligned with Everlane's relationship-focused customer strategy. Carbon-neutral shipping supported sustainability values. Misaligned partnerships create friction regardless of features.