Keeping users engaged with active CRM

As a marketplace, Gumtree’s inventory is ever-changing and out of their control. With more than 500 product categories, they needed to get personal with their customers, narrow down the enormous amount of choice, and direct people to relevant ‘Good Finds’.

Gumtree asked us to help them present their huge volume of listings through tailored CRM that would focus on highly relevant products and services, while also making room for playful discovery. 

Our challenge was to cultivate a sophisticated, personalised CRM strategy at scale that served the right content to drive CTR and engagement across all of their customer segments. 

To deliver the tailored experience that Gumtree was looking for, we developed a deep understanding of their customers’ needs and behaviours.


We worked closely with Gumtree to collect and grow data points in order to understand current customer actions and predict customer next steps. We also reviewed user journeys and identified opportunities for new touchpoints. Finally, we deployed a next-best-offer algorithm to help customers find the right items for them. 

With the advantage of our bespoke creative automation tools, we were able to deliver a scalable solution that engaged and inspired Gumtree customers.

In 2019, ‘Active Browsers’ were a key focus for Gumtree, but limited data on them existed. So, we curated a ‘Favourite Items’ series to drive FOMO and conversion, creating valuable purchase data and building richer customer profiles. We now have access to multiple data sources that help us refine audience segmentation and personalisation of content. 

Additionally, we created triggered emails based on our data that help drive conversion and reflect customer interests, creating a cycle of continual improvement that adapts to the users’ behaviour throughout their lifecycle.

Gumtree has long-established user journeys for their buyers and sellers, ensuring that existing customers are proactively supported throughout the experience. But for first-time users, the site can feel unfamiliar and a bit overwhelming.  

We worked with Gumtree to create new pathways into buying and selling for inexperienced customers. We tailored their journey to the needs of first-timer users, building trust and familiarity and giving them the best initial experience.

We continue to deliver highly relevant, user-specific content for 19 different segments, meaningfully connecting with new and existing audiences. Although Gumtree’s user base has decreased in size, we continue to increase engagement in CRM with useful personalisation year after year.