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In 2009, 18-year-old Amanda Zuckerman was shopping for dorm supplies with her mother, Karen, when she “saw a[they] “We were really surprised that stylish twin-XL bedding and everything you need to outfit and organize a small space was virtually nonexistent and not sold in one place,” she says. So, in the midst of Bed Bath & Beyond, the duo decided to design their own dorm-room bedding line.
Image courtesy of Dormify. Amanda Zuckerman on the left and Karen Zuckerman on the right.
When Zuckerman was a sophomore in college, Dormify was officially born. The mother-daughter team launched a blog about college life and dorm decor. Zuckerman’s friends joined forces as writers, and eventually they grew an extensive network of brand ambassadors providing a “proof of concept” in an era just before social media filled the gap. Printed-to-order posters became the company’s first product line.
Related: How a side hustle started in a Princeton dorm room grew into a $510 million business: “Don’t say no.”
Despite not raising a lot of capital from the get-go, as was common for direct-to-consumer brands at the time, Zuckerman’s small dorm-room decorating business grew into a multimillion-dollar company thanks to its “grassroots strategy.” Domify hosted trunk shows to let people touch the products. “It was a lot like an old-time Tupperware party,” Zuckerman says. Eventually, these efforts led to seasonal pop-ups and retail partnerships in more than 200 stores.
“It’s hard because we have new customers every year.”
Of course, as Dormify has been around for more than a decade, its core customer demographic has evolved from millennials to Gen Z. “It’s hard because we have new customers every year,” Zuckerman says. “So it’s not just about acquiring a customer and continuing to nurture that customer. We’re acquiring new customers every year.”
When it comes to catering to Gen Z, business owners shouldn’t underestimate the importance of social media. Not only has it been key to Dormify’s growth over the years, it also gives the company a vital, direct connection with its existing customers. But like all brands, winning over Gen Z requires Dormify to be agile and strategic across social channels.
Images/Photos Courtesy: Dormify
Related: Gen Z doesn’t care about billboards, they care about authenticity Here’s how business leaders can earn Gen Z’s trust and loyalty.
“When we communicate with Gen Z consumers, we’re not talking to their parents, we’re talking to who. [it’s essential] Engage authentically and provide products and content [and] Advice that would be really helpful to them,” Zuckerman said.
“It’s not just about selling them a product to put in their space. It’s about making them feel comfortable.”
According to the founders, that means striking a balance between being approachable and authoritative.
“We want this customer to think of us as a big sister,” Zuckerman explains, “and that’s how we position our brand. So it’s not just about selling them a product to put in their room, it’s about making them feel safe during the transition to college, helping them anticipate the challenges they’ll have to deal with, like living with strangers and leaving home for the first time.”
Related: 5 Differences Between Gen Z and Millennials to Consider When Promoting Your Business
Gen Z is bombarded with marketing and advertising every day as they scroll through Instagram and TikTok, and are bombarded with endless choices, so Zuckerman said brands need to avoid coming across as too “salesy” if they want to be successful.
Dormify prioritizes entertainment, informational content, and community building on its social channels over pure revenue or sales. In fact, Zuckerman says it’s a mistake to rely on revenue as a key performance indicator for social channels.
“If the influencer is just churning out sponsored content, this audience is a lot more knowledgeable than that.”
Additionally, Zuckerman noted that while some brands are good at finding influencers to drive customer acquisition, others miss the mark.
“Many companies think that simply hiring or paying an influencer without understanding what Gen Z wants will generate sales, brand engagement and loyalty,” Zuckerman explains, “but if that influencer is just churning out sponsored content, this audience is much more savvy than that.”
Images/Photos Courtesy of Dormify
Related: Traditional Marketing Doesn’t Work with Gen-Z and Millennials. Here’s what to do instead.
Dormify gives its social media interns and coordinators “a lot of freedom and independence” to run the company’s channels as they see fit. “We don’t overly control them,” Zuckerman says. “We let them do what they think will work, what they want to do. It’s a lot of trial and error. If you put too many constraints on your social channels, engagement will decrease.”
Zuckerman said Dormify boasts an engagement rate of over 8% across its social channels, well above the retail industry average: In June 2024, average retail engagement rates ranged from 0.59% (TikTok) to 1.62% (Instagram), depending on the platform, according to data from Social Media Performance Engine. Hutto.
“We’re excited to continue evolving the way we communicate with our customers.”
As a seasonal business, Dormify also faces the challenge of attracting Gen Z shoppers. The key is to keep growing with its customers — knowing when, for example, college freshmen designing dorms will become seniors who need diploma frames. The company also keeps adjacent demographics in mind, like teenagers decorating bedrooms and campers outfitting bunks.
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“We’re excited to continue to expand our product offering,” Zuckerman said, “and evolve how we communicate with our customers and do things differently than a lot of other companies.”
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