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  • Big bets · 3
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Generated Oct 22, 2026
  1. Programmable
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  3. Fender
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growth playbook · Oct 22, 2026

fender.com (opens in a new tab)

Fender growth playbook

Diagnosis

Fender relaunched Fender.com on October 5, 2026 as a connected ecosystem: Ask Fender, sound demos, My Fender, product registration and Fender Play under one roof, after folding PreSonus into Fender Studio in January.

It is hiring a CRM Marketing Manager to grow lifecycle email across EMEA, plus Spanish- and German-speaking support for consumers and dealers and a Tokyo marketer who doubles as flagship CRM manager. The opportunity is to turn every registration, lesson and recording session into a relationship.

Two site issues come first: real visitors see pages jump (CLS 0.17 fails Core Web Vitals) on the pages emails land on, and the agent instructions the site advertises are blocked to agents. Then registration journeys, Play retention, custom-order updates, Studio welcome flows, dealer registration and bigger bets on a single player profile and an agent-ready catalogue.

Growth Score

7/10

Biggest Opportunity

Use registration, Fender Play and Fender Studio to know every player, then market to them by what they own and how they play.

Biggest Risk

If the new connected site launches in EMEA with unstable pages and generic email, players will keep buying through dealers and marketplaces where Fender owns no relationship.

01

Start here

The three moves to make first. Each one is written up in full below.

  1. 1

    Fix the layout shift on fender.com before scaling EMEA lifecycle email: real visitors see pages jump (CLS 0.17)

    Record the 20 most-linked email landing pages on a phone and note every element that moves.

    High impact First result in 1 month
  2. 2

    Turn product registration into the first 90 days of an EMEA owner journey

    Map the registration data fields that reach Iterable today.

    High impact First result in 1 month
  3. 3

    A Fender Play winback and annual-plan offer for EMEA subscribers

    Pull counts of monthly, cancelled and inactive EMEA subscribers.

    High impact First result in 1 month

02

Your idea portfolio

21 ideas, grouped by when to run them. Open any idea for how to run it: the steps, who to approach, copy you can use, and how to measure it.

  • 6 ideas are marked Unexpected: plays you are unlikely to have tried.

Every idea placed by the effort it takes against the impact it could have. Quick wins sit top left; select a number to open that idea. The filters below narrow the list by status, timing, category and what Programmable can build.

Effort vs impactEach number is an idea. Select one to open it.
Impact →
Quick wins · 2Big bets · 14Fill-ins · 5Reconsider · 0
Effort →

Showing 21 of 21 ideas

This week 6

Quick wins with a clear first action.

  • 01

    Fender is hiring a CRM Marketing Manager to grow lifecycle email across EMEA, and the role explicitly owns QA for "emails and related landing page content". Every one of those emails ends on a fender.com page. Google's Chrome UX Report shows real visitors on fender.com get a Cumulative Layout Shift of 0.17 at the 75th percentile, well above the 0.1 limit, so the site fails Core Web Vitals even though load time improved 16% this year. Layout shift is what makes a shopper tap the wrong swatch, lose their place in a spec table, or miss the add-to-bag button on a phone; it hits mobile email traffic hardest. The new Fender.com launched on October 5 with sound demos, comparison tools and personalised content, all of which load late and can push the page around.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 month CRM Marketing Manager

    First action

    Record the 20 most-linked email landing pages on a phone and note every element that moves.

    How to measure it

    CLS p75

    Now
    –
    Target
    under 0.1
    By
    60 days

    Steps

    1. 1

      List landing pages

      Top 20 email destinations in EMEA by clicks.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 day

    2. 2

      Record shifts

      Phone recordings and Lighthouse runs from inside the network.

      eCommerce web team 2 days

    3. 3

      Reserve space

      Banners, consent bar, reviews, sound demos, personalised blocks.

      eCommerce web team 1 week

    4. 4

      Size media

      Width and height on images and video; preload the main font.

      eCommerce web team 3 days

    5. 5

      Add to QA

      A layout-shift check in the email QA checklist.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 day

    6. 6

      Compare

      Email click-to-order rate before and after.

      Marketing analytics lead 1 month

    7. 7

      Watch field data

      Chrome UX Report every month.

      eCommerce web team monthly

    First result
    1 month
    Cost
    Engineering time only
    Owner
    CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA)

    Smallest test

    Fix the five product pages that get the most email clicks and compare their conversion for two weeks.

    Why it works

    Make the CRM landing pages the first fix. List the 20 pages that lifecycle and campaign emails link to most (product pages, collections, Fender Play, registration), load each on a mid-range phone, and record what moves: late banners, cookie or consent bars, review and sound-demo widgets, personalised blocks, images without set sizes and web-font swaps. Reserve space for every late element, give images width and height, and preload the main font. Add a "no layout shift" check to the email QA checklist, and watch CLS for the email landing pages in field data and in Amplitude session replays.

    A steady page converts better, and fixing the pages email traffic lands on lifts every campaign the new CRM manager sends, before a single new email is written.

    Ready to use

    ChecklistEmail landing page QA: layout shift

    [ ] Page opened on a mid-range phone from the email link
[ ] Nothing moves after first paint (banners, consent bar, reviews, sound demo)
[ ] Images and video have width and height
[ ] Main font preloaded, fallback sized to match
[ ] Personalised blocks have reserved space
[ ] Add-to-bag button stays in place while the page loads
[ ] Session replay checked after send

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Shift comes from apps the team does not own

      Ask each app vendor for a fixed-height placeholder or load it below the fold.

    • Field data lags

      Use the 28-day Chrome UX Report window and session replays together.

    Evidence

    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
    • PageSpeedChrome UX Report for fender.com (real Chrome users, 75th percentile, October 2026): Cumulative Layout Shift 0.17, above Google's 0.1 limit, so the site fails Core Web Vitals; Largest Contentful Paint 2.6 s, just over the 2.5 s "good" line, though 16% faster than a year ago; Interaction to Next Paint 190 ms, just inside the 200 ms limit. A lab test could not load the site through its bot challenge.Source
    • News coverageFender announced an all-new Fender.com on October 5, 2026, evolving "from a commerce destination into a connected global digital ecosystem" for players and fans, announced by Fender's interim Chief Marketing Officer.Source
    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
  • 02

    The new Fender.com puts product registration, My Fender and Fender Play under one "Connect" pillar, and the CRM role is asked to build automated lifecycle programs. Registration is the one moment Fender knows exactly which instrument a player owns.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 month CRM Marketing Manager

    First action

    Map the registration data fields that reach Iterable today.

    How to measure it

    180-day repeat purchase rate

    Now
    –
    Target
    +20%
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Check data

      Registration fields reaching Iterable.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 3 days

    2. 2

      Design the series

      Five messages, branched by instrument.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 week

    3. 3

      Write content

      Setup, Play, Studio, accessories, strings.

      Content team, EMEA 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Localise

      English, German, French, Spanish, Italian.

      Localisation team 2 weeks

    5. 5

      Launch with a holdout

      10% control group.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 day

    6. 6

      Measure

      Play trials, accessory orders, repeat purchase.

      Marketing analytics lead monthly

    First result
    1 month
    Cost
    Content and localisation time
    Owner
    CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA)

    Smallest test

    Launch the day 0 and day 3 messages for electric guitars first.

    Why it works

    Trigger an EMEA series from each registration: day 0 setup and care for that model, day 3 a Fender Play trial matched to the instrument, day 10 Fender Studio with the matching amp models, day 30 accessories that fit (strap, case, pedals), day 90 a string change reminder and a review request. Branch by instrument type and language.

    Owners who learn, record and accessorise in the first months play more and buy again; registration-triggered email is the most relevant message Fender can send.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Registrations come mostly from dealer buyers

      Welcome them too; they are Fender players whoever sold the guitar.

    Evidence

    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
    • News coverageThe Fender Studio app (2025) is free on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and Linux; registering a free account unlocks eight more tracks, six more amps and six more effects.Source
    • News coverageFender Play is coming to Samsung TVs in 49 countries across the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea; in the UK, Fender Play was reported at £19.49 a month or £144.99 a year.Source
  • 03

    The CRM role covers "retention, and winback" and asks for subscription experience. Fender Play is a subscription (reported in the UK at £19.49 a month or £144.99 a year), and Samsung TV access across 49 countries brings new households.

    High impactLow effort First result in 1 month CRM Marketing Manager

    First action

    Pull counts of monthly, cancelled and inactive EMEA subscribers.

    How to measure it

    Monthly churn

    Now
    –
    Target
    -15%
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Size segments

      Monthly, cancelled, inactive.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 2 days

    2. 2

      Set offers

      Annual plan and winback.

      Fender Play product team 3 days

    3. 3

      Build flows

      Three automations.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 week

    4. 4

      Test

      Timing and copy.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 month

    5. 5

      Add TV prompts

      Samsung TV users.

      Fender Play product team 1 month

    6. 6

      Measure

      Churn and annual share.

      Marketing analytics lead monthly

    First result
    1 month
    Cost
    Staff time only
    Owner
    CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA)

    Smallest test

    Send the annual-plan email to one month's cohort.

    Why it works

    Build three flows: monthly subscribers in month two get an annual-plan offer; cancelled subscribers get a winback after 30 and 90 days featuring a new path or song; inactive subscribers get a "pick up where you left off" lesson email. Test copy and timing in Iterable.

    Annual plans cut churn, and lapsed learners often return when reminded of their own progress.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Discounting trains customers to wait

      Lead with content, offer price only in the final step.

    Evidence

    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
    • News coverageFender Play is coming to Samsung TVs in 49 countries across the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea; in the UK, Fender Play was reported at £19.49 a month or £144.99 a year.Source
    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
  • 04

    Fender's Trustpilot score is 4.5, and the complaints that stand out are about custom-order status: a UK buyer waited over 18 weeks against an advertised 8-10, with little proactive updating. These are some of the highest-value orders Fender takes.

    High impactLow effort First result in 1 month Custom and Mod Shop team

    First action

    List the build stages that the order system already records.

    How to measure it

    Status-related complaints

    Now
    –
    Target
    -50%
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Map stages

      From the order system.

      Custom and Mod Shop team 1 week

    2. 2

      Write emails

      Five milestones.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 week

    3. 3

      Connect data

      Stage changes to Iterable.

      eCommerce web team 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Set slip rules

      New date and credit.

      Custom and Mod Shop team 3 days

    5. 5

      Route replies

      Consumer relations.

      Consumer Relations team, EMEA 2 days

    6. 6

      Measure

      Reviews and contacts.

      Consumer Relations team, EMEA monthly

    First result
    1 month
    Cost
    Integration time
    Owner
    Custom and Mod Shop team

    Smallest test

    Send a manual status email to every open custom order this week.

    Why it works

    Send automated milestone emails for every custom order (order confirmed, build started, finishing, quality check, shipped) with an honest updated date, and an apology plus a small accessory credit when a date slips. Route replies to a named consumer relations queue.

    Proactive updates turn waiting into anticipation and prevent public complaints on expensive orders.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Dates still slip

      Never hide a delay; update the date with the reason.

    Evidence

    • Customer reviewsTrustpilot: TrustScore 4.5 from 358 reviews, with replies to 88% of negative reviews. Praise for fast shipping and packaging; complaints are about custom-order status, e.g. a UK buyer whose modded guitar took over 18 weeks against an advertised 8-10 weeks with little proactive updating.Source
    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
    • HiringFender EMEA support and dealer roles: a Customer Service Advisor, Spanish Speaker (East Grinstead) who supports "our established dealer network" across Europe through "the Fender dealer portal" and assists "Spanish-speaking consumers via phone, email and chat"; and an Inside Sales Advisor, German Speaking who makes "regular outbound sales calls to new and existing dealer accounts".Source
  • 05

    Free Fender Studio users register an account to unlock extra tracks, amps and effects, and PreSonus customers now live in MyFender. These are creators Fender knows but may not yet email about Fender interfaces, instruments or Studio Pro.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 month CRM Marketing Manager

    First action

    Count EMEA accounts created through Fender Studio and the PreSonus move.

    How to measure it

    Orders from Studio accounts

    Now
    –
    Target
    2x
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Size segments

      Studio users and former PreSonus customers.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 3 days

    2. 2

      Write series

      Two welcome series.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 2 weeks

    3. 3

      Add in-app prompts

      With the Hamburg team.

      Fender Studio software team (Hamburg) 1 month

    4. 4

      Consent check

      GDPR basis for each segment.

      Data protection officer 1 week

    5. 5

      Launch

      With holdouts.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 day

    6. 6

      Measure

      Orders and upgrades.

      Marketing analytics lead monthly

    First result
    1 month
    Cost
    Staff time only
    Owner
    CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA)

    Smallest test

    Send one welcome email to former PreSonus customers in the UK.

    Why it works

    Build two welcome series: free Studio users get recording tips, then Quantum LT or AudioBox interfaces and Studio Pro; former PreSonus customers get an explanation of the move, their licences and Fender guitars with the matching amp models. Track by account source.

    They already chose Fender software; a relevant next step converts free users into buyers.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Consent differs across migrated accounts

      Email only those with valid marketing consent.

    Evidence

    • News coverageJanuary 2026: Fender folded PreSonus into a Fender Studio brand; Studio One Pro became Fender Studio Pro, Quantum and AudioBox interfaces moved to the Fender name, and existing PreSonus customers are served through MyFender, replacing MyPreSonus.Source
    • News coverageThe Fender Studio app (2025) is free on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and Linux; registering a free account unlocks eight more tracks, six more amps and six more effects.Source
    • HiringHamburg software team: a Senior Software Engineer (posted October 19, 2026) and a Software Engineer II, Applications build "cross-platform applications, which integrate tightly with other Fender hardware and software products", including "music creation and host applications, plug-ins and virtual instruments". The portfolio in the posts: Fender, Squier, PreSonus, Gretsch, Jackson, EVH, Charvel, Bigsby and Groove Tubes.Source
    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
  • 06

    fender.com's robots.txt points AI shopping agents to an agents.md file and a UCP endpoint, and the relaunch is built for discovery. But agents.md and the sitemap answer plain HTTP clients with a challenge page, so the instructions meant for agents are hidden from many of them.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 2 weeks ECommerce web team

    First action

    Fetch agents.md from outside the network to confirm what agents see.

    How to measure it

    Assistant answers linking fender.com

    Now
    –
    Target
    +30%
    By
    90 days

    Steps

    1. 1

      Confirm

      Test from outside.

      eCommerce web team 1 hour

    2. 2

      Allow paths

      Public files through the challenge.

      eCommerce web team 1 day

    3. 3

      Keep protection

      Cart and checkout stay challenged.

      Security team 1 day

    4. 4

      Test agents

      Common assistants.

      eCommerce web team 2 days

    5. 5

      Baseline answers

      Ten product questions.

      eCommerce Manager, EMEA 1 day

    6. 6

      Re-check

      Monthly.

      eCommerce Manager, EMEA monthly

    First result
    2 weeks
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    ECommerce web team

    Smallest test

    Allow agents.md through today and test.

    Why it works

    Allow /agents.md, /sitemap.xml and /robots.txt through the bot challenge for all clients (they are public by design), keep the challenge for cart and checkout traffic, and test with common assistant crawlers. Check how assistants describe Fender products before and after.

    Shopping assistants that can read the catalogue and its rules recommend the brand's own store more often.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • More scraping

      Only static public files are allowed; rate limits stay.

    Evidence

    • Your websitefender.com robots.txt (October 21, 2026) describes a Shopify storefront and points shopping agents to /agents.md and a UCP shopping endpoint; the UCP discovery file at /.well-known/ucp answers, but /agents.md and /sitemap.xml answer plain HTTP clients with a "Just a moment..." challenge page (HTTP 403), as do the homepage and the eu., uk. and au. stores.Source
    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
    • News coverageFender announced an all-new Fender.com on October 5, 2026, evolving "from a commerce destination into a connected global digital ecosystem" for players and fans, announced by Fender's interim Chief Marketing Officer.Source

This quarter 9

The core plays for the next three months.

  • 07

    Ask Fender, the AI guitar finder, launched first in the US. EMEA shoppers on eu. and uk. stores face the same "which guitar is right for me" question, and the CRM manager needs segmentation data.

    High impactHigh effort First result in 2 quarters ECommerce Manager

    First action

    Review the top 50 US Ask Fender questions for EMEA fit.

    How to measure it

    Ask Fender session conversion

    Now
    –
    Target
    2x site average
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Review questions

      US logs.

      eCommerce Manager, EMEA 1 week

    2. 2

      Localise

      Catalogue and answers.

      Localisation team 1 month

    3. 3

      Consent flow

      Save preferences.

      Data protection officer 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Launch UK

      English first.

      eCommerce web team 1 month

    5. 5

      Follow-up email

      Saved shortlist.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 2 weeks

    6. 6

      Measure

      Conversion and AOV.

      Marketing analytics lead monthly

    First result
    2 quarters
    Cost
    Localisation and engineering
    Owner
    ECommerce Manager, EMEA

    Smallest test

    Launch for UK English and track a month.

    Why it works

    Launch Ask Fender in English for the UK, then German, French and Spanish. With consent, save the player's stated level, style and budget to their profile and trigger a follow-up with the shortlist they built.

    Guided choice lifts conversion, and stated preferences are better segmentation than inferred ones.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Wrong answers in other languages

      Native-speaker review before launch.

    Evidence

    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
    • HiringFender EMEA support and dealer roles: a Customer Service Advisor, Spanish Speaker (East Grinstead) who supports "our established dealer network" across Europe through "the Fender dealer portal" and assists "Spanish-speaking consumers via phone, email and chat"; and an Inside Sales Advisor, German Speaking who makes "regular outbound sales calls to new and existing dealer accounts".Source
  • 08

    The CRM role needs segmentation and a "Solid understanding of GDPR". Fender has many brands (Fender, Squier, Gretsch, Jackson, EVH) and players at every level; a single newsletter cannot fit.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter CRM Marketing Manager

    First action

    Pick the five questions with the most segmentation value.

    How to measure it

    Profiles with 3+ preferences

    Now
    –
    Target
    40%
    By
    3 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Pick questions

      Five.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 week

    2. 2

      Build

      In My Fender.

      eCommerce web team 1 month

    3. 3

      Connect

      To Iterable.

      eCommerce web team 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Progressive asks

      One per email.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) ongoing

    5. 5

      Segment

      Content by preference.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) ongoing

    6. 6

      Measure

      Unsubscribes and clicks.

      Marketing analytics lead monthly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Engineering time
    Owner
    CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA)

    Smallest test

    Add one preference question to the next newsletter.

    Why it works

    Build a preference center in My Fender where players choose instruments, genres, level, brands and email frequency. Use it to route content and offers, and ask one question per email to fill gaps.

    Declared preferences raise relevance, lower unsubscribes and stay on safe GDPR ground.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Low completion

      Offer a small reward such as a Fender Play week.

    Evidence

    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
    • HiringHamburg software team: a Senior Software Engineer (posted October 19, 2026) and a Software Engineer II, Applications build "cross-platform applications, which integrate tightly with other Fender hardware and software products", including "music creation and host applications, plug-ins and virtual instruments". The portfolio in the posts: Fender, Squier, PreSonus, Gretsch, Jackson, EVH, Charvel, Bigsby and Groove Tubes.Source
    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
  • 09

    The new site lets shoppers hear gear before buying, and Fender uses Wunderkind. A shopper who played a sound demo is signalling strong interest.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter CRM Marketing Manager

    First action

    Check that demo plays are tracked as events.

    How to measure it

    Abandon email revenue

    Now
    –
    Target
    +25%
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Track plays

      Events in Amplitude.

      eCommerce web team 1 week

    2. 2

      Pass to CRM

      Known visitors only.

      eCommerce web team 1 week

    3. 3

      Design email

      Clip and comparison.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 week

    4. 4

      Set rules

      Frequency caps.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 2 days

    5. 5

      Test

      Against standard abandon email.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 month

    6. 6

      Measure

      Revenue per send.

      Marketing analytics lead monthly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Staff time
    Owner
    CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA)

    Smallest test

    Run it for electric guitars over $1,000.

    Why it works

    Trigger an abandon email for known visitors who played a demo but did not buy: the model, its demo clip, a comparison with the next model up and down, and dealer or online buying options.

    Sound is the reason people buy a particular instrument; reminding them of it is more persuasive than a product photo.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Feels intrusive

      Only send to opted-in customers.

    Evidence

    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
  • 10

    Fender sells through an established dealer network across Europe, supported by inside sales and a dealer portal. Players who buy in a shop are invisible to the CRM until they register.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 2 quarters Dealer sales team

    First action

    Pilot QR registration cards with ten UK and German dealers.

    How to measure it

    Dealer-sourced registrations

    Now
    –
    Target
    +50%
    By
    3 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Design the card

      QR to registration.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 2 weeks

    2. 2

      Dealer terms

      Credit for later orders.

      Dealer sales team, EMEA 1 month

    3. 3

      Pilot

      Ten dealers.

      Inside Sales Advisor (German speaking) 1 quarter

    4. 4

      Portal report

      Registrations by dealer.

      eCommerce web team 1 month

    5. 5

      Roll out

      All EMEA dealers.

      Dealer sales team, EMEA 1 quarter

    6. 6

      Measure

      Registrations and repeat buys.

      Marketing analytics lead quarterly

    First result
    2 quarters
    Cost
    Printing and dealer credits
    Owner
    Dealer sales team, EMEA

    Smallest test

    Run the pilot in ten shops.

    Why it works

    Give dealers a QR card for every instrument that registers the guitar and the dealer, offers a Fender Play trial, and credits the dealer for accessories bought later. Report registrations by dealer in the portal.

    Dealers keep their customer, Fender gains the relationship, and accessories sell through both.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Dealers fear channel conflict

      Credit dealers for follow-on sales.

    Evidence

    • HiringFender EMEA support and dealer roles: a Customer Service Advisor, Spanish Speaker (East Grinstead) who supports "our established dealer network" across Europe through "the Fender dealer portal" and assists "Spanish-speaking consumers via phone, email and chat"; and an Inside Sales Advisor, German Speaking who makes "regular outbound sales calls to new and existing dealer accounts".Source
    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
  • 11

    The Tokyo marketing role doubles as CRM manager for Fender Flagship Tokyo, asked to grow registered members and drive online store sales.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter Digital Marketing Manager

    First action

    Count current members and monthly store visitors.

    How to measure it

    Flagship members

    Now
    –
    Target
    +30%
    By
    3 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Set offer

      Member benefits.

      Digital Marketing Manager (Japan) 2 weeks

    2. 2

      Store sign-up

      Tablets and QR.

      Flagship store team 2 weeks

    3. 3

      Follow-up

      What they tried.

      Digital Marketing Manager (Japan) 1 month

    4. 4

      Events

      Members first.

      Digital Marketing Manager (Japan) monthly

    5. 5

      Report

      Store and online.

      Marketing analytics lead monthly

    6. 6

      Share

      Learnings with EMEA CRM.

      Digital Marketing Manager (Japan) quarterly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Store staff time
    Owner
    Digital Marketing Manager (Japan)

    Smallest test

    Run a sign-up at the next store event.

    Why it works

    Register visitors at the flagship (try-a-guitar sessions, events, purchases) with a reason to join (event invites, member-only content), then follow up online with what they tried. Report store and online purchases together.

    A flagship visit is a peak brand moment; capturing it builds a member base that buys online later.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Staff skip sign-ups

      Add it to the try-a-guitar routine.

    Evidence

    • HiringDigital Marketing Manager, Tokyo (posted July 21, 2026, still open): runs social for Fender, Fender Custom Shop, Jackson, Gretsch and EVH, and will "Serve as CRM Manager for Fender Flagship Tokyo: analyze registered customer data to develop and execute initiatives that drive more active purchasing behavior; plan and implement projects to grow the number of registered members", and "drive sales on the Official Fender Online Store".Source
    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
    • Company dataFender's YouTube channel has about 4.06 million subscribers, 3,682 videos and 838 million views; Fender is also on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.Source
  • 12

    Fender's YouTube has 4.06 million subscribers and 3,682 videos. Lesson and gear viewers are the natural Fender Play audience.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter Fender Play product team

    First action

    Tag the top 50 lesson-style videos with tracked links.

    How to measure it

    YouTube-sourced trials

    Now
    –
    Target
    +40%
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Find videos

      Top 50.

      Social team 1 week

    2. 2

      Add links

      Tracked trials.

      Social team 1 week

    3. 3

      Preview lessons

      Weekly shorts.

      Fender Play product team weekly

    4. 4

      Match paths

      By video.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 2 weeks

    5. 5

      Measure

      Trials to paid.

      Marketing analytics lead monthly

    6. 6

      Scale

      Winners.

      Social team quarterly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Staff time
    Owner
    Fender Play product team

    Smallest test

    Tag ten videos for a month.

    Why it works

    Add tracked Fender Play trial links and end screens to lesson-style videos, publish short Play lesson previews, and send YouTube-sourced trialists a matching first path.

    A huge owned audience becomes a measurable subscription channel.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Fans dislike ads

      Keep links in descriptions and end screens.

    Evidence

    • Company dataFender's YouTube channel has about 4.06 million subscribers, 3,682 videos and 838 million views; Fender is also on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.Source
    • News coverageFender Play is coming to Samsung TVs in 49 countries across the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea; in the UK, Fender Play was reported at £19.49 a month or £144.99 a year.Source
    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
  • 13

    Fender Play reaches TVs in 49 countries, and many first guitars are gifts. A gift card that unlocks Play makes the guitar useful on day one.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 quarter Fender Play product team

    First action

    Set up gift codes for 3, 6 and 12 months.

    How to measure it

    Gift redemptions

    Now
    –
    Target
    20,000
    By
    1 year

    Steps

    1. 1

      Create codes

      Three lengths.

      Fender Play product team 2 weeks

    2. 2

      Bundle

      Beginner models.

      eCommerce Manager, EMEA 2 weeks

    3. 3

      Dealer version

      Printed cards.

      Dealer sales team, EMEA 1 month

    4. 4

      Promote

      Holiday emails.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 month

    5. 5

      Redemption flow

      Into registration.

      eCommerce web team 2 weeks

    6. 6

      Measure

      Redemption and conversion.

      Marketing analytics lead monthly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Code production
    Owner
    Fender Play product team

    Smallest test

    Sell 12-month gift codes online first.

    Why it works

    Sell a gift Fender Play code alone and as a free add-on with beginner Squier and Fender models online and at dealers; redemption starts the registration journey.

    It increases the chance that a gifted guitar gets played, which drives the next purchase.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Codes never redeemed

      Remind gift recipients after the holidays.

    Evidence

    • News coverageFender Play is coming to Samsung TVs in 49 countries across the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea; in the UK, Fender Play was reported at £19.49 a month or £144.99 a year.Source
    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
    • HiringFender EMEA support and dealer roles: a Customer Service Advisor, Spanish Speaker (East Grinstead) who supports "our established dealer network" across Europe through "the Fender dealer portal" and assists "Spanish-speaking consumers via phone, email and chat"; and an Inside Sales Advisor, German Speaking who makes "regular outbound sales calls to new and existing dealer accounts".Source
  • 14

    Fender owns the beginner brand (Squier) and the upgrade brands. A Squier owner who keeps playing for a year is the most likely buyer of a Player or American series Fender.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 2 quarters CRM Marketing Manager

    First action

    Count Squier registrations in EMEA older than 12 months.

    How to measure it

    Upgrade conversions

    Now
    –
    Target
    3% of cohort
    By
    3 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Size cohort

      Squier owners 12+ months.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 week

    2. 2

      Write series

      Three emails.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 2 weeks

    3. 3

      Add demos

      Side by side.

      Content team, EMEA 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Dealer option

      Local buying.

      Dealer sales team, EMEA 1 month

    5. 5

      Launch

      With holdout.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 day

    6. 6

      Measure

      Upgrades.

      Marketing analytics lead quarterly

    First result
    2 quarters
    Cost
    Staff time
    Owner
    CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA)

    Smallest test

    Email one cohort of UK Squier owners.

    Why it works

    Use registration and Play progress to trigger an upgrade series at 12 to 18 months: what changes with the next instrument, sound demos side by side, dealer or online options and a trade-in partner where one exists.

    It keeps players in the family as they grow instead of losing them to another brand.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Feels pushy

      Lead with playing progress.

    Evidence

    • HiringHamburg software team: a Senior Software Engineer (posted October 19, 2026) and a Software Engineer II, Applications build "cross-platform applications, which integrate tightly with other Fender hardware and software products", including "music creation and host applications, plug-ins and virtual instruments". The portfolio in the posts: Fender, Squier, PreSonus, Gretsch, Jackson, EVH, Charvel, Bigsby and Groove Tubes.Source
    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
  • 15

    The CRM role reports customer lifetime value and retention and names Amplitude and Tableau. Knowing which first products and channels create the best customers tells marketing where to spend.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter Marketing analytics lead

    First action

    Agree the customer ID that joins orders and accounts.

    How to measure it

    Decisions using LTV

    Now
    –
    Target
    monthly review
    By
    1 quarter

    Steps

    1. 1

      Agree IDs

      Join keys.

      Marketing analytics lead 2 weeks

    2. 2

      Build model

      Tableau.

      Marketing analytics lead 1 month

    3. 3

      Add Play and Studio

      Accounts.

      Marketing analytics lead 1 month

    4. 4

      Review

      With eCommerce.

      eCommerce Manager, EMEA monthly

    5. 5

      Act

      Budget shifts.

      Interim Chief Marketing Officer quarterly

    6. 6

      Refine

      Quarterly.

      Marketing analytics lead quarterly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Analyst time
    Owner
    Marketing analytics lead

    Smallest test

    Run the first-product cut for the UK.

    Why it works

    Join orders, registrations, Play and Studio accounts into one customer view for EMEA, and report 12-month value by first product, first channel and country. Review monthly with eCommerce.

    Spending follows the customers who are worth most, not just the cheapest first order.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Data gaps for dealer buyers

      Use registration as the link.

    Evidence

    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
    • News coverageJanuary 2026: Fender folded PreSonus into a Fender Studio brand; Studio One Pro became Fender Studio Pro, Quantum and AudioBox interfaces moved to the Fender name, and existing PreSonus customers are served through MyFender, replacing MyPreSonus.Source

Big bets 3

Larger plays that can change the trajectory.

  • 16

    The relaunch makes Fender.com a "connected global digital ecosystem", and MyFender now holds PreSonus users too. Gibson ties shopping, service and content in one app. A single profile could let Fender reward playing, not just buying.

    High impactHigh effort First result in 4 quarters Interim Chief Marketing Offic…

    First action

    Define five reward actions and their cost.

    How to measure it

    Monthly active profiles

    Now
    –
    Target
    +50%
    By
    4 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Define rewards

      Actions and costs.

      Interim Chief Marketing Officer 1 month

    2. 2

      Design profile

      Gear, lessons, sessions.

      eCommerce web team 1 quarter

    3. 3

      Connect apps

      Play and Studio.

      Fender Studio software team (Hamburg) 2 quarters

    4. 4

      Launch EMEA pilot

      UK first.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 quarter

    5. 5

      Measure

      Engagement and repeat buys.

      Marketing analytics lead monthly

    6. 6

      Scale

      All regions.

      Interim Chief Marketing Officer 2 quarters

    First result
    4 quarters
    Cost
    Product investment
    Owner
    Interim Chief Marketing Officer

    Smallest test

    Show owned gear in My Fender first.

    Why it works

    Build a My Fender profile that shows owned gear, lessons completed and sessions recorded, with rewards for registration, practice streaks and reviews (Play weeks, strings, early access to drops and artist shows).

    Rewarding playing keeps players engaged between purchases, which is what drives the next one.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Rewards cost margin

      Favour content rewards over discounts.

    Evidence

    • News coverageFender announced an all-new Fender.com on October 5, 2026, evolving "from a commerce destination into a connected global digital ecosystem" for players and fans, announced by Fender's interim Chief Marketing Officer.Source
    • News coverageJanuary 2026: Fender folded PreSonus into a Fender Studio brand; Studio One Pro became Fender Studio Pro, Quantum and AudioBox interfaces moved to the Fender name, and existing PreSonus customers are served through MyFender, replacing MyPreSonus.Source
    • Competitor researchGibson's app combines shopping for Gibson, Epiphone and Kramer with a live Virtual Guitar Tech service, Gibson TV and a tuner, linking content and service to its store.Source
    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
  • 17

    Custom and modded orders are high value and slow to decide. Shoppers who design a build and leave are rarely followed up.

    High impactHigh effort First result in 3 quarters Custom and Mod Shop team

    First action

    Count builds started and abandoned each month.

    How to measure it

    Saved-build conversions

    Now
    –
    Target
    10%
    By
    3 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Track builds

      Started and abandoned.

      eCommerce web team 2 weeks

    2. 2

      Save to profile

      My Fender.

      eCommerce web team 1 quarter

    3. 3

      Follow-up

      Render and lead time.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 month

    4. 4

      Specialist chat

      Consumer relations.

      Consumer Relations team, EMEA 1 month

    5. 5

      Launch

      UK and EU.

      eCommerce Manager, EMEA 1 month

    6. 6

      Measure

      Conversion.

      Marketing analytics lead monthly

    First result
    3 quarters
    Cost
    Engineering time
    Owner
    Custom and Mod Shop team

    Smallest test

    Email shoppers who started a build last month.

    Why it works

    Let shoppers save builds to My Fender, share them, and get a follow-up with a render, lead time and a chat option with a Fender specialist; send a reminder when a matching limited run appears.

    High-consideration buyers need time and reassurance; saved builds keep the conversation going.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Lead times change

      Show live estimates.

    Evidence

    • Customer reviewsTrustpilot: TrustScore 4.5 from 358 reviews, with replies to 88% of negative reviews. Praise for fast shipping and packaging; complaints are about custom-order status, e.g. a UK buyer whose modded guitar took over 18 weeks against an advertised 8-10 weeks with little proactive updating.Source
    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
  • 18

    fender.com already exposes a UCP shopping endpoint and agent instructions, and Ask Fender shows the company wants AI-guided buying. Assistants will answer "best guitar for blues under 1,000 euros" with whatever catalogue they understand best.

    High impactHigh effort First result in 3 quarters ECommerce Manager

    First action

    Audit attribute completeness for the top 200 EMEA products.

    How to measure it

    Share of assistant answers citing fender.com

    Now
    –
    Target
    +25%
    By
    4 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Audit attributes

      Top 200.

      eCommerce Manager, EMEA 2 weeks

    2. 2

      Enrich

      Player-language fields.

      Product content team 1 quarter

    3. 3

      Localise

      Five languages.

      Localisation team 1 quarter

    4. 4

      Keep live

      UCP stock and price.

      eCommerce web team 1 month

    5. 5

      Test answers

      Monthly.

      eCommerce Manager, EMEA monthly

    6. 6

      Report

      Sales from agents.

      Marketing analytics lead quarterly

    First result
    3 quarters
    Cost
    Content investment
    Owner
    ECommerce Manager, EMEA

    Smallest test

    Enrich 20 best-sellers and compare answers.

    Why it works

    Enrich every product with structured attributes players ask about (neck profile, pickups, weight range, tone, sound demo link) in all EMEA languages, keep stock and price live through UCP, and test assistant answers monthly.

    The brand with the clearest data gets recommended, and sales stay on the brand's own store.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Standards change

      Keep data in one source and export as needed.

    Builds on

    Evidence

    • Your websitefender.com robots.txt (October 21, 2026) describes a Shopify storefront and points shopping agents to /agents.md and a UCP shopping endpoint; the UCP discovery file at /.well-known/ucp answers, but /agents.md and /sitemap.xml answer plain HTTP clients with a "Just a moment..." challenge page (HTTP 403), as do the homepage and the eu., uk. and au. stores.Source
    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
    • News coverageFender announced an all-new Fender.com on October 5, 2026, evolving "from a commerce destination into a connected global digital ecosystem" for players and fans, announced by Fender's interim Chief Marketing Officer.Source

Wildcards 3

Unexpected experiments, each with a cheap way to test it.

  • 19

    The relaunch includes a five-show artist concert series. Concerts draw fans who may not be on the list.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 quarter CRM Marketing Manager

    First action

    Add RSVP sign-up to the next show.

    How to measure it

    New accounts per show

    Now
    –
    Target
    5,000
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Add RSVP

      Account sign-up.

      eCommerce web team 1 week

    2. 2

      Promote

      YouTube and social.

      Social team per show

    3. 3

      Follow-up

      Gear on stage.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) per show

    4. 4

      Replay gate

      Light sign-up.

      eCommerce web team 1 week

    5. 5

      Measure

      Accounts and orders.

      Marketing analytics lead per show

    6. 6

      Review

      After three shows.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 quarter

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Staff time
    Owner
    CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA)

    Smallest test

    Gate one replay.

    Why it works

    Require a free My Fender account to RSVP or watch replays, follow up with the gear used on stage, and invite attendees to the next show.

    Free content behind a light sign-up grows the list with engaged fans.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Gating cuts views

      Keep the live stream open, gate replays only.

    Evidence

    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
    • Company dataFender's YouTube channel has about 4.06 million subscribers, 3,682 videos and 838 million views; Fender is also on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.Source
    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
  • 20

    Every registered guitar needs new strings every few months. Fender sells strings and knows when each guitar was registered.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 quarter CRM Marketing Manager

    First action

    Add the reminder to the registration journey.

    How to measure it

    String reorder rate

    Now
    –
    Target
    15%
    By
    3 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Opt-in

      At registration.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 week

    2. 2

      Set timing

      Three months.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 day

    3. 3

      Content

      Setup video.

      Content team, EMEA 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Offer subscription

      Online store.

      eCommerce Manager, EMEA 1 month

    5. 5

      Dealer option

      In-store pickup.

      Dealer sales team, EMEA 1 month

    6. 6

      Measure

      Reorders.

      Marketing analytics lead monthly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Staff time
    Owner
    CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA)

    Smallest test

    Send one reminder wave to UK registrations.

    Why it works

    Offer an opt-in reminder (or subscription) for the player's string gauge every three months, with a setup tip video. Dealers can fulfil for in-store buyers.

    A small recurring purchase keeps Fender in the player's routine.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Players use other brands

      Lead with the tip, not only the sale.

    Evidence

    • News coverageGuitar.com on the relaunch: an AI tool, Ask Fender, "launching first in the US"; integrated sound demos so shoppers hear gear before buying; My Fender and Fender Play integration "to extend the experience past the point of purchase"; product registration and personalised content under a "Connect" pillar; improved product education and comparison tools; and a five-show artist concert series.Source
    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
    • HiringFender EMEA support and dealer roles: a Customer Service Advisor, Spanish Speaker (East Grinstead) who supports "our established dealer network" across Europe through "the Fender dealer portal" and assists "Spanish-speaking consumers via phone, email and chat"; and an Inside Sales Advisor, German Speaking who makes "regular outbound sales calls to new and existing dealer accounts".Source
  • 21

    Fender is hiring a Spanish-speaking advisor for consumers by phone, email and chat. CRM content in Spanish should match the support.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 quarter Consumer Relations team

    First action

    Count EMEA contacts with Spanish as their language.

    How to measure it

    Spanish segment orders

    Now
    –
    Target
    +30%
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Size segment

      Language field.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 2 days

    2. 2

      Translate

      Core flows.

      Localisation team 1 month

    3. 3

      Chat hours

      Spanish.

      Consumer Relations team, EMEA 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Launch

      Spain first.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 day

    5. 5

      Measure

      Orders.

      Marketing analytics lead monthly

    6. 6

      Extend

      German, French, Italian.

      CRM Marketing Manager (EMEA) 1 quarter

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Translation budget
    Owner
    Consumer Relations team, EMEA

    Smallest test

    Translate the welcome email.

    Why it works

    Launch a Spanish segment with localised welcome, registration and Play emails, Spanish chat hours on product pages, and track conversion against English.

    Players buy and learn faster in their own language, and support capacity is already being added.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Small segment

      Start with the welcome flow.

    Evidence

    • HiringFender EMEA support and dealer roles: a Customer Service Advisor, Spanish Speaker (East Grinstead) who supports "our established dealer network" across Europe through "the Fender dealer portal" and assists "Spanish-speaking consumers via phone, email and chat"; and an Inside Sales Advisor, German Speaking who makes "regular outbound sales calls to new and existing dealer accounts".Source
    • HiringCRM Marketing Manager (London, posted September 29, 2026): "help strategise and execute ad-hoc campaigns and automated lifecycle marketing programs focused on sales, engagement, retention, and winback" and "grow our existing CRM eCommerce programs within EMEA"; tools named are "Iterable, Wunderkind, Amplitude, Tableau"; asks for experience with "subscription-based products", "Solid understanding of GDPR", and to "Own the QA process for emails and related landing page content", reporting metrics such as "customer lifetime value, retention rates".Source
    • News coverageFender Play is coming to Samsung TVs in 49 countries across the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea; in the UK, Fender Play was reported at £19.49 a month or £144.99 a year.Source
Website review of fender.com More example playbooks and reviews

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See every playbook and website review

Independent research. Programmable wrote this playbook from public sources, as they stood on October 22, 2026, and cites them throughout. Fender did not commission, review or endorse it, and Programmable is not affiliated with Fender. Company and product names are trademarks of their owners, used only to identify them. The ideas are suggestions and opinion, not professional, legal or financial advice, and not statements about how Fender runs its business.

Something wrong, or do you represent Fender? Email [email protected] and we will correct it or take it down.

30/60/90 roadmap

What to focus on in each month, and the ideas that carry it.

  1. Days 1 to 306 ideas

    Layout shift on email landing pages, the registration journey, Play winback, custom-order updates, Studio welcome flows and readable agent files.

  2. Days 31 to 6010 ideas

    Ask Fender for EMEA, the preference center, sound-demo abandon emails, dealer registration, Tokyo membership, YouTube to Play, gift codes, the Squier upgrade path and LTV reporting; Spanish flows.

  3. Days 61 to 905 ideas

    Commit to the player profile, saved custom builds and the agent-ready catalogue; concert sign-ups and string reminders.

The research behind the plan

3 research areas, each summarised in a few lines. Open any of them for the full detail.

Customers

What customers say

Customers value iconic instruments and sound. The most cited problem: long waits and few updates on custom orders.

  • Fast shipping and good packaging
  • Choosing the right model
  • In their words: “tone”

Market

Competitive landscape

4 competitors compared: Gibson, Yamaha, PRS Guitars and Large music retailers.

  • Gap to exploit: Lifecycle marketing tied to the instrument owned
  • Gibson: Fewer beginner-to-pro learning tools
  • Yamaha: Less guitar-culture identity

Hiring signals

Fender is building the relationship side of its new connected site in EMEA.

  • CRM Marketing Manager (London): Lifecycle sales, retention and winback in EMEA. Ideas 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 14, 15.
  • Customer Service Advisor - Spanish Speaker: Spanish consumers and the European dealer network. Ideas 4, 21.
  • Inside Sales Advisor - German Speaking: Outbound sales to dealers. Idea 10.

From the team that wrote this playbook

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