When Kelly Walker founded KLIPSTA, she wasn’t setting out to create an international business—she was just trying to stop her son from losing his school hat. Fast forward to today, and KLIPSTA is selling 40,000 units a month across 12 countries with some huge growth in the US, as they continue to solve real-world problems for farmers, fashion lovers, nurses, and everyday commuters. Alongside Julie Benhammo, a former luxury fashion exec who has worked with brands like Versace and Diane von Furstenberg, KLIPSTA has evolved into a business with global ambition, a cult following, and a laser focus on scaling smart, staying profitable, and keeping customer needs at the heart of innovation. In this episode of Add to Cart, we took a look at how KLIPSTA is protecting its brand, expanding sustainably, and using customer feedback to fuel growth.
Your Brand is Your Best IP Protection
For any successful ecom business, knockoffs and cheap imitations are inevitable. KLIPSTA has invested heavily in intellectual property, patents, and design registrations, but they know legal protections alone won’t keep customers loyal—their brand will.
“We spend so much money on intellectual property, patenting, and design registrations. But the reality is, our best protection is our brand. If you’re all about getting the cheapest price, you’re probably not our customer.”
As you probably can imagine, none of the cheap knockoffs come close to real KLIPSTA products and according to Julie it’s painfully obvious when customers don’t buy the real deal.
People try the cheap version, and then they realise it doesn’t work. We had a woman complain that her hat clip wasn’t holding… turns out, she hadn’t even bought it from us!
Instead of competing on price, KLIPSTA focuses on premium quality, durability, and customer trust. That’s why their clips are stocked in Akubra stores, high-end gift shops, and optometrists worldwide. The lesson for eCommerce brands? Your brand is your moat. Knockoffs can copy a product, but they can’t replicate trust, customer service, and community.
Scale Smart, Not Just Fast
KLIPSTA is growing fast, but they’re doing it without sacrificing profitability. Their goal is to hit $1 million in revenue per month, but they’re carefully managing wholesale partnerships, inventory planning, and international expansion to make sure they scale sustainably.
A major lesson came with the launch of the Flip Bag Hook, designed to keep handbags off dirty floors in cafés, bars, and airports. It was an instant hit—too much of a hit, in fact.
“We had no idea how well it would be received. We had retailers who had pre-ordered, and then suddenly, everything was gone in two days.”
The 10,000 units sold out in just 48 hours, leaving customers furious and stockists empty-handed.
For the first time, we had really angry customers. We’d never had that before. It went against everything we stand for.
From that experience, they completely reworked their inventory forecasting. Kelly explained that they will no longer pre-sell unless they actually have the stock. It was also a wake up call that KLIPSTA isn’t a small brand anymore and needs to have a steady supply of inventory. For eCommerce businesses navigating growth, remember this wisdom: don’t let hype outpace your ability to deliver, and when demand spikes, make sure you can meet it.
Let Your Customers Guide Innovation
Who better to tell you about customer pain points than your customers? KLIPSTA’s product development strategy isn’t about guesswork—it’s about listening to customers and developing products that meet your everyday needs.
Their SPEX Clips, designed to keep glasses secure on clothing, was inspired by nurses who needed a reliable way to keep track of their eyewear. Kelly recalled a very interesting interaction with a customer:
“I was visiting someone in hospital and noticed eight nurses wearing Specs Clips. I played dumb and asked, ‘What’s that you’ve got there?’ She pulled it off her scrubs and said, ‘Oh, these are fantastic!’ She got it out, showed me how she used it, and my husband was with me. Then he said, ‘Well, that’s Kelly from KLIPSTA.’ And suddenly, all the nurses wanted to come and meet me!”
Their products are stocked in optometrists, fashion retailers, and outdoor stores, proving their wide-ranging customer base. One of their most emotional customer stories came from a blind woman who called them directly.
“She told us, ‘Your hat clip has stopped me from leaving my hat at bus stops. That call brought me to tears—this is exactly what we want to do.”
Even their expansion into travel accessories was guided by customers. KLIPSTA has been invited to exhibit at the Travel Goods Association trade show in the US, where they’ve been nominated for an award—all because travellers were already using their clips in ways they hadn’t expected. The key takeaway? Your customers are already telling you what they want—you just have to listen.
KLIPSTA’s story is proof that the best eCommerce brands don’t just sell products—they solve problems.
Clipping Onto Success
For any eCommerce founder looking to grow, KLIPSTA’s formula is clear: Defend your brand—not just your product. Knockoffs are inevitable, but loyalty is built through trust and quality. Scale smartly. Growth is exciting, but profitability is essential. And finally, let your customers do the talking. The best products come from real-world needs, not boardroom brainstorming.
With international expansion, new partnerships, and even bigger revenue goals on the horizon, KLIPSTA is just getting started. And if their past success is anything to go by, they’re going to clip their way to the top.
