FIRST STARS: “Our USP for customer loyalty”
FIRST STARS has been using Label Up for over a year, gaining not only increased visibility at lower prices, but also massive advantages in customer loyalty.
FIRST STARS sets new standards for Performance Marketing Agencies
Today, a successful Google Shopping setup requires far more than just the pure management of campaigns; it demands an exclusive technological infrastructure that makes you incomparable as an agency and satisfies clients in the long term.
The Berlin-based agency FIRST STARS has been one of the absolute top addresses in digital marketing since 1998 and has established itself as a true pioneer in AI performance marketing. While many market players struggle with high comparability and interchangeable setups, the FIRST STARS team masterfully handles highly complex e-commerce dynamics. For leading e-commerce brands and well-known online shops, the agency manages significant ad spends on Google as well as Meta, reliably translating them into above-average, profitable growth.
In this demanding market environment, top agencies in the Google Shopping sector face crucial strategic challenges if they want to win new brands or secure existing client relationships for years to come:
The risk of interchangeability: For many agencies, recommending a third-party CSS to their Google Shopping clients to save costs has now become standard. Offering a CSS is therefore no longer a real competitive advantage on its own. Having your own agency CSS, exclusive to your clients and branded with your agency's identity, not only delivers the same cost savings but also creates a clear head start over other agencies and can win over new clients.
The challenge of long-term client retention: In e-commerce, client relationships are often volatile. Pure optimisation services are quickly taken for granted. To bind clients emotionally and operationally to the agency permanently, unique added values and services are needed that the client cannot get anywhere else.
Continuous margin pressure: Online shops constantly demand efficiency improvements. When the actual adjustments in the advertising account have been exhausted, you as an agency need structural levers to continue sustainably improving the profitability of client budgets.
This is precisely where the FIRST STARS team stepped in. Instead of relying solely on interchangeable strategies in pitches and existing client business, the agency looked for a long-term asset that would set them apart from competitors in the long run. The goal was clear: to establish a service that brings immediate cost advantages to clients, solidifies FIRST STARS as an indispensable partner, and takes client retention to a new level.
Your own agency CSS as an exclusive service benefit
An agency CSS refers to a dedicated, Google-certified Comparison Shopping Service (price comparison site) operated by Label Up on behalf of the agency. Instead of calling up clients' Google Shopping ads via the conventional standard Google Shopping Europe network or invisibly via third parties, the agency itself becomes the technical infrastructure service provider in the Google Shopping ecosystem.
For FIRST STARS, the step towards a white-label CSS solution from Label Up meant a fundamental shift from being a mere campaign manager to a provider of a comprehensive advertising infrastructure. From a technical and operational perspective, this setup already brings clear advantages that optimise Google Shopping efficiency:
Direct elimination of the Google margin: When displaying ads through the standard Google Shopping Europe network, Google charges an internal margin of up to 20% on the cost per click (CPC). By switching to your own agency CSS, this margin is completely eliminated. For FIRST STARS' clients, this means: the identical budget achieves up to 20% more purchasing power in the bidding process.
Increased scalability for Google campaigns: Since modern e-commerce campaigns are highly data-driven, the reduced CPC barrier leads to more clicks and faster learning signals within the Google algorithm. Budgets convert more profitably.
Free additional traffic: If a user clicks on the CSS level, they are redirected to a price comparison page. These clicks are absolutely free of charge for the agency and the client, directing interested users straight to the featured products.
Full data sovereignty and independence: Since FIRST STARS provides the technological platform itself, any dependencies on unreliable third-party CSS models are eliminated. The agency retains full control over all product data.
The real USP: branding, new client acquisition and maximum client retention
However, the purely technical benefits are only part of the CSS advantages. What makes the agency CSS a truly unbeatable asset for FIRST STARS are the branding benefits, the edge in sales, and the leverage for long-term client retention.
As soon as the setup by Label Up goes live, the presence in the Google frontend and the entire line of argument in the client business change fundamentally:
The exclusive branding "By FIRST STARS": The name of an anonymous third party or Google no longer appears under the clients' shopping ads, but instead the permanent label "By FIRST STARS". This transports the agency's brand presence directly into the most valuable advertising spaces in Google search results.
The unbeatable USP in the sales pitch: In sales conversations, the agency CSS secures you an advantage that other agencies cannot offer. You show the client a direct path to more performance that makes immediate sense: Simply by switching to FIRST STARS, their budget regains up to 20% in real purchasing power. This is a noticeable head start from the very first second.
The psychological incentive for new clients: When potential new clients or competing online shops see the phrase "By FIRST STARS" under the ads, it creates immediate curiosity and a strong trust signal in the market. ("This agency has its own shopping technology").
Maximum, long-term client retention: Since the shopping campaigns run through FIRST STARS' exclusive infrastructure, the agency is no longer an interchangeable service provider. It becomes the technological foundation of the client's success.
How profound this effect is in practice is confirmed by Anne, Head of SEA at FIRST STARS, after more than a year of working with Label Up:
“We have been working with Label Up for over a year and have been thrilled since the beginning. Our own CSS is a real USP for our customer loyalty.”
Anne G.
Head of SEA @ FIRST STARS
Conclusion: Structural Advantage and Reliable Partnership
First Stars clearly demonstrates: The agency CSS is the decisive lever to deliver an unassailable argument in new customer business with e-commerce brands and to bind customers to the agency in the long term. Without having to increase the clients' media budget, the switch immediately unleashes up to 20% more reach and power. This brings advantages in the new client pitch and secures a clear, measurable market advantage for agencies. Having your own Google CSS is therefore a standout USP for agencies.
Anne from First Stars emphasises that this technological transition runs completely smoothly in practice: “The onboarding was very clear, the team is always reachable and helps with any challenges. We feel very comfortable and highly value the professional collaboration!”
About
Established in the market since 1998, the Berlin-based agency FIRST STARS is regarded as a true hidden champion for success-based growth. The team relies on AI-powered performance marketing to sustainably increase their clients' efficiency and revenue. Rather than focusing on short-term effects, the agency concentrates on measurable results and the long-term, strategic growth of e-commerce brands.
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