Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Inventory Management Systems
- Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Applicable Industries
- Apparel
- Finance & Insurance
Applicable Functions
- Sales & Marketing
- Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
- Picking, Sorting & Positioning
About The Customer
Pine Apparel is an apparel wholesaler that ships orders to boutiques throughout the United States. The company was founded by Michael Edwards, who started by selling dresses out of his car. Despite its growth, the company continued to operate as a small business, with outdated inventory and accounting systems. The team at Pine Apparel includes sales reps, accounting and warehouse staff, all of whom use the integrated software daily. The company faced challenges in managing its inventory due to the unique requirements of the apparel industry, and needed a solution that could provide real-time, accurate inventory data.
The Challenge
Pine Apparel, an apparel wholesaler, was struggling with outdated inventory and accounting systems that were not in line with the company's growth. The company was still operating as a small business, with inventory recorded on Excel sheets and processes documented in Google Drive. Sales were manually deducted, leading to a rush among the team. When Elise Ellis, the Director of Operations, joined the team in 2019, she was tasked with modernizing the company. However, she faced the challenge of finding an inventory solution that would best suit the business. The apparel industry has unique requirements, such as the need to record items sold as bundles and single stock items, and to manage a range of colors and sizes for the same item. Any disruption in the inventory chain could halt sales, adding to the complexity of the situation.
The Solution
Elise chose Cin7 over other competitors due to its ability to work with Shopify, its seamless functionality with the specialized requirements of the apparel industry, and its cost-effectiveness. Cin7 provided a reliable inventory system that Elise could trust. It allowed her to know what was available in real time across all systems and platforms. The company signed a contract with Cin7 in January 2020. Despite facing challenges such as the resignation of the Warehouse Manager and a slowdown in sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Elise found the transition to Cin7 stress-free due to the onboarding and support provided by the Cin7 team. Pine Apparel also integrated Cin7 with Xero, Shipstation, and Shopify, which provided accurate data across the business.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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