How UK Brand A Year of Dates Grew Their US Sales By Over 600% With ShipBob
Customer Company Size
SME
Region
- America
- Europe
Country
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Australia
- Canada
Product
- ShipBob
Tech Stack
- Fulfillment Platform
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Customer Satisfaction
- Cost Savings
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Applicable Industries
- E-Commerce
- Retail
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases
- Supply Chain Visibility
Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
A Year of Dates is a UK-based company located near Manchester, England, specializing in creating gift boxes designed to foster connections and create memorable experiences. Each box contains 52 sealed envelopes, each with a surprise date or activity idea. The company offers over 20 unique and customizable editions for various occasions, including couples, birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, friendships, and self-care. The brand has gained recognition, having been featured on the This Morning TV show and winning the Theo Paphitis Small Business Sunday award. Founded by John and Kate Greenhalgh, the company originated from a personal gift idea that evolved into a business. Initially selling through Christmas markets and fairs, the company expanded its online presence through platforms like Not On The High Street and Etsy, doubling its sales annually for five consecutive years.
The Challenge
Two years ago, A Year of Dates faced significant challenges with their US fulfillment operations. They were sending about 80 orders a day to American customers using Royal Mail, which resulted in delivery times of 3-4 weeks. This delay was unacceptable and hindered their sales potential in the US market. The company initially chose a UK-based fulfillment provider with a US warehouse, hoping for a smoother operation. However, this decision led to numerous issues, including inadequate shipping software that failed to validate addresses, resulting in unshipped orders and customer complaints. The platform was also difficult to navigate, requiring John Greenhalgh to 'hack' into the system to retrieve tracking numbers. These challenges highlighted the need for a more efficient and reliable fulfillment solution that could provide better visibility and control over their operations.
The Solution
To address the fulfillment challenges, A Year of Dates decided to partner with ShipBob, a US-based fulfillment provider. ShipBob offered a more efficient and cost-effective solution compared to their previous provider. The decision was driven by ShipBob's competitive pricing and strategically located New Jersey facility, which reduced shipping costs and improved delivery times. ShipBob's platform provided a comprehensive dashboard that offered visibility into inventory, order status, and potential issues, addressing the company's need for better operational control. Additionally, ShipBob's Merchant Success Manager played a crucial role in resolving issues such as DIM weight, which had previously doubled shipping costs. By optimizing packaging weight and size, ShipBob helped A Year of Dates reduce shipping expenses. The transition to ShipBob was seamless, taking only 10 days to start shipping, and the company experienced significant improvements in their US operations, with orders increasing from 5% to 35% of total sales.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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