Having access to the right tools and the right data is an absolute game changer to business. The following three Australian online retailers did just this: harnessing a curated tech stack of powerful tools such as Inventory Planner by Sage, Shopify, Brightpearl by Sage and Shipstation, to smash through operational challenges and boost speed and efficiency, as well as unlock a multitude of crucial data.
Read on to see, clear as day, which retail technology is acting as an invaluable springboard for businesses looking to reach high growth.
Cycology
Australia-born, global cycling apparel brand Cycology faced significant blockers after it tried to manage its huge inventory with densely packed spreadsheets. With thousands of each SKU spread across multiple warehouses, the traditional methods of tracking it had become totally unreliable – leading to high overheads and guess-heavy decision making.
To solve this, Cycology took on Inventory Planner by Sage as part of a slick, growth-minded tech stack.
With access to Inventory Planner’s real-time data, they were given clarity on exactly what to order and at what moment, and insight as to where there was risk of out-of-stocks and overstock. The tool also uses up-to-date market trends and historical inventory patterns to create automatic purchase orders.
Founder and CEO Michael Tomchin found that this smart use of technology allowed them to optimise their stock levels – so overspending and cash flow issues were stopped. As Cycology discovered, with so many unprecedented hurdles coming at retailers today, having a smart, data-focused tech stack can be the deciding factor between cash flow crisis and smashing huge growth figures.
He says: “It’s so much more than just an inventory planning tool. It’s a business intelligence and an information management tool that I use every single day. It’s transformed how we operate.
“I just don’t see how any retailer can manage those risks without a system like Inventory Planner in place. Maybe if business is plain-sailing you might get away with it, but in the current market when demand is unpredictable and costs are sky high, you just can’t. Inventory Planner is the perfect solution.”
Oskar’s Wooden Ark
Not having the right technology had big impacts on Oskar’s Wooden Ark – a successful retailer of hand-crafted wooden toys and children’s supplies.
By relying on disparate manual spreadsheets to run business, they’d been marred by overselling, stock discrepancies and logistical headaches. The biggest priority for them was inventory visibility, as the retailer works with three separate business strands and needed multi-levelled insights to keep stock moving. When the company married Inventory Planner by Sage with Brightpearl by Sage, Shipstation and Shopify, the brand could completely turn things around, equipped with the powerful tech tools to charge towards triple digit growth.
Specifically, the team started using Inventory Planning to plan purchases six months ahead, tailoring orders based on seasonality and market trends. They also had the capacity to manage a complex inventory across its online, wholesale, and school supply divisions, all from a single platform.
Operations Manager Annette Batchelor says the time saved has been significant – “Processing orders was once a four-day task, now it takes us just a couple of hours.”
The in-depth reports have also helped with warehouse transfers and reduced the risk of overstock, meaning any blocked funds are released to invest back into the business. The team is now looking to explore the roster of Inventory Planner features available to them, like ABC Analysis Reports, to further optimise their purchasing – and clearing the way to big growth goals.
Oz Backcountry
Oz Backcountry, a fast-growing outdoor and adventure gear brand, had efficiency go through the roof after adopting a smart tech combo which included Inventory Planner.
The company manages 800 orders a month but stays cash-smart by keeping a lean inventory – a tough thing to do manually, but made possible with Inventory Planner’s accurate demand forecasting and intuitive inventory insights.
The platform, synced with other top e-commerce apps such as Shopify, has allowed the Oz team to slash hundreds of hours of manual admin work. The team can place orders 12-18 months ahead of time but also make informed decisions at a moment’s notice, such as placing larger orders if a drop in supplier pricing offers a bigger ROI.
Now the plan for the company is to expand inventory to 5,000 products. With Inventory Planner they can keep their fastest-moving items stocked up, avoid badly timed stockouts and avert deadstock blocking their cash flow.
Co-founder John Mac believes getting the right tech on board has transformed operations and given them a significant advantage against their competitors – not just in their base of Australia, but globally. .
“We’re adding product ranges all the time and will likely add warehouses in other countries in the coming years. The tech we use effortlessly handles complex, large volume operations and we know it will be able to support us as we grow.” – John Mac, Co-Founder of Oz Backcountry.
These stories prove that e-commerce retailers who aren’t utilising the intuitive retail technology available to them are missing out on massive benefits…
Book a demo with Inventory Planner today to transform how you do business.