Descartes ShipRush Ecommerce Order Processing Software Enhances Speed and Adds Functionality for Online Retailer
Online retailer Wizard Distribution manufactures and sells metal detection tools, security wands and many other specialty tools. With a large inventory of rotating merchandise to ship both domestically and internationally, Wizard faced an increasingly complex shipping challenge. As online sales began to flourish, Wizard needed order processing software to support growing fulfillment volumes by automating previously manual practices for order processing and shipping—and turned to Descartes ShipRush™.
The Challenge: Growing Order Volumes Outpace Manual Shipping Practices
Because Wizard Distribution fulfills orders for a broad selection of different products, it maintains a large inventory of rotating merchandise in its warehouse. Merchandise is packaged up in parcels of a wide variety of shapes and sizes, which are shipped both to consumers and other retailers across the U.S., Canada, Australia and a host of countries in Europe. At first, Wizard processed all shipments manually, from bulk orders for retail customers or single packages for consumers. As business took off, however, the number of shipments increased rapidly to roughly 40 to 60 packages per day or over 1,000 per month. Eventually, Wizard had six employees dedicated to order processing and shipping. For owner Billy Carmen, streamlining shipping using technology was the most viable path forward to a sustainable and profitable business.
" Our experience, from the first time we used Descartes ShipRush to now, having shipped tens-of-thousands of orders, is that the solution has been priceless for our business. Any small business shipping products should have ShipRush. It is fast, efficient and simple to operate. Once you ship with ShipRush, you are not going to want to do it any other way. "
--Billy Carmen Owner, Wizard Distribution
The Solution: Streamline Order Fulfillment with Order Processing Software
Wizard deployed the cloud-based Descartes ShipRush solution, which helps small-to-medium e-commerce businesses and omnichannel retailers ship parcels efficiently and cost-effectively.
Using the system on tablets or smartphones, Wizard now automatically receives customer orders from its own online marketplaces, Amazon (in the U.S. and in multiple countries worldwide), eBay and more in one easy-to-navigate dashboard. From the dashboard, Wizard can also compare carrier rates and delivery options for shipments in real-time. With side-by-side carrier rate shopping, in combination with the solution’s postage discounts, Wizard can choose the most cost-effective and efficient option for every package.
“We were bogged down by our previous shipping process, and it also became challenging to manage shipping costs with changing rates and surcharges. We tried hard to offer low rates while not losing money on each shipment, but we were probably paying up to 40% more than necessary,” explains owner Billy Carmen. “With Descartes ShipRush, we now have an effective way to rate shop, which allows us to offer low-cost shipping and still make a profit.”
Descartes ShipRush also automatically prints shipping labels for FedEx, UPS, USPS and other major U.S. and global carriers, and allows Wizard to track shipments through to final delivery. Easy international shipping capabilities give Wizard’s customers a seamless, worry-free e-commerce experience. Additionally, premium customs content lets customers see their total international shipping costs including duties. With the solution, returns are also a simple matter with easy order verification and shipping labels emailed directly to customers.
Having remote access to Descartes ShipRush helps Wizard excel at customer service by providing Carmen and his now two-person team with the ability to easily access a customer’s order status and respond almost instantaneously. “The flexibility of having everything relating to an order in the palm of your hand and being able to transmit that information within minutes when a customer asks is a really powerful thing for a small business,” notes Carmen.
Wizard Distribution is so pleased with how Descartes ShipRush has improved fulfillment workflow and reduced costs that the company actively recommends the solution to other inventors and small businesses to help them manage their e-commerce fulfillment needs!
The Results
1. Streamlined Ecommerce Shipping - From downloading customer orders via multiple online marketplaces and carts and automatically populating information in one system, to rate shopping, printing labels and tracking orders in real-time, Descartes ShipRush offers Wizard an end-to-end e-commerce shipping solution.
2. Lower Shipping Costs - Prior to using Descartes ShipRush, Wizard’s shipping costs were as much as 40% higher without the ability to compare carrier rates and delivery options in real-time. By rate-shopping carriers for each package, side-by-side, and comparing delivery times and surcharges, Wizard has realized significant savings by lowering overall shipping costs.
3. Lower Staffing Costs - Dramatic productivity gains driven by Descartes ShipRush helped Wizard move from six employees handling order fulfillment to just two. Automated shipping and label printing make 15-minute tasks take seconds, and the ability to work remotely helps Wizard make the most of its small-team dynamic.
4. Better Customer Service - Browser-based access to order and shipping details makes it easy for Wizard to look up a customer’s order status anywhere and respond almost instantaneously. Easy returns and simplified international shipping give customers a worry-free online shopping experience.
Wizard Distribution is operated by Wizard Industries, Inc., manufacturer of the Wizard brand of metal detection tools, surgical instrument detection wands, 4x4 Post Supports, PillowStay, bifocal safety glasses, disaster restraint products, specialty tools and health and wellness products. Learn more at www.wizarddistribution.com