Ted Baker boost e-sales via ship-from-store, will roll out tech abroad

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Sep 29, 2020

French tech firm OneStock offered more evidence of the value of its technology solution this week saying that UK retailer Ted Baker managed to fulfil an extra 101,000 online orders in one year following a new omnichannel initiative that sees a proportion of orders packed and shipped by stores.

OneStock, which also works with retailers across the price spectrum, including Reiss and LVMH’s power brands, said the extra orders Ted Baker saw represent an 8% increase in UK e-commerce turnover, even though just 30 stores were activated. 

More and more retailers are turning to ship from store options as they seek ways of boosting their digital sales in an increasingly online-focused world and also ways to maximise the value of their physical spaces. That's even more important as physical shops come under increasing pressure to justify their existence post-pandemic.

OneStock said Ted Baker now has real-time visibility of stock across all channels. If warehouses are out of stock of a customer’s desired item, "stores have the opportunity to claim the order via a dedicated app and win the sale, adding an element of gamification”.

Ted Baker’s Director of Operations, Clare Harrison-Empson, added that the tech is “enabling us to broaden the e-commerce offering in our stores, driving margin through extra sales along with the improved management of our total inventory. Results in the first year have exceeded our expectations”.

She said the retailer now sees fewer stock-outs, an increase in the number of items sold at full price, and a reduction in seasonal markdowns. Logistical costs relating to order fulfilment are also less. 

This is crucial at particularly busy times and last December, 30,000 orders, equating to 13% of total UK e-commerce turnover for the period, were fulfilled by stores. Prior to the introduction of ship from store technology, these orders would have been lost.

Ted Baker has also seen higher demand for Click & Collect as part of the order management system. Five months after launch, orders multiplied six-fold, and gave staff the ability to up-sell during customer visits.

The company is now planning to expand its use of the tech internationally.