In an omnichannel world, returns can even drive new revenue. A customer who buys online and returns in-store might make another purchase. Getting returned items back into inventory quickly also creates the chance for another sale. “That’s the essence of the return process,” says Wolpov. “How do you get as much value out of that return as you possibly can?” When returns are delayed, the value drains away. This is especially true if the transaction doesn’t result in an exchange or resale and a product ends up being sold at the end of the season for a fraction of its price. But when customers have a positive experience and products are ef ciently exchanged and/or resold, everyone wins. A seamless return experience can turn a one-time buyer into a regular customer.
As volume surged and inventory complexity increased, spreadsheets and basic order management software no longer cut it. The California- based omnichannel supplier turned to Descartes Systems Group, integrating its Sellercloud with a warehouse management system to unify its operations. With ful llment now centralized on a single platform, Crystal Art Gallery has increased order throughput vefold, boosted ef ciency, and reduced shipping costs. “When you start out of your garage, the toolset you need is very different than when you run a 500,000-SKU warehouse or expand into new marketplaces,” says Mikel Richardson, general manager of ecommerce for North America at Descartes. Growth adds layers of complexity and companies must think carefully about how to manage them. Many ecommerce brands follow a familiar arc. Early on, spreadsheets and basic order-management tools might be enough to handle tens of orders a day. “But once you start processing thousands, or perhaps tens of thousands of orders daily, you hold yourself back if your technology can’t scale with you,” Richardson says. At this point, brands can’t afford to miss the boat on technology integration. 6. LABOR WITHOUT LEVERAGE Meeting demand spikes is nearly impossible without a exible labor pool. Brands that rely on xed staf ng often struggle to scale during peak periods, especially in Q4, when holiday shopping typically drives the biggest surge of the year. When a brand lacks the ability to quickly ramp up labor, ful llment slows, errors increase, and the overall customer experience suffers. One of the smartest ways
packages to the door. For most brands, promising one- to three-day delivery everywhere is unrealistic without major
cost or infrastructure trade-offs. A more effective approach is to
prioritize consistency over speed. It’s wiser to de ne realistic delivery windows for each market and concentrate on building systems to meet them reliably. That could mean one to three days in some markets and three to ve elsewhere, but maintaining that promise is key. “As a company scales, it can choose to speed things up,” says Silva, “but trying to keep up with the Joneses isn’t the right move for every brand.” Reliable last-mile delivery partners can help ecommerce companies strengthen the post-purchase experience and build customer trust. Shipping is an extension of your brand. “It’s the last handshake between your brand and the consumer and it needs to be meaningful and impactful,” says Jeff Wolpov, senior vice president of ecommerce and Ryder Last Mile for Ryder System. Finding the right balance between delivery speed, cost, and reliability can be the difference between a one-time shopper and a loyal customer. 4. RETURNS WITHOUT REWARD Returns are a reality of ecommerce, and how brands handle them can solidify or sink budding customer relationships. The rst line of defense is prevention. Product pages should accurately re ect what shoppers will receive in terms of sizing, t, and other brand-speci c details. When expectations match reality, return rates drop. Once those measures are
5. TECHNOLOGY WITHOUT INTEGRATION
Rising demand and a ood of orders can feel like a win, but it can quickly turn into a problem when a brand can’t keep up. For many growing retailers, the issue isn’t disorganization; it’s outdated manual processes. That was the case for Crystal Art Gallery, a home décor company that designs, sources, warehouses, and distributes more than 500,000 SKUs across Amazon, Walmart, Wayfair, Target, Overstock, and its own Shopify stores.
in place, the key is to see returns in a different light. Instead of viewing them as a loss, treat them as an opportunity. “Returns are a chance to build loyalty,” says Wolpov. “Customers
to ease labor pressure is to invest in technology well before peak season arrives. Robust systems reduce the reliance on manual processes.
remember when a brand stands by its
promise and makes the returns process easy.”
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