How ERP and 3PL Solutions Helped EasyCare Scale Their Fulfillment
Traditional metal shoes have been used for horses for centuries. 50 years ago, EasyCare decided to reinvent the “horseshoe” as we know it and created the hoof boot: a more flexible shoe for horses that allows for better circulation and comfort than the traditional metal shoe. As more horse owners switched to the hoof boot, EasyCare knew they needed a better fulfillment solution in order to meet the demand.
Shipping and Fulfillment
Two years ago, EasyCare managed all of their own warehousing and distribution. After looking at the cost of operating their own warehouse, they decided to transition to a 3PL (third party logistics company). This move gave their team more time to spend on other business initiatives, like product creation, marketing, and customer support. Jessica Kahn, EasyCare’s Operations and Special Projects Lead, said EasyCare chose Warehouse-Pro as their 3PL because they were best equipped to handle quick fulfillment and EasyCare’s complicated returns process.
EasyCare’s unique returns process made finding the right 3PL essential. They offer rental shoes to customers that need to be properly washed and evaluated for wear upon their return. EasyCare also allows customers to return products they bought within 45 days, no questions asked. These items are evaluated for usability upon return, and products that are able to enter back into inventory are listed with a 50% discount. Warehouse-Pro has a team dedicated entirely to EasyCare’s unique inventory and fulfillment process, ensuring the products are handled properly. The team’s deep knowledge of the products allows Warehouse-Pro to be more adaptable as any challenges arise.
Integrating with ERP
In December 2019, EasyCare implemented ShipStation along with their switch to Warehouse-Pro. Since implementing ShipStation and Warehouse-Pro, EasyCare has increased fulfillment speed, simplified returns, and improved customer service. The team at EasyCare chose Sage 100 as their ERP solution in order to better synchronize their website with ShipStation. To help them with this transition, they relied on the expertise of nChannel, a SaaS integration platform that specializes in ERP and accounting integrations. nChannel helps EasyCare automate their shipping process for online orders from start to finish. Through nChannel’s integration, orders that used to sync in two waves per day now sync almost instantly from their Sage 100 to ShipStation. This allows EasyCare to ship more orders each day, and offer more same-day shipping to their customers.
Automation
ShipStation’s automation rules make order fulfillment quicker and easier. EasyCare puts tags on specific orders, such as rentals or products with adhesive to ensure that these orders are automatically processed with the proper materials. They also have a rule where rental orders will automatically be processed with a printed return label, and orders that contain a hazardous adhesive are flagged so that the proper labeling and paperwork can be printed and included.
Conclusion
The improved shipping and returns process has made EasyCare’s customers more satisfied as well. In addition to quick and accurate shipping, customers are able to track their orders, minimizing the need for them to reach out to support for assistance. This has relieved some of the pressure from EasyCare’s support team, allowing them to spend more time on product and customer relationships.
ShipStation, Sage 100, nChannel, and Warehouse-Pro integrated seamlessly to provide EasyCare with the fulfillment solution it needed. With their improved shipping and returns process, the EasyCare team is able to spend more time focusing on what’s important—improving horse care for equestrians across the globe.
