Software platform Shipster helps Manchester-based clothing brand The Couture Club accelerate growth

Fashion brand The Couture Club has credited its partnership with Shipster for playing a key role in its growth. 

Since investing in technology to digitalise its warehouse management and shipping process five years ago, the Manchester-based lifestyle and streetwear retailer has seen sales soar by 200%.

Shipster is a custom shipping integration platform that connects online retailers, e-commerce warehouses, and distributors with over 100 leading couriers.

By integrating with Descartes Peoplevox, an e-commerce warehouse management system (WMS), The Couture Club has been able to automate and streamline its ‘pick to ship’ process. This has increased efficiency and productivity, accelerated order fulfillment and boosted customer satisfaction, increased profits, and enabled operational flexibility for growth.

Scott Shashua, Managing Director at Couture Club, says: “Shipster has transformed our company logistically, enabling us to do things we never thought would be possible. Our brand has been growing year on year internationally. I don't think we could have been able to cope with the growth we have experienced without Shipster. The impact has been tremendous.”

The Couture Club was founded in 2015 by reality TV star Ross Worswick and entrepreneur Scott Shashua. Year-on-year growth has seen the brand launch with Selfridges along with various celebrities and sports stars seen wearing the brand such as Lamine Yamal and Eduardo Camavinga. The business now employs around 50 people.

As with any young business, The Couture Club started off using manual, paper-based logistics systems. But in 2019, as sales increased, it reached a tipping point.

Chris Warburton, Warehouse Manager at The Couture Club, says: “I jokingly refer to that time as ‘the dark days’ - where half your day would be picking and the other half would be creating and putting labels on for shipping. The pressure to fulfil orders was immense and relentless. That manual process was painful and prone to human error which could cause further delay to our already demanding schedule. As we got bigger and bigger, it was obvious things needed to change.”

In 2019, The Couture Club upgraded its WMS to Descartes Peoplevox and integrated Shipster for automated shipping. 

Warburton adds: “The long standing partnership between the two software solutions means data flows through the business quickly. Labels with all the correct information are printed instantly on demand. That speed has doubled our capacity to be able to fulfil more orders. Accuracy is 100%, It's bulletproof.”

With a growing international customer base, The Couture Club has used Shipster's custom shipping rules capabilities to remain compliant with post-Brexit regulations, including IOSS and EORI. By automating the generation of necessary shipping documents, the brand ensures smooth cross-border operations.

Shipster’s licensing model has allowed The Couture Club to scale its operations dynamically, adding or removing licenses and couriers depending on seasonal demand.

“As a business you always look at places where you can improve certain systems,” Warburton says. “We are lightyears away from where we were before. When it comes to Shipster, it is so reliable and can handle anything you throw at it. There’s nothing that Shipster hasn’t been able to support us with to make our lives easier. And the responsiveness is instant. They understand how fast-moving our business is and how costly delay is.”

Tony Cheetham, Founder and Managing Director at Shipster, says: “It has been fantastic to be part of The Couture Club’s success story. Retailers, especially in the fashion sector, need a solution that is efficient, cost-effective and gets products out of the warehouse to customers seamlessly. We have a fantastic track record of supporting fast-growing fashions brands and are proud to be part of the growth of such a vital and valuable sector of the UK economy.” 

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Supply chain technology was a key focus area at the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering.