Case Studies IPSY | Fulfillment Solution
Fulfilling subscription and ecommerce orders for IPSY is a complex process. Ultra-personalization, dramatic volume spikes and synchronized deliveries are just a few of the challenges that Saddle Creek helps the beauty subscription company to navigate. For a firsthand look at how we help IPSY delight its members, watch the video.
IPSY FULFILLMENT SOLUTION VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
0:00 Welcome to Saddle Creek Logistics’ order fulfillment operations for IPSY, a personalized beauty subscription company.
0:08 Saddle Creek fulfills subscription and ecommerce orders at its facilities in Texas and North Carolina and ships them to IPSY members in the US and Canada.
0:18 Personalization is at the heart of the IPSY experience, and many orders are tailored to each member’s individual beauty preferences.
0:26 Every month, members have the option to order Glam Bags with sample items or full-size products. In addition to “IPSY select” items, they can choose from dozens of SKUs to complete their orders. They can also purchase items from IPSY’s online store.
0:41 With many product combinations, this customization adds significant complexity to the fulfillment process.
0:48 When batch subscription orders drop into the warehouse management system, dozens of kitting lines shift into high gear for an intense two- to three-week period.
0:57 Each production line processes a particular order profile. As orders travel along a motorized conveyor, associates add marketing materials and the month’s featured beauty products. Then, they insert the kits into IPSY’s signature pink bubble mailers. Orders that do not require customization are labeled for mailing and prepared for shipping.
1:18 The vast majority of orders, however, include “member choice” selections or ecommerce add-ons. To accommodate these orders, pre-kitted bags and boxes are transferred to efficient work cells. The system directs associates to pick the correct items and quantities from hundreds of SKUs. Shipping labels are applied, based on product combination and shipping destination.
1:39 In addition to IPSY’s subscription orders, Saddle Creek also fulfills its high-volume ecommerce orders each month. Associates use handheld RF devices to guide the cart-picking process. They scan the position for each item and place products in bins labeled with barcodes for each order.
1:57 When IPSY offers flash or pop-up sales, daily ecommerce order volume spikes. Scalable labor and pick-to-light work cells help to accommodate the influx.
2:08 To ensure quality and accuracy, Saddle Creek regularly conducts quality inspections, pulling orders at random and visually verifying the contents.
2:17 Delighting members and building an online community is important to IPSY. The company strives to deliver orders to all subscribers at about the same time each month so they can share their experiences on social media.
2:29 To help synchronize arrival dates, orders are sorted by their destination, and the furthest ship out first. Saddle Creek’s distribution centers ship truckloads of orders to major carrier hubs around the country every month.
2:42 With continued growth expected, Saddle Creek will keep scaling and refining the fulfillment process to ensure service excellence and delight IPSY subscribers.
Related to: Managing Growth, Product Customization, Selling Online, Subscription Box