Case Studies Vinyl Me, Please | Case Study: Fulfillment
When you claim to be “the best damn record club out there,” you need to deliver. Every month, Vinyl Me, Please sends subscribers an exclusive vinyl record. The company also sells additional titles and related merchandise from their online store. To help ensure a positive customer experience, the fast-growing record-of-the-month club has long looked to Saddle Creek Logistics Services for both subscription and ecommerce fulfillment.
The Challenge
When the coronavirus pandemic swept the globe, production slowed. While the company’s overseas manufacturer was able to produce the records, they lacked the labor to package them in time to meet July order commitments. To compound the problem, Vinyl Me, Please expected to double their average shipment volume in the month of July.
Concerned about their ability to satisfy customer expectations, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Adam Block reached out to the company’s fulfillment partner for help.
The Solution
With just one month’s notice, the Saddle Creek team in Charlotte, N.C., leaped into action. Since the 3PL provides value-added services for other clients, they were able to quickly cross-train associates to handle new kitting and assembly responsibilities. They also doubled assembly-line capacity to accommodate the additional order volume.
Orders needed to ship within a two-week window, so timing was critical. Saddle Creek preassembled the subscription orders, inserting each record in a cardboard sleeve along with an informational insert and sealing the contents in a peel-and-stick vinyl bag. Using the Vinyl Me, Please warehouse management system (WMS) with order management functionality, the Saddle Creek team executed all kitting and order fulfillment activities and ensured orders were processed quickly and accurately.
The Results
The team handled more than 50,000 orders in a two-week period. Not only did Saddle Creek succeed in fulfilling the July shipments on time, they also have continued to meet kitting and assembly needs for Vinyl Me, Please. “Saddle Creek saved the day. Having an alternate solution we could rely on really helped us to mitigate risk,” Block explains. “Looking ahead, we plan to continue strengthening our partnership with Saddle Creek.”
Saddle Creek saved the day. Having an alternate resource we could rely on really helped us to mitigate risk.
Adam Block
CFO, Vinyl Me, Please