Customer story
GINA TRICOT – KEEPING THINGS SIMPLE WITH ASTRO WMS®
Swedish fashion chain giant Gina Tricot takes pride in keeping things simple. The company promises customers who order online before 4 p.m. that they can collect their orders from one of the chain´s specified stores the next day. With the help of Consafe Logistics, Gina Tricot developed a simpler system for picking, packing, and shipping to ensure smooth delivery.
The Challenge
On its website, Gina Tricot allows – and even encourages – shoppers to have their purchase(s) delivered free of charge to one of its 190 local stores. This collect-at-store (CAS) service adds convenience and security for consumers, knowing that their purchase is safely waiting for them. For Gina Tricot, CAS gives an opportunity to convert shoppers to buyers when they visit local shops.
Before using Astro WMS®, the company faced the following challenges:
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Initially, an aging enterprise resource planning (ERP) system was handling logistics, which did not provide real-time stock information for Gina Tricot´s active Borås warehouse.
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The company updated the ERP but later learned that a warehouse management system (WMS) would be the right solution.
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Preparing CAS-designated shipments was stressful and laborious for Gina Tricot employees, frequently resulting in shipment delays.
In 2015 the procurement for a warehouse management system was initiated.
The Solution
Three vendors participated in the bidding process, and ultimately, Gina Tricot chose Astro WMS® from Consafe Logistics. The company valued our vast experience in logistics and inventory and that Astro WMS® offered the greatest modularity and flexibility. The team also felt it would be easier to work with a supplier offering local support.
Based on its unique assortment and vision for going forward, the company opted for a customized version of the WMS. One of the first tasks of the new cooperation was the development of a streamlined CAS system, which now contains the following steps:
1. Every morning, pickers entering the system are alerted of orders designated for collect-at-store delivery. The system prints out a non-shipping label that is applied to the picked order. Besides customer details, the store designation is the most important information on the non-shipping label.
2. Once the order has been picked – and a non-shopping label applied – it is placed on a store-designated shelf. At the end of the day, accumulated store packages are packed into one box. This box is then shipped to a specific store.
3. When the store parcel arrives, individual orders are removed, and customers are informed that their purchases are ready for pickup.
Key benefits of the new system:
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Cost-effective for customers
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Saves thousands of Swedish Crowns on shipping costs for Gina Tricot
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Provides a better working environment for warehouse employees due to the simpler, more effective system
As Gina Tricot and Consafe Logistics have worked together to maximize the potential of the new distribution center, the partnership has only grown stronger. The company also appreciates Consafe Logistics´ practical knowledge and digital expertise.
"This system is not only cost-effective for our customers, it saves us thousands of Swedish Crowns in shipping costs each month. More important, our warehouse employees experience much less stress executing their picking and packing activities."
Petri Ventelä
Head of Logistics, Gina TricotAbout Gina Tricot
Gina Tricot is a Swedish fashion chain offering exciting and feminine fashion to women in over 30 countries. Their strength is taking advantage of simplicity, both in their design and their way of working. Gina Tricot has a strong passion for fashion, and its goal is to offer its customers the best shopping experience.
Today, Gina Tricot operates 190 stores in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Germany, plus e-commerce throughout the rest of Europe. With about 1,900 employees, of whom 98 % are female. For them, building pride inside and out is important, they choose to invest in and highlight women.