In this sponsored advertorial, INTERSPORT Australia's head of marketing and digital Ben Wapling shares how delivery platform Shippit and omni-channel platform stockinstore have empowered the sporting retailer to deliver seamless omnichannel fulfilment.
Like many retailers in 2024, INTERSPORT has faced - and been forced to overcome - significant challenges, from rising carrier costs to changing customer expectations. However, with the help of Australia’s leading commerce delivery platform, Shippit, and omnichannel solution provider stockinstore, INTERSPORT has transformed its operations, enabling 90% of its stores to fulfil online orders, drastically improving customer experience and efficiency - and crucially, giving it the foundation to overcome those challenges.
With over 75% of INTERSPORT’s stores located in regional Australia, streamlining the fulfilment process was critical. Regional and remote deliveries account for a significant portion of INTERSPORT’s online orders, so managing logistics cost-effectively while ensuring timely deliveries was necessary.
“We wanted to offer a consistent and seamless experience for our customers, no matter where they were, without significantly increasing costs,” says Wapling. “Our customers expect fast, reliable delivery, and with Shippit and stockinstore, we’ve been able to meet and exceed those expectations.”
The Challenges: Regional Delivery and Expanding Fulfilment Capabilities
As INTERSPORT grew, so too did the need to optimise stores as fulfilment centres, reduce delivery times and costs, and improve customer satisfaction. With a nationwide customer base, particularly in regional areas, optimising the last-mile delivery was essential.
“Previously, stores operated in silos, and the logistics were complex. We needed a solution that would allocate orders to the nearest store with stock, and reduce delivery windows,” Wapling explains. “Shippit’s multi-carrier integration and stockinstore’s Order Management System enables us to streamline the order fulfilment process.”
The Solution: Shippit and stockinstore
INTERSPORT leverages Shippit’s platform to select the most cost-effective carrier for each order, while stockinstore's solutions power Ship from Store (with Order Management System) and Click & Collect, giving INTERPORT the ability to offer a broader, deeper range from their 80+ stores, allocate orders to stores, and where required, transfer stock to another store for an added level of convenience for customers shopping online. This integration empowered INTERSPORT to speed up delivery and reduce fulfilment costs.
“We use stockinstore to allocate orders to the closest store, significantly decreasing delivery times” continues Wapling. “With Shippit, our stores don’t have to manually select carriers; the system automatically chooses the most economical option based on the order size and delivery destination.”
This omnichannel approach has been a game-changer for INTERSPORT, which seamlessly bridged its online and physical presence, while offering flexible shopping options like Click & Collect.
“Click & Collect accounts for approximately 25% of our total online orders, and during peak seasons like Christmas, that can go as high as 50%. It’s a critical service for us, especially in regional areas where delivery windows may be longer during peak periods,” Wapling adds.
Shippit Insights: Data-Driven Decisions for Optimal Fulfilment
Shippit Insights enabled INTERSPORT to make data-driven decisions across its fulfilment operations. By analysing carrier performance, delivery times, and cost trends, INTERSPORT has optimised its delivery network.
“The insights from Shippit allow us to track delivery performance, review carrier costs, and see where we can make improvements,” says Wapling. “For example, we’ve been able to tweak our rules engine in Shippit to ensure we’re choosing the most cost-effective carriers and streamlining our fulfilment operations.”
This data has been instrumental in helping INTERSPORT refine its logistics strategy, allowing it to scale as it expands its store network and customer base across Australia.
Scaling for Peak Season Success
While the impact of Shippit and stockinstore is year-round, the true value comes during peak periods like Black Friday and Christmas, which place immense pressure on retailers to deliver at scale. For INTERSPORT, having scalable technology that can handle increased order volumes is crucial.
“With Shippit’, we’ve been able to scale our fulfilment operations quickly to handle peak demand,” Wapling explains. “Our stores are prepared with the necessary resources, and Shippit’s carrier integrations help us manage the surge in deliveries while maintaining customer satisfaction.”
The ability to flex fulfilment capacity during peak seasons has given INTERSPORT a competitive edge, allowing it to offer reliable delivery when it matters most, without the operational headaches.
What’s Next for INTERSPORT?
Looking ahead, INTERSPORT is focused on enhancing customer experience and expanding delivery offerings. With Shippit and stockinstore, the retailer is preparing to introduce additional services, such as same-day and priority deliveries, to meet its customers’ growing demands.
“We’ve seen significant growth in our online sales, and a primary driver of this is the efficiencies we’ve created with Shippit and stockinstore,” Wapling highlights. “We’ll continue to invest in improving our fulfilment capabilities and expanding our store network, so we can offer even faster and more flexible delivery options to our customers.”
With Shippit and stockinstore by its side, INTERSPORT is well-positioned to thrive in the competitive retail landscape, delivering reliably and efficiently across Australia, no matter the season.
Learn how you can make delivery a competitive advantage like INTERSPORT. Visit shippit.com.