Shipsters 3rd Party Logistics Case Study
How we helped Shipsters succeed
The Customer
Based in Carlsbad, California, Shipsters is a third-party logistics firm (3PL) that specializes in direct-to-consumer e-commerce fulfillment. They take responsibility for every step in the shipping process from the moment a customer makes an online purchase until they receive their package. That includes inventory storage, sorting, picking, packing, and shipping.
Brundage, Shipsters Founder and CEO, started the company in 2016, offering service only to private clients. Business was good, but Brundage, noting the rising demand for 3PL services, saw an opportunity to expand. In 2021, Shipsters opened their services to the general public.
The Challenge
As Shipsters expanded, they began to grow frustrated with their warehouse management system (WMS). Over the years, they tried several different providers, but all had their shortcomings.
"They were all very difficult to understand, very difficult to navigate and took some considerable onboarding and training time. We then had to pass that along to our staff and our clients," Brundage explained.
Brundage was equally frustrated by their previous barcode scanners.
"The equipment that we were using was very clunky and just kind of prehistoric feeling," Brundage said.
Shipsters' challenge was two-fold. They needed better hardware and better software: a WMS both robust enough to handle their complex operation, and simple enough for employees to use with little training.
The Application
Fed up with their old WMS system, Shipsters made the switch to ShipHero, a WMS designed to provide integrated, easy-to-use tools to eCommerce fulfillment businesses.
Brundage was quickly impressed.
"ShipHero is cloud-based, extremely easy to use, and extremely agile. There's ultimately nothing you can really do to mess it up, and it's ready to use out of the box," Brundage said.
The Socket Mobile Solution
To accompany their new WMS, Shipsters needed new barcode scanners. To get the most out of ShipHero, they needed to find a barcode scanner with similar qualities: robust, intuitive, and easy to use.
Shipsters decided to go with Socket Mobile, ShipHero's recommended barcode scanner provider. They considered Socket's options and selected the DuraScan D730 1D laser barcode scanner. Durable, ergonomic, and equipped with a powerful class two laser scanner, the D730 was the perfect fit for their operation.
Integrating the D730 into their operation was quick and easy.
"There wasn't really a lot to worry about. We just powered the device on, it pairs with the iPad, and we're off and rolling. There wasn't any additional setup that we had to do," Brundage said.
The Results
Socket Mobile and ShipHero arrived at the perfect time. Since implementing the D730 and ShipHero, Shipsters has gone through a growth spurt, roughly quadrupling its business. During that same period, they've improved their picking efficiency by over 200% and have virtually eliminated mis-picks.
The D730s are powerful, easy to use, and remarkably long-lasting. Plus, per Brundage, they have a surprisingly cool factor.
"When our clients visit our facilities, they're always impressed. When they see the D730s, they don't realize they're scanners, and they think they're really neat; they always find them super cool and attractive."
Thanks to Socket Mobile and ShipHero, Shipsters now has an innovative and reliable data capture system that increases productivity throughout their everyday operations.
