Ecommerce Operations
The operational engine behind a scaling DTC brand.
Marketing brings the order. Operations decides whether it makes money. We rebuild the operational stack underneath your ecommerce business so growth doesn't break it.
Definition
Ecommerce operations covers the back-end systems and processes that fulfil every order, tech stack, fulfilment partners, returns, customer service, inventory, and margin reporting. As a DTC business scales from £1m to £20m, the operational stack typically needs to be rebuilt twice.
Common operational bottlenecks at this stage
- Fulfilment costs eating margin as order volume grows
- Returns rate climbing with no root-cause analysis
- Tech stack accumulated over time, Shopify, Klaviyo, Gorgias, Recharge, ShipStation, and nothing talks properly to anything else
- Customer service flooded; no operational data flowing back from CS into product/ops
- Margin per SKU and per channel invisible
- 3PL relationship souring as volume changes
- Founder spending 40% of the week on operational firefighting
What we work on
- Tech stack rationalisation: audit the SaaS estate, eliminate duplication, define the operational system of record
- Fulfilment strategy: 3PL selection, in-house vs outsourced, cost-per-order optimisation
- Returns operations: reduce return rate, improve the return experience, recover inventory faster
- Customer service operations: tier the contact reasons, reduce volume at source, route by complexity
- Inventory and replenishment: forecasting models, safety stock logic, supplier scorecards
- Margin reporting: true contribution margin per SKU, per channel, per region
- International fulfilment: EU and US infrastructure decisions, IOSS, duty handling
The tech stack we work across
Ecommerce platforms: Shopify, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce. ERP and inventory: NetSuite, Cin7, Linnworks, Khaos Control, Brightpearl. 3PL integrations: ShipStation, ShipBob, Huboo. Customer service: Gorgias, Zendesk, Re:amaze. We don't sell software, we help you choose and run the right stack for your stage.
How the engagement runs
Operational scan
Two-week audit across the ecommerce ops stack. Quantified findings.
Priority list
The 5 changes that will move margin or operational headroom the most.
Execution
Implementation done with the team, not handed to them. Vendor selection, integration, training.
Reporting baseline
Monthly operational dashboard delivered. Margin transparency in place.
FAQ
What platform do you most often work on?
Shopify Plus is the most common. We also work with BigCommerce and bespoke ecommerce builds.
Do you do paid media or SEO?
No. There are excellent specialists for paid media and SEO. Our work is on the operational engine that fulfils what they bring in.
What size 3PL deals are you used to negotiating?
We've negotiated contracts ranging from 5,000 orders per month to 80,000+. The structural questions are the same; the volume changes the leverage.
Will you recommend specific software?
Yes, when it's the right fit. We're independent of every vendor we work with, no commissions, no preferred-partner deals.
Can this be done remotely?
Most of it, yes. We're typically on-site for kickoff and major decision points; the rest runs remotely with weekly calls.
See if this is the right fit for your business.
30 minutes, no pitch. You'll leave with actionable insight whether you engage further or not.