DSW creates the endless aisle with drop ship efficiency
- Proactive supplier management drives delivery targets improvement
- Maintaining high fill rate across the year with Rithum drop ship
- 250 brands live on DSW through quick drop ship onboarding with Rithum
Background and Challenge:
Leading footwear and accessories retailer DSW has been steadily growing its online presence since 2012. With hundreds of brick-and-mortar stores in the U.S. and Canada, the company was keen to expand its offerings further by leveraging drop ship. Senior Vice President of Distribution and Logistics Jeff Girard says the goal is to offer customers a never-ending selection of footwear, “Our customers are familiar with the broad assortment in our brick-and-mortar locations, we want the online experience to be equally expansive using drop ship to create an endless aisle.”
Once DSW’s drop ship solution got underway, Jeff and the team realized that managing the vast inventory associated with drop shipping could pose significant challenges, particularly in managing the quality and accuracy of individual orders and shipments. In 2019, based on growth in their drop ship business, DSW realized they needed a more reliable and scalable platform. This prompted DSW to reach out to Rithum to manage their burgeoning drop ship operations and facilitate growth. They were drawn to Rithum’s reputation for providing technical solutions and high performance across supplier networks.
Addressing the challenge:
Rithum worked closely with DSW to migrate their drop ship operations onto its platform, providing the retailer with the tools needed to add vendors and expand their product offerings. By implementing new capabilities such as vendor monitoring solutions, Rithum enabled DSW to maintain high-quality standards like timely order fulfillment and proactive customer messaging. Through the Rithum platform, DSW gained visibility into their supplier network, allowing them to manage orders effectively and address any issues in real-time. DSW Senior Manger Fulfillment Operations and Drop Ship Aiesha Pitts says Rithum’s onboarding process has been a differentiator, “We’re always looking to add new SKUs, especially from known and emerging brands. Rithum’s rapid onboarding has made them a strong partner in the growth of our network.”
Great Results Afterward:
Since partnering with Rithum, DSW has seen significant improvements in their drop ship operations with minimal disruptions, thanks to Rithum’s support and proactive communication even through the challenges of peak season. DSW can maintain an impressive fill rate of almost 100% throughout the year across their drop ship supplier network using the Rithum platform. The DSW team says Rithum’s supplier performance insights and reporting dashboard has been extremely helpful in identifying areas of improvement. For instance, Jeff and team were able to identify where certain suppliers were falling behind in their click-to-porch speed. DSW was able to use Rithum’s visibility tools to set and quickly achieve its delivery standards.
Furthermore, DSW has been able to onboard suppliers more efficiently, with 152 connections and 250 brands integrated into the platform. The benefit is a quick path to a broader selection of products and an ease in adding new products from existing suppliers. With Rithum’s assistance, DSW has not only overcome past challenges but also positioned itself for continued growth and success in the competitive retail landscape.
