Planning for Growth

Anne: Growing sales in multiple markets

Anne Li, owner of a wind and renewable energy company, has a high demand, niche product - personal wind/solar generators that can be installed by nearly anybody. Anne enjoyed explosive sales growth in the U.S. and internationally; but, she couldn't generate the energy or expertise to handle the daily hassles of storage, inventory and shipping...especially in Europe.

"My business has been growing rapidly, and Shipwire has been invaluable in scaling my business. Recently, demand in Europe for our wind-turbines has skyrocketed, so I turned to Shipwire for help. Working with them is so much easier and less expensive than doing my own order fulfillment. Our products are heavy and fragile, so freighting inventory to Europe, and then shipping it ground, will cut delivery times from weeks to days, and save my buyers and my business a lot of money."

Using Shipwire, Li is able to manage her inventory across five warehouses, in three countries, on two continents, through one online interface, and pay just one bill. As shipping and carrier rates continue to increase, small businesses are turning to Shipwire to leverage the same cost and global warehousing advantages that were previously only available to large enterprises.

Starting a Company

Joe: Avoiding a traditional warehouse

When Keetsa.com introduced a revolutionary, eco-friendly memory-foam mattress that helps people sleep better for less, the demand for the product was clearly there. But Joe Alexander, Keetsa's sales director, found Keetsa stuck in a classic small business box: He needed a warehouse that would fit their storage needs, but traditional warehouses demanded long-term contracts, upfront fees and a credit check that was difficult for a newly established business to pass. Keetsa found a solution to their problem with Shipwire.

"Shipwire's model was a perfect fit," Mr. Alexander says. "No annual commitments, no credit check, and Shipwire customized a pricing plan for us quickly." Through Shipwire Keetsa was able to place inventory into East and West coast warehouses, and automate mattress shipments to the growing list of online buyers from Keetsa.com's online store. "We chose the Shipwire warehouse and delivery service for its flexibility. It gave us storage and delivery features that we needed at a price we appreciated." Mr. Alexander conservatively estimates that using Shipwire has saved Keetsa 35% versus the traditional warehouse option.