Delivering a knockout fulfilment service
How our streamlined fulfilment processes keep Aston Villa’s fan store moving
- Ecommerce
- Fulfilment
- Pre-retailing services
Aston Villa is a Premier League football club soaked in a rich history that continues its legacy today. With its fans at the club’s heart, Aston Villa looked for an innovative fulfilment supplier that could streamline its merchandise processes and prepare for the launch of its new flagship “Villa Village” megastore located at the stadium.
Streamlining the fulfilment process
Aston Villa approached Linney ahead of its new season and the launch of its megastore. To ensure the in-store demand could be handled efficiently, Aston Villa wanted a new fulfilment process in place before the launch. Understanding that speed was of the essence to Aston Villa, Linney set to work, providing a dedicated onboarding team to manage over 200,000 units of merchandise.
Optimising stock management with customised processes
Once delivered to our fulfilment centre, we catalogued all SKUs using our bespoke warehouse management software (WMS). This process ensured that the stock levels were up to date and that the products were ready for shipment into the store when needed. We carried out additional pre-retailing processes for garment items, with hanging and security tagging completed as standard before they were put in a dedicated garment hanging area, further streamlining Aston Villa’s supply-chain process. When shipped to the store, all garments were transported on hanging rails, making the despatch and the replenishment of the store process as efficient as possible. Once the stock was logged in our WMS, Aston Villa was then able to access real-time reporting through our MyCentre reporting software.
Prioritising security measures for high-value merchandise
Owing to the high value of stock, security was paramount. The SKUs delivered to our fulfilment centre included embargoed items like the new-season kit. The secure facility we offer customers is ideal for Aston Villa’s requirements. By understanding the sensitive nature of the megastore launch and any kit reveals, our fulfilment team also established standard security of information protocols to ensure that the physical stock and intellectual property would be secure.
Exceeding expectations with rapid turnaround times
Turnaround times from our fulfilment centre to Aston Villa’s megastore were crucial to the work. As the on-site megastore peaks during the football season, the behind-the-scenes fulfilment process needed to match this speed to ensure stock was replenished quickly. These peaks are easily handled by our fulfilment team, which is well equipped to deal with high volumes and short delivery windows. Because our fulfilment centre is on one site, our team can quickly locate and despatch stock. This also enables us to offer a 24-hour turnaround for any items ordered before noon, with some items able to exceed this and be shipped and delivered within the same day. These turnaround times gave Aston Villa the confidence to launch its store within the intended timeframe and feel assured that ongoing fulfilment needs would be met.
Scoring quick turnaround times
Keeping up with fans’ expectations means working with an agile fulfilment supplier that can deliver accurately and meet tight turnaround times. By choosing a fulfilment service like Linney’s, Aston Villa can be confident that its season sellouts won’t stay sold out for long.
Contact our team today to talk about how we can support your brand’s fulfilment challenges.