'Commercial heart' connects Gabor marketplace with stationary retail partners
The shoe brand Gabor is responding to the direct-to-consumer trend in its own way: On Gabor.com consumers can order all models. At the same time, Gabor Shoes AG is integrating stationary retail into digital sales. This is made possible by the intelligent marketplace solutionEngine 4 Marketplace' (E4M)developed by bartolome röder AG.
Gabor Shoes AG manufactures high-quality men's and women's shoes and is one of the best-known shoe brands in the German-speaking world. In the 2020 financial year, the company based in Rosenheim, Bavaria, generated sales of 301 million euros. Online retail is becoming increasingly important as a sales channel. Gabor uses the appeal and awareness of its own brand and presents its entire product range online. Shoe lovers can find the right shoes for them on Gabor.com the Gabor brand for women's shoes and the brands rollingsoft and Pius Gabor, the company's men's shoe brand, as well as handbags from the Gabor bags brand.
While other manufacturers are competing with their traditional retail partners on the web, Gabor is taking a different approach with a specially developed marketplace: the Gabor online store involves local shoe stores in Germany, Austria and soon also in the Netherlands in digital sales. When an order is placed via Gabor.com arrives, it is passed on to one of Gabor's marketplace partners. Affiliated stationary shoe retailers take over the fulfillment of online orders and thus generate additional online sales.
The challenge
Several participants are involved in the marketplace: the stationary retailers, the shipping service providers, the payment service provider and Gabor itself. Therefore, a central process control system for handling orders and returns via the Gabor Marketplace was to be introduced," says Thorsten Bähre, Head of E-Commerce at Gabor Shoes AG, looking back.
This led to the decision to implement a new solution. "We needed a commercial 'heart', a merchandise management system that maps all processes," explains Bähre. He set three goals for the new solution: Process security, process stability and the ability to scale in order to support the planned growth of the online sales channel.
Gabor and bartolome röder AG
Within three months, the previous order management system was replaced by a new solution. It was designed and implemented by the management and IT consultancy bartolome röder AG in Munich. The Austrian full-service Internet agency elements.at New Media Solutions GmbH delivered a new front end.
The solution
With E4M, bartolome röder AG has developed a central order processing system.
E4M, the Central Workflow Controller, takes over as the central control organ of the marketplace from Gabor.com tasks such as the routing of orders or order process control. The retailers share Gabor.com their stocks. The incoming online orders are processed by Gabor.com passed on to the partners. "Gabor has managed to enter the business-to-consumer sales market and at the same time get brick-and-mortar retailers on board," says Bähre, describing the company's sales philosophy.
If an online order meets Gabor.com an algorithm decides which sales partner will carry out the order. If he accepts, the order is forwarded to him. The retailer sends the goods from its warehouse to the customer - naturally with the Gabor branding. Customers receive the invoice for the online order from Gabor Shoes. "With this solution, we can clearly map a multi-stage sales process and all document flows - including shipping, payment and returns," says Bernd Röder, Partner at bartolome röder AG, about E4M.
The result
With E4M, all steps of an order are now transparent. "We always have an overview with this solution," emphasizes e-commerce manager Bähre. He lists the following specific examples: the correct stock levels in the store, the current order status, the correct customer data. Bähre is satisfied: "We can now monitor all processes." The internal feedback is very positive, he reports. The sales partners also benefit from Gabor's marketplace principle. Particularly during the lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, the marketplace Gabor.com proven, says Bähre.
He praises the collaboration with bartolome röder AG: "The partners are crucial in such a complex project. What understanding of the process do they have? What planning overview do they have? We need solutions that are flexible and fast, and the right minds behind them." The project team from Gabor Shoes AG, bartolome röder AG and elements.at worked together "sensationally", says Bähre happily.
Two of the three project goals have now been achieved: the solution is stable and displays all processes transparently. Bähre's next focus is on driving the growth of the online channel.
Have we aroused your interest?
If you are interested in our Marketplace Controller' Engine 4 Marketplace' (E4M) and would like further information, please contact us!
Phone: +49 (89) 21 111 848
E-Mail: vertrieb@br-ag.com
