Retail technology investment with Shipster and Descartes Peoplevox proves just the trick for UK firm SkateHut

UK-based skateboarding retailer SkateHut is gearing up for a sales boom when the sport returns for the Paris 2024 Olympics, following a debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics that made Team GB’s bronze medal winning teenager Sky Brown a household name, and resulted in an increase in cross-generational participation.

As SkateHut prepares for a surge in sales in decks, trucks, wheels and protective gear, it has invested in technology to ensure it can cope with the summer order spike.

Central to this is its deployment of Descartes Peoplevox, an e-commerce warehouse management system, and Shipster, a custom shipping integration platform which connects online retailers, warehouses and distributors with over 100 couriers. 

The collaboration has also expanded to Linnworks, the e-commerce software, which connects to sales channels like eBay and Amazon.

Dell Blundell, Operations Director at SkateHut, says: “Skateboarding's popularity surged during the pandemic and the Tokyo Olympics. Its return to the global stage in Paris is set to trigger a major boost in demand for skate equipment."

“Working with Descartes Peoplevox has enabled us to increase the amount of orders we process, while Shipster has made the dispatch process tremendously slick.” 

“Seasonal surges can be tricky for businesses like ours, especially when accurate and on-time delivery are so crucial for building and maintaining a customer base. Investing in the right software stack has been vital. The technologies have proved to be the perfect solution for our growing business.”

SkateHut launched as an online retailer in 2007.

It now has three bricks and mortar stores and a 65,000 sq ft warehouse in Halesowen in the West Midlands shipping up to one million products a year.

And not just skateboards. It also sells the likes of scooters, bikes, outdoor and watersports equipment.

Its year on year growth has been managed with a digital transformation strategy, moving away from manual and paper-based stock control, picking and dispatch operations.

Johannes Panzer, Head of Product Strategy, E-commerce for Descartes, says: “The flexible connectivity that Descartes Peoplevox offers enables us to integrate with best of breed software across the e-commerce ecosystem, including Shipster.”

“The importance of a water-tight tech-stack across the lifecycle of an order minimises risk of mis-ships, increases effectiveness and maximises your chances to consistently over deliver on customer expectations.”

Tony Cheetham, Founder and Managing Director at Shipster, says: “Retailers need a solution that is efficient, cost-effective and gets products out of the warehouse to customers seamlessly.” 

“Working together, Shipster and Descartes have developed a bespoke end-to-end pick-to-despatch system that has transformed SkateHut’s accuracy, productivity and scalability.”

“It means SkateHut are ready for the sporting summer as skateboarding is beamed into the homes of a new generation of fans and inspires more to give it a try.”