Watch how Complete Strength scaled fast with global fulfilment & an ultra-late order cut-off time

Challenge

Complete Strength previously fulfilled orders in-house but struggled to effectively manage warehouse staff and rising storage and shipping costs. The fulfilment process placed increasing strain on the team, who spent a lot of time chasing couriers about delayed or missing parcels. They found it particularly expensive and complicated to ship products across the EU. With an early 4pm order cut-off time, Complete Strength also struggled to meet demand from customers to order later in the day. A more efficient fulfilment process was required to reduce overall stress on the team, whilst ensuring customers received a great fulfilment experience.

Solution

Outsourcing fulfilment to Zendbox had an immediate positive impact on Complete Strength, saving the team stress and time on managing warehouse staff, inventory, and deliveries. Moving to an ultra-late order cut-off time of 9pm was a game-changer for Complete Strength as it reduced cart abandonment rates, boosted revenue, and enabled the brand to better compete on customer acquisition. Complete Strength can now ship orders seamlessly and cost-effectively across the EU, expanding the brand internationally and ensuring complete peace-of-mind that customers will receive their products on time and in perfect condition.

Trusting an award-winning 3PL provider

Before Zendbox, Complete Strength experienced several challenges, including warehouse and related staff management issues, as well as ever-increasing shipping costs. Rob Whitfield – the founder of Complete Strength – comments on his motivation for outsourcing the fulfilment process to a trusted 3PL provider:

“The reason why we went down the route of a 3PL was because we wanted a more efficient process of fulfilling orders, so that our customers had a great experience. It was important that we had a clean, clear system for ourselves and our customers. I also wanted to reduce my stress in relation to managing warehouse staff, increasing overheads, and the like.

“We looked at several 3PLs and each one has its strengths and weaknesses but when I came down to the Zendbox facilities, I was so impressed by the way that everything was smoothly run. Zendbox also seemed to have a real caring interest in not only Complete Strength, but also in making sure that customers got the right products.”

"It was a no-brainer for us to choose Zendbox as our 3PL provider."

Changing the game with late-night ordering

Rob explains what immediate impact he saw to his business when Complete Strength outsourced fulfilment to Zendbox:

"Moving from a 4pm to an ultra-late 9pm order cut-off time was a game-changer for us. We noticed fewer abandoned carts and we acquired a lot of our competitors’ customers."

“One of the great things about Zendbox is that our customers can order from Complete Strength up until 9pm and potentially receive their products the next day. This has made a massive difference to our sales and profits.”

Seamless & hassle-free expansion into Europe

Reflecting on his experience of fulfilling EU orders, Rob shares his thoughts on the process now that Zendbox has taken the hassle and headache out of his hands:

"EU expansion has been a real game-changer for Complete Strength because now I can sell my products in more territories."

“As a sports nutrition brand, it’s incredibly difficult and expensive to ship whey – one of our bestselling products – into Europe because it requires lots of documentation. It was a very complicated process that involved looking at commodity codes, different couriers, and other factors. We also couldn’t guarantee delivery times. When we did try to ship whey into Europe, it was always rejected, and this cost us a great deal of time, money, and effort.

“Since joining Zendbox, we’ve been able to ship our products right across Europe into Scandinavia, France, the Netherlands, and other territories. I haven’t got to worry about commodity codes or whether a product is going to be held at customs. It's a truly seamless process.”

"With Zendbox, I can’t tell the difference between shipping within the UK versus Europe."

Summary

With Complete Strength now fulfilling orders across the UK, the US and key EU countries, Rob is now looking at how he can expand his business even further. He comments on how he believes Zendbox will help the business do that:

“It’s been great to see how smooth the Zendbox systems are at fulfilling orders. It gives me confidence that when Complete Strength goes from receiving 300 to 1000 orders per day, Zendbox has the facilities to fulfil those orders seamlessly with no issues. I’ve seen how good their processes are first-hand.”

Zendbox helped Complete Strength achieve:

Time savings for the brand

Complete Strength no longer has to worry about managing warehouses, shipping, and related staff issues, and can therefore dedicate more time to other areas of the business.

Reduced stress for the team

The stresses and strains of managing order fulfilment have been lifted from the shoulders of the Complete Strength team, leaving them free to focus on nurturing better customer relationships.

A stronger competitive position

Moving to an ultra-late order cut-off time of 9pm meant Complete Strength was able to win more customers from competitors, helping to strengthen the brand’s position within an increasingly competitive market.

Seamless EU expansion

The seamless nature of the service from Zendbox makes it easy and cost-effective for Complete Strength to ship sports nutrition products across Europe and the rest of the world, expanding the brand’s reach.

Rapid organic growth

The ability to reach millions more new customers in the global markets means Complete Strength has been able to drive sales, boost profits, and grow rapidly under a turbulent socio-economic climate.

Happier customers

Delivering the right products on time and in perfect condition means Complete Strength’s customers benefit from the best fulfilment experience, increasing the chances of repeat custom and greater brand loyalty.