Julia from Barr Display, a Florida-based B2B business, shares how Shiptheory and ShipperHQ have supported their rapid growth.
Julia Prestia
Sales & Marketing Manager
Shiptheory makes the process of shipping a package to a customer 100x more efficient than any other platform we've previously used!
Barr Display Interview
Q: Give us a little background on the Barr Display story.
We have been selling retail store fixtures and displays for over 75 years, serving customers primarily across the United States and North America. What started as a small, family-owned business has grown into a trusted partner for businesses of all sizes, offering a wide range of products to create functional and attractive retail environments.
In recent years, our company has experienced rapid expansion, particularly over the last five years. This growth was highlighted by our recent acquisition of a company in Atlanta, which has effectively doubled our operational footprint and added a new distribution facility. This strategic move allows us to better serve our customers, ensuring quicker delivery times and an even broader selection of products.
Q: How have you achieved such rapid growth?
Our growth really comes down to smart logistics and staying flexible. We've set up five offices and shipping points, plus we work with six or seven third-party locations to extend our reach. This setup helps us compete with companies that offer free shipping because we can send pallets to remote areas, cutting down on shipping costs. This means we can keep our prices competitive without sacrificing service.
We rely on a mix of UPS and USPS for shipping, which gives us solid ground coverage, especially in Florida where we’re pretty active. To keep things running smoothly, we use Shiptheory to match shipments with the best carriers and ShipperHQ to reduce cart abandonment and increase order value. This combination of good planning, strong partnerships, and a bit of tech has really fueled our growth and helped us deliver the kind of service our customers love.
Q: Where do your orders tend to come from?
Since expanding with our Atlanta location, we’ve seen a notable increase in orders across various channels. Online sales have surged, thanks to the convenience of our website, but we also maintain strong showroom and phone sales. Our showrooms draw in customers who prefer to see our products firsthand, while our phone sales team offers personalized support.
On a daily basis, we handle over 50 freight shipments and 150 ground orders. This mix of online, showroom, and phone sales has been crucial in driving our growth and allowing us to meet customer demands efficiently.
Q: How did Shiptheory become part of your tech stack?
We started using Shiptheory after meeting the team at an event, and the issues we had with Shipstation were quickly resolved. Shiptheory's intuitive platform lets us easily create rules, add tags, and customize templates, making it feel like it was built for our specific needs.
We now route all our orders through Shiptheory, which integrates seamlessly with Brightpearl, our ERP system. This integration has been a major improvement, streamlining our operations across multiple order channels. It’s also enhanced the customer experience, especially with our UPS and USPS ground shipments in Florida. It's like it was created for our business, not just created to be a shipping software.
Q: What role has ShipperHQ played in your growth?
ShipperHQ has been integral to our success since we started using it around 2015, a time when the e-commerce landscape was evolving rapidly. The platform provides precise shipping estimates, resolving our dimensional weight issues and significantly boosting customer confidence. Transitioning from outdated methods, we’ve learned that upfront shipping estimates are vital in our industry.
Without ShipperHQ, we wouldn’t have experienced the growth we’ve had. Websites without these estimates aren’t trusted by shoppers, so integrating this feature was a huge leap for us. Even operationally, our reps rely on ShipperHQ to quote shipping for all orders, something that wouldn’t be possible without the platform.
Q: How have you found Shiptheory customer service?
We’ve never had as thorough onboarding support from any other provider as we've had with Shiptheory. Our account manager, Josh, ensured our setup was incredibly smooth and has been exceptional—responsive and always available.
The biggest benefit has been closing the loop in the customer journey; unlike our previous software, Shiptheory allows us to send tracking emails. This hands-on approach has ensured that both our and our customers' needs are met effectively. The integration has been seamless, and any technical issues have been resolved instantly. The experience has been outstanding and greatly improved our operations.
Q: How effective have the combined solutions of Shiptheory and ShipperHQ been?
Shiptheory and ShipperHQ have significantly transformed our operations at Barr Display. Shiptheory has greatly enhanced our efficiency, reducing what used to be a full-time position to a streamlined process that saves us 8-10 man-hours per day. It has made shipping operations up to 100 times more efficient compared to previous platforms.
At the same time, ShipperHQ has revolutionized our customer experience by providing transparency during the purchasing journey. This has allowed us to cover our costs effectively, reduce cart abandonment, and increase average order value.
The synergy between Shiptheory and ShipperHQ has been pivotal in driving our efficiency and growth.