Travel tops most everyone’s bucket list. The lust for wandering the wilds and wonders of everywhere from Budapest to Bora Bora is a constant in any time—and that yearning has only intensified during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Baboon To The Moon, a rising direct-to-consumer (D2C) and adventure brand and maker of fashion-forward carryalls, such as duffel bags and backpacks, tapped into the yearning for travel when it was founded in 2017 by entrepreneur Andy Person. The company produces convention-defying professional grade technical products that are waterproof, rip-resistant, and bags unlike anything ever seen on the baggage carousel. By most accounts, Baboon To The Moon is strapped in for their continued successful journey to the moon, after a steep blast off, when travel restrictions loosen following the pandemic, and the next generation explores the world in droves.
Baboon To The Moon sought outside fulfillment support
As the world buys their go-bags in anticipation of the adventures to come, Baboon To The Moon was challenged to keep up with demand for their colorful carryalls. Feeling caged in by inventory and fearing they wouldn’t be able to keep up the exceptional customer experience they created, the company began looking outside their space in Manhattan’s garment district for help in fulfilling the crush of orders coming in and the SKUs that were multiplying like crazy as they added sizes, colors and accessories.
First, Baboon To The Moon needed to keep up with the demands of fast delivery. They had a brand image to protect. That image projected confidence and dependability in the face of adversity, so late deliveries or mistakes wouldn’t do. That image also conveyed quality you could stake your itinerary on and style that invited all the right opportunities. That meant as they grew, their shipping had to be done right and their customer service had to be impeccable—two things that were becoming more challenging as they grew.
Whiplash passed the first round in the RFP process with Baboon To The Moon from the cost perspective. Realizing that all of their potential partners were competitive, the growing brand ultimately chose Whiplash for a number of reasons.
The Baboon To The Moon – The Whiplash connection
Chief among them was the value which Baboon To The Moon management saw in Whiplash’s technology stack powered by their scalable, proprietary e-commerce fulfillment platform . As a growing brand, Baboon also liked their supportive, entrepreneurial vibe (Whiplash was once a startup, too!) Baboon To The Moon management knew they wouldn’t get lost at Whiplash, unlike at larger logistics providers.
Since starting with Whiplash in July 2018, Baboon To The Moon has the logistics and fulfillment structures in place to continue its to-the-moon growth trajectory. Sales in Baboon To The Moon’s first year with Whiplash saw over 4X year over year growth as a new startup. Moreover, even with the restrictions of the pandemic, consumers aren’t losing their yearning for travel, or their immediate need to stow their gear in durable carryalls: since spring 2020, Baboon To The Moon sales continue to expand rapidly.
“We love what we do, and we’ve always had a long view for Baboon To The Moon and the people we work with,” said Andy Person, CEO of Baboon To The Moon. “Whiplash has added value at every stage of our adventure.”
Baboon To The Moon now powered by Whiplash
Order fulfillment and shipping has to be done right. As a growing brand, Baboon To The Moon needed hassle-free integrations between their systems and a Whiplash. Setting up their account and systems was as fast and furious as a rocket launch. The Whiplash ecommerce platform easily integrated with Shopify, Baboon To The Moon’s shopping cart platform.
Notably, Whiplash gives Baboon To The Moon command over their inventory as well as every order, return, and exchange. Armed with the confidence of the Whiplash web-based platform, Baboon To The Moon has the confidence to focus on growing their business knowing their operations are in good hands.
“With companies like Baboon To The Moon, the experience is very similar to where they’re coming from, meaning they can still be very hands-on with inventory, shipment tracking and customer service,” said Brian Weinstein, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Whiplash. “On Whiplash, it’s all right there in front of them in a single, friendly system.”
But what put Baboon To The Moon over the moon was Whiplash’s commitment to support the company’s outsource requirements on a comprehensive basis. Think acting as a logistics consultant and providing value-added services to address requests from Baboon To The Moon as they grow and fine-tune their own processes.
Another missing link: carrier partnerships and U.S. coverage
Connections are invaluable when traveling and when shipping. Whiplash’s connections with carriers translate to priority when it comes to delivery and negotiated discounts. The omnichannel logistics provider’s vast distribution network enables Baboon To The Moon to get their products out to customers across the U.S. within 24-72 hours using the market’s lowest available shipping rates. The rocket-speed fulfillment strategy ensures buyers get their go-bags when the travel bug bites.
Whiplash has already proven to be a right-fit, scalable solution for Baboon To The Moon, saving them from capital and talent investments. One example of these efficiencies is the use of LocusBots collaborative robots in its Secaucus, N.J. fulfillment center where Baboon To The Moon orders are fulfilled. The bots “work” alongside associates as they pick orders, helping to streamline warehouse efficiencies, including smoothing out shipping peaks.
Whiplash’s commitment to raising customer experience through flawless order fulfillment is proving an ideal match for Baboon To The Moon. As Baboon To The Moon leads the new wave of conscious and connected travelers, the company can worry less about details and delegate more, knowing that Whiplash will provide the customer experience they’ve built and branded.
Customer service: the next frontier
Whiplash has gotten to know Baboon To The Moon’s business and the brand continues to lean on the fulfillment provider as a trusted partner. Customer service is a core capability for any manufacturer and merchant. In addition to working with Baboon To The Moon to integrate ecommerce and fulfillment systems, the Whiplash platform offers communication that enable them to stay better connected with their customers:
Looking ahead for brand growth with Whiplash
Being able to turn to Whiplash for expertise and resources as a growing brand has enabled Baboon To The Moon to focus more time and attention on exploring new frontiers in product development, marketing and sales. (Who knows, they may even have time to travel to new frontiers themselves someday soon!)
When you hit the road or air for adventure and you don’t know what to expect, choose a go-bag for the trip. And when you’re a rising D2C brand about to take the next step to expand your ecommerce operations, choose a fulfillment partner who can successfully guide you through every turn your journey takes.
For Baboon To The Moon and a host of other D2C brand startups, the sky’s the limit when you’re not bogged down by ecommerce fulfillment.
Copyright Ryder E-commerce by Whiplash 2023. All rights reserved. Use of this website signifies your agreement to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
