NEVER MISS A SALE:
How Unifying Product & Inventory Helped Lorna Jane Sales to Triple-Digit Sales Growth
NEVER MISS A SALE:
How Unifying Product & Inventory Helped Lorna Jane Sales to Triple-Digit Sales Growth
“To ‘never miss a sale’, we needed a truly omnichannel experience. Our product and order inventories talk to each other, so a customer can shop our entire inventory online, in store and through Click and Collect.”
Renee Reimer, Global Stock Integrity Manager
“To ‘never miss a sale’, we needed a truly omnichannel experience. Our product and order inventories talk to each other, so a customer can shop our entire inventory online, in store and through Click and Collect.”
Renee Reimer, Global Stock Integrity Manager
Comestri’s PIM system connects inventory across countries, currencies and languages.
Comestri’s Order Management System (OMS) empowers a sell-to-the-last-item mindset.
Never miss a sale with every item for sale online, in-store and click and collect.
More than 30 years ago, fitness instructor Lorna Jane Clarkson coined the term ‘activewear’ when she started designing workout clothes to be worn on the street. Today, Lorna Jane is one of Australia’s leading athletic apparel retailers with over 100 stores across Australia and New Zealand, and shipping to the USA and Singapore.
When Growth Spotlights Your Inventory Issues
Like many retailers, Lorna Jane’s ecommerce store experienced massive growth during the pandemic — and with growth comes stock management challenges.
Only inventory located in Lorna Jane’s main warehouse was available for sale online, and stores weren’t holding much stock. Without a single source of product information to manage brands globally, Renee Reimer, Global Stock Integrity Manager, says the system wasn’t keeping up with fast-moving inventory.
We were limiting ourselves; our product and order systems weren’t aligned. Stock at stores wasn’t available online, and staff were handwriting customer addresses onto parcels. Customers didn’t have access to all our products through all channels.
8%+
turnover boost in first 3 months after OMS live
60,000 SKUs
in one source of inventory truth
0 DOWNTIME
across 100+ stores from BAU sales
Bringing Product + Orders Together for the First Time
With a 10-year working history, Lorna Jane called on Comestri to help realise the retailer’s ecommerce vision to ‘never miss a sale’. Comestri delivered a two-part solution to address product information and orders, and align them for the first time so every piece of inventory was for sale.
The first step was implementing Comestri’s PIM (Product Information Manager) to consolidate and synchronise inventory across locations, languages, and currency.
The PIM is a single source of product truth for approximately 60,000 SKUs across six countries. It enriched Lorna Jane’s product data and boosted automation in the ecommerce ecosystem; they knew what they had and where it was located.
The next step was consolidating orders from all sales channels in one place — and making sure customers (and staff) could quickly find and order exactly what they want.
The Comestri Distributed Order Management System (OMS) was the missing puzzle piece — enabling simple fulfilment workflows for click & collect, ship from store, cross border and endless aisle functionality.
Never Miss A Sale When You Can Sell From Anywhere
Adding the Order Management System (OMS) to the mix meant all Lorna Jane inventory items were available to be sold wherever they were located — increasing sell-through percentages and improving margins by reducing end of season consolidation.
Together, Comestri’s PIM and OMS manage ecommerce-ready product, price and inventory data for approximately 60,000 SKUs located at over 100 stores and 3 DCs – no mean feat.
The OMS proved itself very quickly when it was switched on. In the first 3 months of the OMS, the system helped generate an extra 8% in sales by giving customers access to our entire inventory.
Empowering a True Omnichannel Experience
Comestri’s OMS allowed every Lorna Jane store to become a fulfilment centre for online orders, optimising the inventory to the last unit and becoming less reliant on foot traffic. The shift to stores sending orders and as click & collect centres has given managers a sense of purpose as true collaborators on the Lorna Jane omnichannel journey.
Peter Clarke, Chief Technology Officer, said Comestri’s OMS click & collect functionality was a value add for the business that drew customers to stores.
“Ecommerce is very competitive and fast paced, and our customers want click & collect,” Peter explains.
“It’s been incredibly popular with our customers and grows month-on-month.”
The Future of Retail CX
The shifting role of bricks and mortar stores to fulfilment centres is leading a superior, seamless customer experience. At the same time, it is increasing Lorna Jane’s sales, profitability, and evolving its ecommerce ecosystem – without disrupting BAU.
“Once upon a time in retail, physical and ecommerce were competing, but we’ve shifted the online versus retail mindset. Our biggest inventory win has been engaging our teams on how valuable our stock is.”
“Every one of our stores has a full OMS kit and we’re all looking at the same inventory. It’s a seamless experience.”
The OMS is a really huge win for us. To take on a sell-to-the-last-unit mindset, your inventory needs to be accurate.
Peter Clarke, Chief Technology Officer
The OMS is a really huge win for us. To take on a sell-to-the-last-unit mindset, your inventory needs to be accurate.
Peter Clarke, Chief Technology Officer
They definitely understood our vision right from the get-go. We were incredibly comfortable with their approach, there was no hesitation in taking on board the things we needed from our OMS, and then building it to fit.
Comestri Trust Proven by Smart Decisions
Lorna Jane trusts Comestri’s expertise – proven through thought leadership, advice and support.
“Comestri genuinely steps up in big moments,” says Peter.
“That’s really important for a business that trades 24/7. Comestri wants that great outcome just as much as we do.”
Renee agrees that Comestri are invested, responsive and open to feedback.