Blue Sky Distribution Maxes Multichannel Fulfillment with WMS + Shipping for NetSuite

Blue Sky Distribution swept across New Mexico and the Western U.S. with 3,500+ SKUs rolled out to big-box grocery stores (including Walmart, Target, and CVS), convenience stores, tribal smoke shops, mom-and-pop gift shops, and other distributors in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry.  

Business was booming, but there were storm clouds on the horizon. The family-owned-and-operated company’s legacy ERP system couldn’t keep up, and outdated shipping and fulfillment processes threatened on-time deliveries. Could a WMS and shipping for NetSuite help Blue Sky weather the challenges of scaling the business? 

High-Priority Fulfillment, Delivery, and Shipping Problems 

Outdated warehouse processes and technology made it difficult for Blue Sky to keep up with the flood of incoming orders as their multichannel business continued to grow. The distributor urgently needed a more efficient way to fulfill and deliver orders on time, especially during peak seasons. 

Slow, Paper-Based Processes 

Paper-based warehouse practices such as handwritten order labels and paper pick lists didn’t deliver the level of efficiency and accuracy Blue Sky needed. Mis-picks and slow picking speed were washing out the bottom line and getting in the way of growth. 

Legacy ERP System 

Blue Sky’s legacy ERP system, once top-of-the-line, was outdated and no longer provided the level of inventory control, data, integration, and automation required for modern warehouse management best practices. 

Poor Warehouse Visibility 

Ecommerce operations such as inventory control, returns management, and accurate forecasting were difficult to scale because of poor visibility in the warehouse. Without a way to keep actual and online inventory synced in real time, Blue Sky risked overselling inventory and delaying order deliveries. 

How did Blue Sky overcome these logistical challenges and position themselves for profitable business growth? 

Blue Sky Distribution Wins with WMS and Shipping for NetSuite 

Leaders at Blue Sky Distribution decided to modernize the company’s ecommerce logistics technology and warehouse processes with Descartes’ integrated WMS and shipping software for Oracle NetSuite.  

By trading their legacy ERP system for NetSuite’s enterprise resource planning solution, Blue Sky poured a flood of helpful new resources into the warehouse. With multichannel inventory management, returns management, and data for forecasting and decision-making, NetSuite elevated and refreshed ecommerce operations. 

Next, Blue Sky put the power of NetSuite to work in the warehouse with a Descartes warehouse management system and shipping software built for NetSuite. The distributor ditched paper-based fulfillment processes and implemented barcode scanning for NetSuite to eliminate mis-picks, reduce walking time, and significantly speed up the pick-pack-ship process. They improved efficiency by 80%. 

Tools for success: Oracle NetSuite ERP, Descartes WMS for NetSuite, Descartes Shipping for NetSuite 

Blue Sky’s Biggest Wins 

100% Order Accuracy  

“Picking is night and day since implementing Descartes. The barcode-based solution [seamlessly integrated with NetSuite] leads you, like a trail of breadcrumbs, through the warehouse on the most efficient path. With UPC scanning, we’ve seen a huge drop in mis-picks and fulfillment time,” said Robert Poole Jr., Blue Sky’s CEO and President.  

80% Increased Fulfillment Efficiency 

“We’ve seen huge efficiency improvements, especially for our tobacco business. Since tobacco is shipped out of state via UPS in industry-standard boxes, we have the attributes for our outbound boxes predetermined in the Descartes system,” said Poole. “We’re able to load the boxes and generate a [shipping] label right there on the floor. With no more wasted steps back and forth, customers get their orders in a more timely manner.” 

Real-Time Inventory Updates, Visibility, and Control 

“…integration with NetSuite gives us real-time inventory; we’re able to display committed versus available stock on our website, which has a significant impact on the customer experience,” said Poole. Blue Sky also used the integrated solution to improve inventory control and provide actionable data to inform forecasting and commission-driven retention programs. 

Threats Avoided 

• Limited business growth – Blue Sky can now scale the business without restrictions from outdated technology and fulfillment processes. 

• Unhappy customers – Blue Sky ensures customer satisfaction by preventing mis-picks and mis-ships and fulfilling orders faster. 

• Overselling inventory – Blue Sky prevents overselling with real-time inventory sync between NetSuite, sales channels, and the Descartes WMS. 

Need Help with a Similar Problem? 

No one should have to deal with outdated technology and slow warehouse processes, especially while trying to grow your business. If these problems sound all too familiar, we hope you will do yourself a favor and make a change. It’s time to let technology bring your warehouse up to speed. 

Want more information about the technology Blue Sky used to achieve success? Contact us to request a demo or more details about Descartes Commerce Essentials, our WMS + shipping software for NetSuite.