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Business of Fashion
3 days ago
- Business
- Business of Fashion
How Swap Is Streamlining Brand Operations Through Unified Commerce
2025 is proving to be a year of reckoning for fashion e-commerce businesses. Geopolitical shifts and the consequent disruption to global trade policies mean there is a greater need for consolidated supply chains — and a more unified approach to commerce. Uncertainty around the Trump administration's tariffs has created turmoil for companies in the fashion industry. Smaller, independent brands with large portions of customers in the US and production overseas are especially at risk due to fluctuating policies. To address the challenges and overarching uncertainty facing small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) today, Swap Commerce — an e-commerce operating system (OS) that helps brands manage logistics and operations across borders — seeks to unlock a unified approach to business. A London-based startup founded in 2022 by Sam Atkinson and Zach Bailet, Swap Commerce's support encompasses shipping and returns to inventory, customs and tax compliance — all within a single platform. With pre-built integrations for Shopify, Klaviyo, UPS and FedEx, Swap Commerce enables users to streamline complex back-end tasks, including delivered duty paid (DDP) shipping, automated tax remittance, and express customs clearance. Its tools are designed to help brands quickly adapt their supply chains to tariff shifts and geopolitical disruptions. Swap Commerce partners with 500+ brands worldwide, with annual sales typically ranging from $20 million to $100 million. In the fashion and eyewear sectors, notable partners include Phillip Lim, Sandy Liang, Ed Hardy, Pangaia, The Frankie Shop and Odd Muse. The company is expanding into new areas such as beauty and home goods, collaborating with brands like Joseph Joseph, while venturing into consumer technology. Following a $40 million Series B funding round in early 2025, Swap Commerce aims for further growth in the US, EU, Australia and Canada. Indeed, Swap Commerce grew its revenue sevenfold between March 2024 and March 2025. With new AI-powered tools, including Swap Commerce Inventory — an intelligent forecasting and replenishment engine — Swap Commerce helps brands optimise stock levels and reduce overproduction. Meanwhile, Clear by Swap Global — a B2B2C solution focused on pricing transparency — provides customers with a clear breakdown of duties and taxes upfront, thereby reducing friction at checkout. Another timely offering is the US Domestic Tax Filing solution, which provides assistance in remaining compliant with tax laws in all 50 states. These services are designed to provide SMEs with the tools to navigate the current climate, from communicating price fluctuations with the end consumer to staying up-to-date with tariff shifts or upcoming sustainability regulations. Now, BoF sits down with Swap Commerce's co-founder and CEO Sam Atkinson to understand the value that the company's all-in-one ecosystem can offer fashion and luxury brands in a fragmented value chain and an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. Sam Atkinson, co-founder and CEO of Swap. (Swap) What motivated the founding of Swap Commerce? Before founding Swap Commerce, I ran my own e-commerce business, and many of the features we built at Swap Commerce aim to solve the pain points I experienced when running that business. For instance, we would ship internationally to the UK, then distribute goods back out to other international markets — which, obviously, created all sorts of issues around tax and compliance. I then started a job at McKinsey, where I worked with a number of large retailers on setting up their operations. Swap Commerce also took inspiration from how big businesses approach operations, and looked at how that could be scaled down effectively for smaller businesses. Those were the two main inspirations for Swap Commerce and rendered exactly what we needed to do to support retailers. If you look at what Shopify has done for e-commerce, it has tried to unify many of the different tools that a brand might have used separately. What we have done, similar to Shopify, is to offer the same unification but for your back-office operations. This includes the parts that feel slightly less exciting, but are really fundamental to your business, whether that is tax and compliance, how you manage your inventory, how you manage your returns, or how you manage what stock should be in which location. What do you believe sets Swap Commerce apart from other tools available for SMEs? First, the user interface that we have built, compared to some of the more legacy providers, is really strong. We also provide connectivity across tools. For example, if you are using the software platform NetSuite for your accounting, we can integrate it seamlessly within Swap Commerce. Any tax calculation we perform for you at Swap Commerce will also be reflected in your NetSuite or other accounting softwares. That connectivity — especially as you become a larger brand generating upwards of 50 to hundreds of millions in revenue — becomes critical, as you are likely using several different systems to manage your operations. Our ability to quickly and seamlessly connect to those systems makes our customers' lives easier. We also offer a suite of different products, whereas many of our competitors only have one. We have a cross-border product where we are the main provider globally; we have a returns product and we have an inventory forecasting tool that we're just launching. You can use one product or multiple — but if you do use multiple, the idea is that they are value compounds. We also leverage data across our different products, so we are able to give you better insights on what you should be doing with your business. Whereas, if you use Global-e for international shipping and Loop for returns management, you'd have to do an integration between both platforms to make them harmonise. What trade and customs pain points do brands expanding internationally face, and how can Swap Commerce support them in this process? It depends on the brand. We recently experienced the rollout of tariffs in the US, and for brands manufacturing in China, that means any shipment that had previously been duty-free now faces a 50 to 60 percent tariff. Even understanding what your landed cost will be is a challenge now. What I mean by that is: what is the total cost to get the shipment to your customer? Being able to give a brand clarity on that, and what it means for their profitability, is an intrinsic part of our work. Internationally, there are all sorts of local tax rules that you need to comply with as well. [We offer] unification for your back-office operations [...] whether that is tax and compliance, how you manage your inventory, how you manage your returns, or stock allocation. For example, if you are a brand selling into New York, once you exceed a particular sales threshold, you are required to start collecting state tax. It is these kinds of complexities that, as a brand, you are not focused on. We try to take that headache away from you. We'll monitor when you cross that threshold, register you for state tax in New York and facilitate the payments on your behalf. We have also built a duty and tax calculation tool which allows you to estimate the cost of any shipment to any location, including duty and taxes. There are a number of different use-cases for it, whether you are a shipping postal carrier, or you want to communicate to customers how much duty and taxes they must pay. How does Clear by Swap help brands navigate tariff changes? Clear enables a brand that has goods made in China to ship to its customers in the United States in a more cost-effective way. It is mostly applicable to UK brands or international brands that also have a US entity. We can help the brand establish a US entity if they do not already have one, then facilitate an inter-company transfer — moving goods from the UK entity to the US entity. The US entity purchases the goods from the UK entity at fair market value. That's typically the manufacturer's cost price (what you pay in China), plus a reasonable markup — similar to what you might charge a wholesaler in the US. Tariffs will be charged on that lower price instead of the retail price — so it is a significant saving. If your transfer price for a product is $50 and the tariff is 50 percent, you pay $25. But if your retail price is $150, you'd be paying $75 in tariff. Clear has essentially allowed brands to continue trading while they decide what to do with their setups post-tariffs. How is Swap Commerce supporting fashion brands specifically? One of the biggest pain points for e-commerce and retail brands has been how to attract and retain customers in a competitive market — especially as privacy regulations make targeted marketing more difficult. There are numerous tools available to help with this now, but we are seeing customer retention become a priority for brands over customer acquisition. How do we help solve that challenge? We manage the returns process, and have other post-purchase tools that offer a seamless customer experience, such as a repair and recycle tool for returned inventory. Looking ahead, what do you believe fashion brands will need from the e-commerce space in the medium term? As AI becomes more widespread, we are thinking about how it can impact a brand's day-to-day operations. A lot of technology tends to reach e-commerce later than it does in enterprise software, where companies are often early adopters. So, we're proactively looking to that space for ideas and innovations we can bring into e-commerce sooner than they might arrive organically. We are exploring how you could automate the day-to-day of an e-commerce brand using AI or using AI agents. Whether it's the processing of your orders and returns, or the automation of the tax filing — and that's more than just filling out the tax form. You could build an agent that would log into the Florida State Tax Portal, submit the form on your behalf, and ensure that all of your filings are done on time, in an automated manner. Our goal is to bring this kind of automation to multiple areas of e-commerce — and that's where we see the most exciting opportunities ahead. This is a sponsored featured paid for by Swap Commerce as part of a BoF partnership.
Boston Globe
23-07-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
The T says an old steel cable caused last week's Blue Line snafu. Was the cable ever inspected?
At some point July 15, in the T's telling, a guy wire supporting fiber-optic cables collapsed. The guy wire and the cables it held ended up on the track. At around 2:30pm, according to the agency, a crowded eastbound train ran over them. The train stopped. What caused the cable to collapse? The MBTA's early assessments point to a familiar culprit responsible for The T said guy wires should last decades, acknowledging that cables installed in more extreme climates (like underwater tunnels) can degrade at a quicker pace. Advertisement When was the specific guy wire that failed last inspected? The T didn't provide a date. 'The guy wire is not typically an item that sees a regular inspection interval. The fiber-optic cables attached to the guy wire would be,' the MBTA wrote to the Globe. '(Inspecting the guy wire itself can be likened to doing a routine check on the electrical wiring inside house walls.)' Advertisement Asked if there were any prior reports of wear, age, or needed replacement for this specific guy wire, the agency shared a link to its Capital Needs Assessment and Inventory — a quadrennial check-up on the condition of the entire MBTA system. The latest report, The agency later added that its 'tunnels and track areas are walked and visually inspected multiple times a week.' 'During these inspections, our crews regularly make infield observations of these assets and report anomalies, such as damaged or degraded equipment like guy wires,' the agency wrote. Fiber-optic cables, they went on, 'are inspected as part of system checks, which happen every several days.' 'During that inspection,' the MBTA wrote, 'any anomalies or issues with fiber-optic cables, such as sagging, would be further investigated and addressed as necessary — this would include the guy wire supports, if necessary.' Will cables be inspected and replaced? While making 'interim repairs' to the downed cable, Eng said last week, MBTA crews found 'other areas of cable that we want to proactively address.' Maintenance workers continued to inspect wires across the Blue Line over 'We have a lot of antiquated cables in our system. We have some cables that are in there for previous uses, but no longer in use,' Eng said. 'But as we start to dig out of the hole in some of our major elements, these other things are top of mind.' The exact timeline and scope of the cable repairs wasn't clear. Advertisement 'This is not a flip of the switch, to be able to just say, 'Tomorrow, everything's running perfectly,'' Eng added. 'What we need to do is continue to invest in our workforce, continue to invest in our infrastructure.' Shouldn't the Blue Line be fixed by now? Delays and service suspensions have bedeviled Blue Line commutes for years. The MBTA On June 16, the day the MBTA expected to put trains back online, signal problems surfaced, The T plans to suspend service between The agency 'Riders deserve a system they can count on — this includes repairs, but also deep investment that makes transit safe, faster, fairer, and more reliable for everyone,' said Caitlin Allen-Connelly, the group's executive director. Jaime Moore-Carrillo can be reached at
Globe and Mail
07-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Warego Unveils 2025's Top 5 Retail Warehouse Management Systems with Key Features and Pricing
Running a retail warehouse can be a handful. You've got shipments coming in, orders going out, and endless stock to keep track of. If you've ever felt overwhelmed trying to keep everything in check, a good Retail Warehouse Management System might just be the help you need. These days, smart Warehouse Management Software can take a lot off your plate. They keep track of your inventory, speed up order fulfillment, and make sure your warehouse runs smoothly without constant firefighting. Wondering which systems are worth your attention in 2025? Let's explore the top five retail warehouse management platforms, starting with WareGo, a standout choice for many businesses this year. We'll also cover their key features and pricing so you can find what fits your needs best. Why Retail Warehouse Management Systems Matter If you think your warehouse is 'too small' or 'too simple' for software help, think again. Even a modest warehouse benefits from better organization and faster operations. A good system: Cuts down on manual errors. Gives real-time inventory updates. Speeds up picking and packing. Connect with your sales channels smoothly. It's like having a reliable teammate who never sleeps. 1. WareGo Flexible and User-Friendly for Growing Retailers WareGo takes the top spot here for a reason. It's made to work with retail warehouses of all sizes, and it adapts as your business changes. Whether you're juggling one warehouse or many, WareGo keeps things simple and efficient. What WareGo Offers: Real-Time Inventory Updates: Know exactly what's on your shelves, where it is, and what's moving. Order Management: Automates order processes so things don't get stuck. Multi-Channel Support: Works well with e-commerce sites and point-of-sale systems. Simple Interface: Your team won't spend hours figuring it out. Mobile Access: Use barcode scanning on the warehouse floor with smartphones or tablets. Insightful Reports: Spot trends, problems, or opportunities in your warehouse. Pricing: WareGo offers plans starting at around $250/month for small to mid-sized warehouses. For larger setups, they provide custom quotes. It's a flexible, budget-friendly option that doesn't skimp on features. 2. Manhattan Associates For Large-Scale Retail Operations Manhattan Associates has been around for a long time and is a favorite among big retailers who need detailed control and advanced options. Highlights: Supports integration with warehouse automation tools and robots. Uses smart slotting to place items where they're quickest to pick. Manages labor so your workforce stays productive. Offers cloud or on-site installations. Handles cross-docking efficiently for fast-moving products. Pricing: This one's geared more for big players. Pricing often starts around $1,500/month and goes up depending on your needs. It's a solid pick if you want extensive functionality and are ready to invest. 3. Fishbowl Inventory Great for Small to Medium Retailers If you want a straightforward system without a hefty monthly bill, Fishbowl might be your go-to. It's known for solid inventory management with helpful warehouse features. Features to Know: Tracks inventory and reordering points. Handles purchase and sales orders. Connects with QuickBooks for accounting. Supports barcode scanning. Manages multiple warehouse locations from one place. Pricing: Fishbowl requires a one-time license fee of about $4,395 per user. Additional users and annual support cost extra. This makes it a good fit if you want to avoid monthly subscriptions. 4. Zoho Inventory Perfect for Retailers with an E-commerce Focus Selling online? Zoho Inventory syncs your warehouse with your online stores and marketplaces seamlessly. What It Brings: Syncs with Amazon, eBay, Shopify, and others. Automates packing, shipping, and tracking. Sends alerts when stock is low. Tracks batches and expiry dates for perishable goods. Offers dashboards with live sales and inventory data. Pricing: Zoho Inventory has a free plan for very small sellers. Paid plans start at $49/month. It's a smart choice for retailers growing their online sales. 5. NetSuite WMS Part of a Larger Business Suite NetSuite's WMS comes with a full ERP system. If you want your warehouse to connect closely with finance, procurement, and customer management, this is worth a look. Key Points: Gives real-time stock info across all warehouses. Guides pickers and packers efficiently. Supports advanced picking methods. Works well on mobile devices. Offers detailed, customizable reports. Pricing: NetSuite pricing starts at about $999/month, plus setup fees. It's an investment for businesses that want a comprehensive system beyond just the warehouse. Picking the Right System for Your Warehouse There's no one-size-fits-all answer here. But a few things to think about will help: Warehouse Size & Complexity: More locations or SKUs? You might need a system with advanced features. Integration Needs: Make sure your new system talks smoothly with your sales, shipping, and accounting tools. Ease of Use: Your team should find it easy, or adoption will be slow. Budget: Look at all costs, initial fees, monthly charges, training, and support. Growth Plans: Pick something that can grow with your business, avoiding costly switches later. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 1. What is a retail warehouse management system? It's software that helps retail warehouses manage inventory, track orders, and organize daily tasks to improve efficiency. 2. Can warehouse management software connect to online stores? Yes, many systems integrate with e-commerce platforms like Shopify and Amazon to sync inventory and orders. 3. How much should I expect to pay? Costs vary widely. Some systems start around $50/month, while enterprise solutions can cost thousands per month or have one-time fees. 4. What features are important in retail warehouse software? Look for inventory tracking, order management, barcode support, real-time reporting, and integration capabilities. 5. Is it hard to switch to a new warehouse management system? Switching takes some planning and training but cloud-based systems usually get you up and running faster than older on-site software. Wrapping It Up Picking a Retail Warehouse Management System is a big step. The right choice can save you hours of frustration and help your warehouse run like a well-oiled machine. From WareGo's flexibility and ease of use to NetSuite's comprehensive ERP suite, there's something here for every retailer. Keep your business's unique needs front and center. And remember the goal is to make your warehouse work easier, not add more headaches. Media Contact Company Name: WareGo Contact Person: John Email: Send Email Address: 721 Broadway City: New York State: NY 10003 Country: United States Website:
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Retail Inventory Management Software Market Worth $3.2 Billion by 2030: Insights Into Lucrative Trends and Emerging Industry Developments
Opportunities lie in cloud-based systems, AI-driven predictive analytics, and enhancing real-time visibility. Integration with existing systems remains a key challenge. Dublin, June 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Retail Inventory Management Software Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2020-2030F" has been added to offering. The Retail Inventory Management Software Market was valued at USD 1.59 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 3.20 Billion by 2030, rising at a CAGR of 12.36%. The market for Retail Inventory Management Software is expected to grow due to several factors, including the increasing adoption of cloud-based solutions, which provide scalability and flexibility to businesses of all sizes. Small and medium-sized enterprises are also adopting these systems, benefiting from their affordability and user-friendly interfaces. The rise in demand for real-time visibility and control over inventory across various sales channels, such as physical stores and online platforms, is driving the need for such software. Retailers are also increasingly relying on data analytics and artificial intelligence to enhance inventory forecasting, which further boosts the market's growth. As technology continues to advance, Retail Inventory Management Software will continue to evolve, integrating with Internet of Things devices, advanced machine learning algorithms, and other smart technologies that will further optimize inventory management, making the market even more attractive to businesses looking for ways to enhance efficiency and profitability. The increased focus on reducing waste, improving sustainability in operations, and the growing reliance on e-commerce platforms are also factors contributing to the rise of this market, as retailers seek innovative solutions to meet the challenges of modern inventory management. Consequently, the Retail Inventory Management Software Market is poised to experience significant growth in the coming years. Key Market Drivers: Increase in E-commerce and Omnichannel Retailing The continuous rise of e-commerce and the shift towards omnichannel retailing have significantly driven the growth of the Retail Inventory Management Software Market. Consumers increasingly demand seamless shopping experiences, whether they are shopping online, in-store, or through hybrid channels. This trend has intensified the need for retailers to maintain accurate inventory across multiple platforms. Retail Inventory Management Software plays a crucial role in managing inventory in real time across various sales channels, ensuring that stock levels are always up-to-date and orders are fulfilled without delays. The ability to provide accurate stock visibility across multiple locations, such as warehouses, distribution centers, and retail stores, is a key requirement for businesses that are operating in both physical and digital spaces. Retailers must be able to manage inventory efficiently to prevent stockouts and overstocking, both of which can lead to lost sales, increased costs, and reduced customer satisfaction. The integration of advanced tools within Retail Inventory Management Software, such as automatic stock replenishment and real-time tracking, ensures that inventory management becomes more responsive and adaptive to consumer demand. With more retailers focusing on omnichannel strategies, the demand for sophisticated Retail Inventory Management Software is intensifying. Retailers need systems that not only provide accurate inventory tracking but also offer data-driven insights into customer behavior, sales trends, and demand forecasting. This software enables businesses to achieve a unified view of their inventory, thus improving their ability to optimize stock levels and enhance the overall customer experience. In 2024, e-commerce accounted for over 18% of total retail sales in North America, with over 65% of consumers using multiple platforms - online, in-store, and mobile apps - to complete a single purchase journey, driving the need for unified inventory tracking across channels. Key Market Challenges: Integration with Existing Legacy Systems One of the primary challenges facing the Retail Inventory Management Software Market is the difficulty of integrating new software solutions with existing legacy systems that many businesses still rely on. Retailers, especially those with long-established operations, often have legacy infrastructure that is not compatible with modern software systems, making the integration process complex and costly. Legacy systems may be deeply embedded within business operations, making it difficult to migrate to more advanced Retail Inventory Management Software without disrupting daily activities or incurring significant downtime. This challenge arises from the fact that older systems were not designed to accommodate the new functionalities, such as real-time inventory tracking, cloud integration, and advanced data analytics, that modern software offers. As a result, the integration process requires substantial customization, technical support, and even complete overhauls of existing systems to ensure compatibility with the new software. Retailers may also need to invest in employee retraining and change management to ensure that staff can effectively use the new system. For many businesses, the costs associated with integration ranging from software customization to training and downtime can be prohibitively high, leading them to delay the adoption of new Retail Inventory Management Software or even forgo it altogether. This resistance to change can hinder the overall growth of the market, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises that lack the necessary resources to invest in such transitions. Businesses that fail to integrate their new systems effectively may struggle with inconsistent inventory data, poor decision-making, and operational inefficiencies, ultimately leading to a negative impact on profitability and customer satisfaction. To address this challenge, software providers are increasingly offering flexible, scalable solutions that can be tailored to integrate with legacy systems without requiring a complete overhaul. However, this remains a significant obstacle for many retailers, particularly those operating in complex environments or with outdated technological infrastructures. Key Market Trends: Adoption of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Predictive Analytics One of the prominent trends in the Retail Inventory Management Software Market is the increasing integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. These technologies are revolutionizing inventory management by enhancing forecasting accuracy and enabling predictive analytics. Retailers are leveraging artificial intelligence to analyze vast amounts of data, including past sales trends, seasonality, customer behavior, and external factors, to predict future demand. Machine learning algorithms are capable of learning from historical data and continuously improving predictions as new information is fed into the system, leading to more precise inventory management. With predictive analytics, retailers can optimize their inventory levels, ensuring that they stock the right products in the right quantities at the right time. This reduces the risk of stockouts and overstocking, both of which can be costly for businesses. Key Players Profiled in the Retail Inventory Management Software Market Oracle Corporation SAP SE Microsoft Corporation IBM Corporation Zebra Technologies Corporation Posist Technologies Private Limited Lightspeed Commerce Inc. Retail Pro International, LLC Brightpearl, Inc. Epicor Software Corporation Report Scope In this report, the Global Retail Inventory Management Software Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends, which have also been detailed below. Retail Inventory Management Software Market, By Product: Advanced Radio Frequency System Barcode Scanning System Manually Managed Inventory System Retail Inventory Management Software Market, By Deployment: On-Premises Cloud-Based Retail Inventory Management Software Market, By Organization Size: Small & Medium Enterprises Large Enterprises Retail Inventory Management Software Market, By Region: North America United States Canada Mexico Europe Germany France United Kingdom Italy Spain Asia-Pacific China India Japan South Korea Australia Middle East & Africa Saudi Arabia UAE South Africa South America Brazil Colombia Argentina Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 185 Forecast Period 2024-2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $1.59 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $3.2 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 12.3% Regions Covered Global For more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900Sign in to access your portfolio
