2 min read
Almada Label, a hypergrowth luxury brand from Finland, is rapidly making waves in high-end fashion, drawing international acclaim for its distinctive Nordic aesthetic and sustainable ethos.
Columbia Road has had the privilege of supporting Almada Label through a strategic and ongoing ecommerce partnership. From mapping their end-to-end sales flows and validating a unified platform approach to implementing a fully centralised B2B solution and enhancing their inventory management and fulfilment capabilities, we've helped Almada Label unlock new levels of operational efficiency and scalability on Shopify, aligned with their ambitious growth trajectory.
Starting point: Scaling B2B operations and streamlining inventory management
Operating on the Shopify ecommerce platform, Almada Label was managing both B2C and B2B sales through a dual-system setup tailored to support its fast-paced growth. While direct-to-consumer sales ran smoothly on Shopify, the B2B preordering process relied on a separate third-party system. Although this approach served their immediate needs, it introduced unnecessary complexity and operational overheads. Product, customer and order data had to be maintained manually across both systems, doubling the workload and incurring additional costs.
Alongside this, Almada Label faced challenges with their inventory management and warehousing solution. The setup included a custom-built integration between Shopify and the system used by their third-party logistics and warehousing partner. The end-to-end inventory management process and underlying technical solution required further refinement to meet business demands better.
Their goal was clear: streamline operations by centralising the B2B sales process within Shopify while continuing to improve their end-to-end inventory management and fulfilment capabilities.
Our approach: Validating a unified solution and building for scalability
We kicked off the collaboration by mapping Almada Label’s entire sales process across B2C and B2B channels. By working closely with the client, we developed a shared understanding of the current setup, uncovered pain points, and established a clear path forward.
We then conducted a light-touch technical review to evaluate the existing Shopify implementation, the third-party B2B preorder tool, and the bespoke logistics integration. This work enabled us to create a detailed list of use cases and requirements for the new, centralised solution.
To validate our proposed approach, we built a proof of concept using Shopify’s native capabilities, complemented by a curated shortlist of third-party apps from the Shopify ecosystem. This allowed us to test feasibility early and ensure the solution aligned with Almada Label’s needs.
With the direction confirmed, we put together a clear and actionable implementation plan, including the right tools and configurations to meet each business case. From initial scoping and planning through to the actual development work and technical execution, we ensured the solution could be integrated to support day-to-day operations.
Impact: Streamlining operations and unlocking new value from Shopify
Almada Label has successfully centralised its entire B2B sales process within Shopify. The result: a simplified workflow, reduced operational costs, and a more efficient, scalable setup. With the new solution, the brand is making fuller use of Shopify’s built-in features and the extended ecosystem of third-party apps.
Beyond B2B sales, we also supported the development of Almada Label’s broader ecommerce operations. Notably, we formulated a clear implementation plan as a next step to help them future-proof their inventory management and warehousing capabilities for both B2C and B2B operations.
Project highlights: Delivering a unified Shopify solution
- End-to-end mapping of B2C and B2B sales flows to identify improvement areas
- Technical evaluation of existing systems and integrations
- Proof of concept development using Shopify’s native features and third-party apps
- Successful centralisation of the B2B preorder process into Shopify
- Strengthened inventory management and warehousing capabilities through targeted development
Way forward: Continuous ecommerce development
We’re continuing to work closely with Almada Label to develop and refine their ecommerce setup. With a centralised Shopify solution now live, our focus is on practical, hands-on improvements, rolling out new features, tweaking what’s already there, and making sure the platform keeps pace with the brand’s evolving needs.