Initially equipped with Shippingbo to manage its logistics in-house, Yacon & Co then took the next step by entrusting its B2C operations to the 3PL provider Crosslog.
Its goal: to outsource its logistics without losing control of its orders or compromising service quality.
Marie-Alix, Director of Operations and Supply Chain at Yacon & Co, reflects on this transition and the role Shippingbo played in its success.
Logistics Case Study: The Challenges Faced by Yacon & Co
Before partnering with a 3PL provider, Yacon & Co managed its shipments in-house. This setup evolved alongside the company’s growth, eventually giving rise to new needs in order management, flexibility, and logistics coordination.
From a garage to a warehouse: accommodating e-commerce growth
Yacon & Co sells yacon syrup, a natural sweetener derived from a plant native to the Andes. This alternative to traditional sugar stands out in particular for its high fiber content and low calorie count.
In its early days, the brand prepared and shipped its orders from the garage of one of its partners. But its appearance on the TV show *Who Wants to Be My Partner? * significantly accelerated its e-commerce growth. As orders increased, this small-scale operation was no longer sufficient.
Yacon & Co then organized its logistics around its own warehouse, a dedicated team, and Shippingbo to manage its orders and shipments.
This initial transformation enabled the company to professionalize its operations. However, as its other business activities expanded, the day-to-day management of B2C logistics became a responsibility that the brand now wished to delegate.
Outsourcing Your Shipping Operations Without Sacrificing Transparency or Responsiveness
To support its continued growth, Yacon & Co has decided to transition from in-house logistics to outsourced logistics provided by a 3PL provider.
A strategic change that raised several questions.
“For us, switching to a 3PL meant the risk of losing transparency and communication. And that’s exactly what we didn’t want to lose.”
By outsourcing order fulfillment and shipping to an external partner, the company wanted to preserve three key elements:
- Transparency and communication to maintain visibility into logistics operations.
- Flexibility and responsiveness to maintain agility in the face of business changes.
- Continuity of tools and workflows to avoid disrupting the organization when switching service providers.
The challenge, therefore, was to find a solution capable of preserving the company’s management practices while transferring operational execution to a specialized partner.
Solutions Provided by Shippingbo: Outsourcing Logistics Without Disrupting Workflows
To address these challenges, Yacon & Co relied on a structure that combined Shippingbo for order management and Crosslog for outsourced logistics operations.
This division of responsibilities allowed the company to evolve its supply chain while maintaining the continuity of its operations.
Use Shippingbo OMS to Stay in Control of Your Orders
One of the main advantages of this transition is the continued use of Shippingbo OMS (Order Management System). This tool allows e-retailers to centralize and manage their orders while coordinating workflows between sales channels and logistics operations.
For Yacon & Co, retaining its OMS was of major importance: it allowed the company to avoid having to rebuild its order management system when it outsourced.
This allowed the brand to retain control over its supply chain, while Crosslog handled the logistics activities related to the WMS (Warehouse Management System) and TMS (Transport Management System), which are dedicated to warehouse management and shipping, respectively.
This organizationclearly delineates responsibilities: Yacon & Co. retains control over its orders, while Crosslog handles the logistics of fulfilling them.
Marie-Alix sums up the benefit of this continuity:
“Staying with Shippingbo allowed us to outsource without disrupting our workflows.”
By avoiding a simultaneous switch to a new service provider and order management tool, Yacon & Co. minimized the disruption associated with its new organizational structure.
A seamless transition to Crosslog, with no operational disruption
The decision to choose Crosslog also met the brand’s requirements in terms of communication, responsiveness, and flexibility.
By partnering with this logistics provider to maintain Shippingbo, Yacon & Co was able to outsource its B2C operations without having to start from scratch with its order management system.
As Marie-Alix explains:
“The issue of management and the tool was resolved much more easily, and the transition went very smoothly.”
In practical terms, this structure offers several benefits to the brand:
- Order management remains intact thanks to the continued use of Shippingbo OMS.
- Logistics operations delegated to Crosslog, without requiring a major overhaul of the merchant’s tools.
- A streamlined transition thanks to the continuity of existing workflows.
- An organization refocused on its other activities by entrusting B2C logistics to a specialized service provider.
This case study highlights a key point: outsourcing logistics does not necessarily mean outsourcing order management.
For e-commerce businesses that already use an OMS, keeping this tool can facilitate the transition to a 3PL and reduce the complexity of a logistics transformation.
Controlled Logistics Growth Thanks to Shippingbo
From its early days operating out of a garage to its partnership with Crosslog, Yacon & Co has evolved its logistics operations to meet the demands of its growth.
By continuing to use Shippingbo OMS, the company was able to maintain control over its orders while outsourcing their fulfillment. This seamless transition met the company’s priorities: maintaining service quality, responsiveness, and operational continuity.
This case study demonstrates that it is possible to evolve one’s logistics model without overhauling the entire management system.
Just like Yacon & Co, take your logistics to the next level with Shippingbo:
FAQ
Why did Yacon & Co decide to outsource its e-commerce logistics?
Yacon & Co choseto outsource its e-commerce logistics to support its growth and focus more on its other activities. After initially managing its first shipments from a garage and then developing its own warehouse, the brand entrusted its B2C logistics operations to Crosslog, a 3PL provider. The goal was to delegate order fulfillment and shipping while maintaining the quality of service, flexibility, and responsiveness of its operations.
How did Shippingbo facilitate Yacon & Co’s logistics outsourcing?
Shippingbo facilitated Yacon & Co’s logistics outsourcing by allowing the brand to retain its OMS—its order management software—during the transition to Crosslog. The company was thus able to maintain its usual operational environment while delegating warehouse and transportation operations to its 3PL provider. This continuity avoided a major overhaul of existing workflows and simplified the transition to outsourced logistics.
What are the benefits of keeping an OMS when switching to a 3PL logistics provider?
Keeping an OMS (Order Management System) when switching to a 3PL provider allows an e-commerce business to maintain control over its orders without having to replace its management system. The company can continue to centralize its orders and coordinate its workflows, while the provider handles their physical fulfillment. This setup minimizes IT changes, facilitates coordination with the logistics provider, and helps ensure operational continuity.
What is the difference between Shippingbo and a 3PL logistics provider like Crosslog?
Shippingbo is an e-commerce logistics management software platform, while Crosslog is a 3PL logistics provider responsible for carrying out physical operations such as warehousing, order fulfillment, and shipping.
Shippingbo offers a suite of OMS, WMS, and TMS solutions for managing and organizing logistics flows. In the case of Yacon & Co, the brand uses Shippingbo OMS to manage its orders, while Crosslog handles the logistics operations. The two solutions therefore serve different yet complementary functions.
Glossary
3PL (Third-Party Logistics)
An external logistics provider to which a company outsources all or part of its operations, including warehousing, order fulfillment, and shipping.
Logistics Outsourcing
A process that involves outsourcing certain logistics operations to a specialized service provider, rather than performing them in one’s own warehouse.
OMS (Order Management System)
Order management software that centralizes, tracks, and coordinates orders from various sales channels.
WMS (Warehouse Management System)
Warehouse management software that organizes storage operations, location management, order fulfillment, and the tracking of goods movements.
TMS (Transport Management System)
Transportation management software that enables the organization and management of shipments and carrier-related operations.
B2C (Business-to-Consumer) Logistics
Logistics operations dedicated to orders shipped directly by a company to individual consumers.