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Jack and Sage Case Study - Fashion ERP

Jack and Sage: Powered by ApparelMagic from Day One

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Challenge

When Alex Biegler launched Jack and Sage, he set out to reinvent logowear. Drawing from his experience founding and selling a successful custom headwear company, Alex envisioned an apparel brand that blended functional outdoor gear with bold, high-quality design, something far beyond the generic souvenirs cluttering retail shelves. But bringing that vision to life required more than creative product design.

Jack and Sage faced a dual challenge:

  1. Rapid scale: In just 18 months, the brand went from idea to national distribution with over 600 retail partners.
  2. Operational complexity: Managing a global supply chain, in-house warehousing, custom emblem application, and overseas manufacturing demanded an integrated solution from day one.

Alex and his team knew they needed a platform that could handle growth without slowing it down, unify operations, and offer the agility to support their innovative business model.

ApparelMagic Solution

Jack and Sage chose ApparelMagic as their ERP partner from the start, relying on its full suite of tools to manage the brand’s backend and empower the frontlines of growth.

Key benefits and features leveraged by Jack and Sage:

  • All-in-One Functionality: Replacing QuickBooks early on, Jack and Sage moved their accounting, inventory, and order management entirely into ApparelMagic – eliminating disconnected systems and enabling real-time visibility across the business.
  • Intuitive Interface & Control: Unlike bulky ERP systems, ApparelMagic allowed the Jack and Sage team to configure and control their setup internally. “The intuitiveness of the software is so refreshing,” says Alex. “We can craft and build without constant outside help.”
  • Custom Features for Wholesale Success: With most sales driven by B2B, ApparelMagic’s B2B portal became essential. The ApparelMagic team even helped develop custom features to show future inventory arrival dates, supporting the brand’s pre-booking strategy and enabling more confident buying from retail partners.
  • Native Integrations: Jack and Sage runs a hybrid fulfillment model, handling emblem application in-house and working with a Canadian 3PL. ApparelMagic’s integrations made both seamless, saving time and reducing errors.
  • Scalable Sales Enablement: As a fast-scaling brand that grew from a two-person team to 20 employees, Jack and Sage built an in-house salesforce of former software professionals. ApparelMagic gave this tech-savvy team the tools they needed to move fast, track performance, and focus on growth.

Results

The numbers tell the story of a brand that’s not only growing fast, but growing smart.

  • 476,092 units sold in less than two years
  • From 2 to 20 employees in 18 months
  • 600+ retail partnerships across the U.S.
  • Best New Product award at the Smoky Mountain Trade Show
  • Startup of the Year recognition

ApparelMagic helped turn Jack and Sage’s bold idea into a national brand, providing the infrastructure to handle scale, the tools to run lean and fast, and the flexibility to support innovation at every level.

“ApparelMagic has been incredible for us. Having all our operations under one roof has given us true visibility and control as we scale. It’s been a critical partner in our success.”
Alex Biegler, CEO & Founder, Jack and Sage

Triarchy x ApparelMagic

Triarchy’s Global Market Expansion with ApparelMagic

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Challenge

Triarchy, a sustainable fashion brand, has made waves in the denim industry with its innovative plastic-free stretch denim, the first of its kind. The brand, led by designer Adam Taubenfligel, is committed to sustainability, offering products made from natural fibers and chemical-free dyes.

Despite their groundbreaking approach, Triarchy faced key operational challenges. Their initial reliance on Excel spreadsheets to manage wholesale orders was not scalable, making it difficult to operate their business as effectively as possible, while expanding into major department stores across the US, Canada, and the UK. 

With the need for streamlined operations, better accuracy, and enhanced scalability, Triarchy recognized the need for a comprehensive business management solution.

Solution

ApparelMagic provided Triarchy with a robust solution that addressed operational inefficiencies. The software offered real-time data, improved order accuracy, and allowed for seamless management overall. ApparelMagic’s capabilities enabled Triarchy to replace cumbersome manual processes with automated functions in place that significantly reduced errors.  

By integrating ApparelMagic into their workflow, Triarchy was able to focus on their mission of sustainability, while ensuring their business operations were as efficient and professional as their product offerings. 

The platform supported their scaling needs, providing the proper infrastructure required for growth. This allowed the brand to focus on perfecting their North American market before expanding globally.

Results

Since adopting ApparelMagic, Triarchy has experienced a notable boost in operational efficiency and accuracy. Their wholesale processes now run smoothly, giving them the confidence to focus on innovation and strategic growth.

With business operations optimized, Triarchy is well-positioned for continued expansion while staying true to its sustainability mission. ApparelMagic has become an essential partner in their business strategy, enabling rapid growth without compromising their environmental values.

The Power of ApparelMagic

ApparelMagic has played a pivotal role in Triarchy’s journey, helping the brand grow while maintaining its top sustainability standards. By optimizing operations, ApparelMagic has aided Triarchy in maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and professionalism – all while expanding their groundbreaking product line to a global audience.

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Pando Moto x ApparelMagic Case Study

Fashion Meets Function: How Pando Moto Used ApparelMagic to Innovate Motorcycle Gear Production

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The Challenge

Pando Moto, a leading innovator in motorcycle gear, has always been at the forefront of combining comfort, functionality, safety, and style in their products. With an increasing global reach and a growing direct-to-consumer (D2C) business model, the company faced significant challenges in managing its operations efficiently. 

Prior to adopting ApparelMagic, Pando Moto relied on multiple ERP systems, including TradeGecko and a series of other ERP systems, which provided poor user experience and integration struggles. Their systems were no longer able to scale effectively, especially as their operations expanded to 35 markets worldwide. 

A key issue was the manual, time-consuming processes involved in inventory management, shipping, and production, leading to operational inefficiencies and bottlenecks that affected their ability to scale. As Pando Moto grew, they needed a solution that could handle complex business needs while providing seamless integrations and automation to improve efficiency.

The ApparelMagic Solution

In 2023, Pando Moto adopted ApparelMagic’s ERP system, which proved to be a game-changer for the company. ApparelMagic’s platform offered the flexibility and scalability that Pando Moto needed, providing a robust system designed specifically for the apparel industry. This allowed the company to streamline various business operations, from inventory and warehouse management to B2B sales and direct shipping to consumers.

One of the standout features of ApparelMagic was its integration capabilities with major shipping partners like FedEx and DHL, making it easier for Pando Moto to manage global logistics. This integration became especially important during peak seasons like Black Friday when the company was able to handle a significantly larger number of orders with greater ease and accuracy.

Moreover, the intuitive user interface and drag-and-drop features of the B2B platform simplified operations for Pando Moto’s team, ensuring that they could focus more on business growth rather than dealing with complex system navigation. 

ApparelMagic’s customizability allowed the system to scale with Pando Moto’s expanding operations, and the ease of API integrations meant the company could quickly connect their eCommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, reducing manual processes.

The ApparelMagic team’s responsiveness to Pando Moto’s needs also played a crucial role. From personalized support to periodic updates that enhanced the system’s capabilities, the company’s collaboration with ApparelMagic helped Pando Moto maintain a smooth transition to their new system while addressing any questions or challenges promptly.

The Results

Since implementing ApparelMagic, Pando Moto has experienced significant improvements in operational efficiency and scalability. The integration of multiple warehouses, real-time inventory tracking, and automated shipping processes has eliminated previous bottlenecks, reducing errors and improving the speed of order fulfillment. As a result, Pando Moto has been able to handle larger volumes of sales, especially during peak periods like Black Friday, without sacrificing customer satisfaction.

The ease of managing both B2B and D2C operations through a unified platform has given Pando Moto better control over their global reach. The company’s warehouse operations are now more streamlined, and Pando Moto has successfully shifted its focus toward growing its direct-to-consumer business, reducing its reliance on traditional wholesale channels.

Furthermore, Pando Moto’s production process has also been enhanced. With ApparelMagic’s production module, the company has been able to better manage raw material procurement and track manufacturing timelines, enabling them to streamline their production workflows and meet the increasing demand for their products.

Pando Moto is now able to scale more efficiently, expand its global presence, and focus on innovation and sustainability—delivering superior protective motorcycle apparel while keeping operations optimized.

Conclusion

ApparelMagic has played a pivotal role in helping Pando Moto transform its business operations. The tailored ERP solution has enabled the company to overcome past challenges and scale efficiently. With ApparelMagic’s continuous support and system improvements, Pando Moto is well-equipped to meet the demands of the modern apparel market while maintaining its position as a leader in fashion-forward, protective motorcycle gear.

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ApparelMagic Case Study Swannies Golf Apparel

Driving Success: Swannies Golf Apparel’s Growth with ApparelMagic

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Challenge

Swannies Golf Apparel embarked on their journey in 2015, seeking to disrupt the traditional golf apparel industry. A few short years later, Swannies quickly reached exciting milestones and found themselves confronting the challenges of managing a growing team and expanding customer base.

As they expanded, their reliance on spreadsheets and outdated systems became increasingly impractical. With aspirations to scale further, they needed a solution that could support their growth trajectory.

The ApparelMagic Solution

In their quest for a comprehensive solution, Swannies turned to ApparelMagic over five years ago. Recognizing the potential of ApparelMagic ERP’s capabilities, they implemented the platform to streamline their operations. As their wholesale customer base grew to over 3000, ApparelMagic remained a steadfast partner throughout their journey, providing the essential infrastructure needed to manage their business efficiently.

A pivotal moment in their partnership with ApparelMagic occurred when they collaborated with the development team to launch the ATP (Available to Promise) calculations. This functionality was especially critical for a business model like Swannies’, providing the confidence needed to continue scaling. With ATP calculations in place, Swannies could better manage their ordering processes, ensuring they could fulfill customer demands accurately.

Results

Swannies’ growth since implementing ApparelMagic has been nothing short of remarkable. In terms of revenue, Swannies is now approximately 100 times the size from when they started using the system. As such, ApparelMagic has been an integral part of their success story. The platform has continuously scaled alongside Swannies, providing the necessary tools and support to navigate their surge.

Looking ahead, Swannies anticipates many more years of growth with ApparelMagic by their side. The platform’s adaptability and functionality continue to be instrumental in their success, empowering Swannies to achieve their ambitious goals and solidify their position as industry disruptors in the golf apparel market.

Conclusion

Through their partnership with ApparelMagic, Swannies Golf Apparel has demonstrated how the right ERP solution can act as a catalyst for advancement and streamline operations for apparel businesses of all sizes. With a robust platform and dedicated support team, ApparelMagic has aided Swannies in evolving from a startup to a thriving enterprise, setting the stage for continued success in the years to come.

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How Gameday Social Replaced Spreadsheets with a Purpose-Built Fashion ERP

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Challenge: Streamlining Operations for a Rapidly Growing Apparel Brand

Gameday Social, a certified women-owned company based in South Dakota, has experienced rapid growth since 2021. Specializing in elevated, trend-driven licensed sports apparel for female fans aged 21 to 40, the company positioned itself uniquely in the market. Like with most success stories, challenges came about along the way – Particularly in managing operations efficiently in this case. Prior to adopting ApparelMagic, Gameday Social relied on a combination of spreadsheets, warehouse management software, and QuickBooks, resulting in a non-scalable and hectic method. 

The ApparelMagic Solution

In search of a more tailored solution for the apparel industry, Gameday Social discovered ApparelMagic. Finding an ERP system specifically designed for fashion was a priority. ApparelMagic stood out as a solution that understood the nuances of the fashion industry, distinguishing it from other generic manufacturing and warehouse management options.

ApparelMagic addressed Gameday Social’s challenges by providing a comprehensive platform that integrated inventory management, order fulfillment, and streamlined B2B processes. The scalability of the system was a crucial factor for Gameday Social, as it not only met their current needs but also positioned them for significant future growth. 

The implementation of ApparelMagic allowed the company to transition away from time-consuming manual processes, providing end-to-end efficiency and freeing up their team for strategic tasks like product development.

Results:

The positive impact of ApparelMagic on Gameday Social has been evident in various aspects of their operations:

  1. Efficiency Gains: The system’s user-friendliness and quick response times significantly reduced the time spent on manual workarounds. This newfound efficiency allowed Gameday Social’s team to focus more on what truly matters: growth strategy.
  2. Scalability: Gameday Social reported that ApparelMagic not only met their current needs but could easily accommodate future growth. The platform’s scalability became a pivotal factor in positioning the company for ongoing success.
  3. Quick Onboarding: Onboarding new sales representatives became a seamless process with ApparelMagic. The intuitive nature of the platform minimized the need for extensive training, allowing the new team members to navigate the system quickly. 

ApparelMagic proved to be a transformative solution for Gameday Social. If you’re also looking for a solution to help you streamline processes in the competitive world of fashion, book a demo to see if ApparelMagic is right for you.

How Bridge & Burn Enhanced Operations to Solve Inventory Challenges

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Challenge: Streamlining Operations and Inventory Management

In late 2022, Bridge & Burn, under new ownership, faced the immediate challenge of streamlining operations and gaining control over their unique inventory management needs. The company’s commitment to custom-developed fabrics and small-batch production required a robust solution that could seamlessly handle B2B, inventory, development, and invoicing, all while accommodating the complexities of their specialized inventory partitioning.

The ApparelMagic Solution: A Unified Hub Tailored to Apparel Brands

Enter ApparelMagic, the comprehensive ERP solution that became the backbone in Bridge & Burn’s quest for operational efficiency. Taylor Murray, the owner, notes that ApparelMagic allowed them to consolidate various functions under one roof, eliminating the need for expensive third-party apps. 

This central hub not only streamlined their processes but also facilitated easy integration with essential apps like Xero and Shipstation, minimizing the disruption of their existing workflows.

While ApparelMagic offers numerous features, the Bridge & Burn team is most excited about its unparalleled inventory management capabilities. The software’s flexibility enabled the company to efficiently organize their inventory based on the detailed needs of their operations.

Utilizing ApparelMagic’s barcode scanning for inventory maintenance, purchase order (PO) creation, and PO receiving, Bridge & Burn saved time, increased accuracy, and gained invaluable insights into their operations.

“The fact that ApparelMagic is set up exactly for apparel is incredibly helpful. You don’t need to do any type of workarounds or anything. It’s just there and it works, which is the number one thing for us.”

Results: Operational Gains and Cost Savings

The implementation of ApparelMagic resulted in tangible benefits for Bridge & Burn. The software’s user-friendly design, tailored for the apparel industry, eliminated the need for tedious workarounds, reducing the likelihood of errors. 

The efficiency gains from improved inventory management translated directly into cost savings and increased satisfaction among both staff and customers.

Bridge & Burn had previous experience with other ERP providers, but none matched the tailored usability and effectiveness of ApparelMagic, especially in the apparel industry. The software’s seamless integration with existing tools, coupled with its flexibility in handling unique inventory challenges, made it the clear choice for the company’s needs.

Furthermore, the collaboration with ApparelMagic’s development team allowed Bridge & Burn to contribute to the enhancement of the software. Their joint effort resulted in the roll out of the “Feedback” module, a valuable addition for adding notes and images to tech packs, thereby improving factory communication, reducing errors, and saving time.

Future Steps: Continuing the Journey with ApparelMagic

In summary, ApparelMagic has not only met Bridge & Burn’s immediate challenges but has also positioned itself as a long-term partner in their growth journey. The software’s adaptability, integration capabilities, and ongoing support have proven instrumental in helping Bridge & Burn navigate the unique complexities of the apparel industry.

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Hype and Vice leaves Google Sheets behind to optimize operations with ApparelMagic

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College merch is suddenly cool. The merch revolution, starting with classic rock band tees and then moving into arts-adjacent tote bags has now made its way into collegiate apparel. But we’re not talking about standard-issue baseball caps and hooded sweatshirts. These are not your dad’s lucky jerseys.

What’s really hitting campus stadiums on game day is a whole new breed of school spirit that finds itself on crop tops, pleated skirts, and shrunken puffer jackets. And it wouldn’t have happened unless Hype and Vice cofounders Cecilia Gonzalez and Kimberly Robles entered the college apparel market.

“We were both college roommates back then,” remembers Kimberly Robles, “and the whole idea started just because we went to the USC tailgates and all the girls were cutting up T-shirts that were just available at the bookstore. They mostly wanted crop tops, bandana tops, and then a lot of them used to buy little kids-size skirts that weren’t available in adult sizes.”

It dawned on the pair that there was a gap in the market, and their unique position gave them a new perspective that hadn’t dawned on the established college apparel businesses, mostly run by men.

“No one is doing adult clothes that girls actually wanted to wear,” Robles says. “We looked, we did our research, and we found that no one else was doing it. There was not a brand catering to that specific woman. And that’s how the whole idea started.”

From there, they were off to the races, slowly building up a stable of licensed deals with universities. After a few signed on, Hype and Vice started to gain credibility and watch their growth snowball.

As they grew, the team needed more sophisticated software to track their sales and guide strategy.

“We grew a lot last year,” Robles says. “That was our inflection point, and we needed a system. We couldn’t keep doing this manually on a million Google sheets.”

Robles says they turned to ApparelMagic after researching their options and seeing how user-friendly and visually-oriented the software is, a nonnegotiable for their design-focused team. And once they started using it, the benefits were obvious.

“Now there is one place everybody can access to look at orders,” Robles says. “It’s definitely a time-saver because we used to do everything very manually. Now everything’s automatic.”

So what’s next for Hype and Vice?

“We’re right now at 192 schools,” Robles says.”I think the goal for this year is to get licenses that we’re missing for the NCAA, and then continue growing wholesale. That’s the area that’s been growing a lot for us, so definitely getting into top retailers.”

Sights are set high, and with the brand’s trajectory, Hype and Vice looks likely to keep this momentum going.

H&H Sports Protection boosts customer satisfaction with ApparelMagic Desktop to Cloud move

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Established in 1992, H&H Sports Protection is no newcomer to the industry. They’ve seen trends come and go, weathered the ups and downs, and kept up with the newest technologies along the way.

The company, behind the major motorcycle helmet and accessory brands Just1 Racing and Torc, is an international powerhouse, with a footprint covering China, Italy, and the United States.

“We go deep in this industry,” H&H Sports Protection CEO Peter Miao says. “We’re not just manufacturing, we actually design and develop new projects, promote our brands, and promote sports events in Asia.”

With this kind of worldwide reach, taking orders and payments has always been a challenge, but one that they’ve been solving with ApparelMagic.

Way back in 2016, Miao’s team recognized a need in their business to process credit cards, and they came across an earlier server-based incarnation of ApparelMagic. The software’s merchant functions were more than enough to win them over, and they began using it as the backbone of their business. Over the next five years, they continued to use the server-based ERP, but were soon looking for alternatives to maintaining and upgrading their remote server. 

As Miao looked into alternatives, he came across the cloud-based version of ApparelMagic. Seeing the ability to integrate to many services and get away from headaches associated with server hosting, he pulled the trigger.

“I made a subscription for just one user to try and test it,” Miao says, then hiring a consultant to migrate the company’s data while ensuring none of the core business functions would be affected. “It was a smooth process.”

As of January 2021, H&H was good to go, and already they were experiencing the benefits of the state-of-the-art tech. Suddenly his team could turn their attention away from repetitive tasks as ApparelMagic and services like ShipStation took care of them behind the scenes.

“A lot of manual work had to be done,” Miao says. “But now, all the work could be automated. It improves efficiency, but also, because we have the energy and resources, improves the customer satisfaction level. It’s a win-win.”

Beyond their daily workflow, H&H has innovated in their selling process by using ApparelMagic’s built-in B2B sales tools. Rather than sending PDFs back and forth, customers can now check available inventory and create their own orders online with a true wholesale ecommerce experience.

“Customers don’t need to write emails anymore. They don’t need to call reps. They don’t need to remember SKU numbers,” Miao says. “It’s a very easy process.”

The B2B site allows customers to find exactly what they need on their own and add it to their shopping carts, saving time for everyone. H&H sales reps often arrive in their California office to new orders East coast customers placed just that morning.

“With the help of ApparelMagic, we are able to offer an ease to customers doing business with us,” Miao says. “We saw a 50% growth in sales in 2022, and we are confident that we will continue growing in 2023.”

How Scott Barber fully integrated all business aspects with ApparelMagic

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Legacy brands have a lot going for them: vendor connections, wholesale distribution networks, and loyal end customers, but they have challenges all their own as they grow to meet challenges of the current era.

Scott Barber, a men’s sportswear line founded nearly 30 years ago in 1994, had steady business for decades and a reputation that preceded it. However, when new management took the business on two years ago, they saw it could reach new heights.

“We’ve given the brand a new life,” says Rosemarie Grieco, Managing Partner of Scott Barber, “by evolving and elevating the collection in the better men’s specialty market, and by expanding our reach on our direct to consumer site.”

This two-pronged approach is the result of fresh thinking and a deep analysis of the Scott Barber business already taking the brand from good to great.

“We are a new team with a new vision,” Grieco says, “and it’s highly appreciated by our retailers!”

As soon as Grieco and her colleagues took on the business, it was clear that outdated technology behind the scenes was holding it back. As a small team, it was important that they could get full control and visibility of each element of the business, and they turned to ApparelMagic to get it done.

“I’m one person,” Grieco says, “so I needed to streamline as much as I could.”

Grieco single-handedly took on the business’s transition to ApparelMagic, integrating their data with built-in tools like line sheets and ApparelMagic Pay, as well as connecting with outside service providers like QuickBooks, NuOrder, and Shopify.

“Every aspect of the business can be run through ApparelMagic,” Grieco says, “and that’s what I love.”

For legacy businesses like Scott Barber, ApparelMagic’s multi-channel sales tools and integrations are ideal. With big wholesale customers like department stores eager to keep Scott Barber in their assortments, for example, it was necessary to connect through EDI.

“EDI is so important and critical to run a business because you have trading partners that work that way,” Grieco says. 

Meanwhile, they also do strong business through an online B2C storefront built through Shopify. ApparelMagic’s platform manages all of these sales channels in one convenient place.

With Scott Barber’s priceless brand equity paired with ApparelMagic now taking them to the next level, the future is bright for another 30 years of continued success.

ApparelMagic’s built-in B2B portal helps Kizzi Dancewear drop cumbersome standalone eCom store

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After a year of cancelled fashion weeks, reduced trade show attendance, and an embrace of work-from-home culture, it’s no wonder that brands are turning to the internet for wholesaling.

With ApparelMagic’s recent introduction of B2B eCommerce, sales can happen instantaneously around the world and across timezones. Integrated directly to their product and inventory data inside ApparelMagic, brands can launch online wholesale environments in just minutes.

Let’s see how one of ApparelMagic’s clients uses it:

The Problem: Standalone B2B Stores

Kizzi Dancewear, a specialty brand that works directly with dance schools and studios, started setting up a standalone wholesale eCommerce store in April of 2020. And a year later, it was still in the works. Until then, they’d been selling exclusively through trade shows and word-of-mouth. While shifting to online wholesale was a great move at the start of the pandemic, that kind of growth has challenges all its own. Kizzi Dancewear CEO Kim Coates said working with another service was full of headaches and constant manual attention.

“It was a boatload of constant importing and exporting,” Coates says. “We just met stumbling block after stumbling block.”

Bogged down in tedious formatting and spreadsheets, her team was busy keeping their B2B store up to date, all the while missing out on time they could use contributing to actual sales.

“For the other sales platform, they wanted this very complicated image naming,” Coates says. “I just said ‘That will not work.’ I can’t go back and edit thousands of images.”

As an established business, Kizzi Dancewear has plenty of product data on file. It’s this current and past season information that allows them to accurately plan and forecast for future seasons. Managing over a hundred thousand SKUs and nearly 1,000 styles inside ApparelMagic is all in a day’s work for Coates and her team, but when it came to getting that product data to their customers, other solutions were falling short.

Introducing ApparelMagic B2B

All that changed this summer when ApparelMagic introduced a built-in B2B eCommerce feature. Now, users can use a simple drag-and-drop interface to build stores and invite their wholesale customers to shop, allowing them to browse products and add them to their cart just like they would when online shopping.

“Everything in the way you set it up has made it so easy for us to use,” Coates says. “Really, in two days, I created everything you see in our store.”

Getting started with ApparelMagic B2B

For Coates, moving over to ApparelMagic’s integrated B2B was a cinch. After hearing about the new feature at one of Kizzi’s leadership meetings, she gave it a spin. How long did it take her to get the hang of it?

“Really, in 48 hours, with just looking at your support portal and someone emailing me a short video link,” Coates says. “And we launched it to over 600 customers within two weeks.”

“That afternoon, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this is going to be life-changing!’”

Kim Coates, CEO of Kizzi Dancewear

To add products to the store, Coates simply chose from her brand’s existing products in ApparelMagic inventory data. Advanced controls can further filter products by availability, season, and more. This customized approach allows brands to choose exactly which styles they’d like to sell online.

“It’s shocking how good it is,” Coates says. “I was literally screaming from my office.”

And that’s just the beginning. From there, brands can add their own content through smart widgets, telling that season’s full narrative through embedded videos, links, and custom HTML.

“I put everything there that I could think of from a shopper’s standpoint,” Coates says. “People can search by category, sizing, etc.”

And all of this represented a sea change compared to using a standalone B2B eCommerce solution. With all of the data effortlessly syncing between modules, ApparelMagic is able to deliver accurate stock information through an incredibly intuitive interface.

This accuracy is because ApparelMagic B2B is not a standard integration, translating data across platforms: it’s fully a part of the ApparelMagic ERP system. When customers login to make orders, they’re accessing the latest data from their customized portal into ApparelMagic’s inventory.

Making Sales

Reaching out to new and existing customers is easy. With their data stored safely and privately within ApparelMagic, salespeople can simply invite them to view and shop from the store. Invite them one at a time, or by the hundreds, and ApparelMagic manages their traffic, following customer interaction with Google Analytics.

“We did a mass invitation with a little descriptive information,” Coates says. “Not a lot, because it just doesn’t require very much instruction.”

“We launched it to over 600 customers within two weeks.”

Kim Coates, CEO of Kizzi Dancewear

And customers? They’re falling in love.

“We had one of our biggest customers in our shop,” Coates says. “While they were here, we showed them the store, and they loved it. They thought it’d be so easy for anyone to use.”

The transition to online wholesale has been a win for everyone so far. After sending out a link to the store on a Friday, orders were already flowing in by the time the sales team returned from the weekend.

“The way they come in, it’s really easy for our sales people to know which ones we still need to connect with and send out our invoice and payment method separately. It’s all working really smoothly.”

Next up, Kizzi will be bringing in ApparelMagic Pay to process credit card payments coming through their store. Just like that, a start-to-finish sales process has been transformed.

The Results are in: Selling with ApparelMagic

If Kizzi Dancewear’s experience is anything to go by, ApparelMagic’s built-in B2B eCommerce is the easiest, fastest, and most accurate solution out there. And for ApparelMagic users, it’s included free in all subscriptions from the Professional level and up.

Setting up stores takes just moments, and from there on accepting orders and now taking payments is all handled seamlessly by the web app. Try it and see for yourself.

“I think at this point, it’s just so unbelievably beyond where we were at after a year and a half with another company,” Coates says. “It’s so hard to comprehend how fast we got to where we are.”

Want to learn more about Kizzi Dancewear? Visit their site.

ApparelMagic B2B Quick Facts

  • Add a B2B eCommerce store for free on Professional plans and higher
  • Choose products by season, category, and more
  • Use multiple images, swatches, and descriptions
  • Specify shipping and cancel dates
  • Protect your store with personalized customer logins
  • Filter individual pages and line sheets by buyer
  • Sync orders to your sales team automatically
  • Accept credit card payments with ApparelMagic Pay

Learn more

Lola & Sophie grows both direct-to-consumer and wholesale business with ApparelMagic’s key API capabilities and digital line sheets

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With retailers closing down, some for lockdowns and others permanently, fashion brands have had to regroup and rethink their efforts in record time. The businesses who are best set up for success, like ApparelMagic client Lola & Sophie, have completely recalibrated their businesses as we enter a new era.

For Lola & Sophie founder and designer Gene Kagan, it starts with asking the big questions.

“How do we reach our end consumer?” Kagan remembers wondering at the onset of the pandemic and the industry’s mounting retail woes.

For a womenswear brand doing the vast majority of business through wholesale, this past year set the stage for an evolution in strategy.

“In 2019, ecommerce was 10% of our total revenue,” Kagan says. “2020, we’re looking at 30%, and I suspect that 2021 will be a 50% split.”

Those numbers reflect some big changes behind the scenes. Ecommerce sales require some reliable digital infrastructure, and ApparelMagic has been the label’s data powerhouse when it comes to going online.

“ApparelMagic has been instrumental in our pivoting to a direct-to-consumer business model and incredibly flexible with the changes that we needed to make in order to survive this incredibly challenging business environment,” Kagan says.

Kagan’s colleague, Director of Ecommerce JC, agrees, seeing a myriad of unique ways the brand has used ApparelMagic in recent months.

“At one point we didn’t know who would and who wouldn’t be taking orders,” JC says. “So the reporting where we could see projections on our inventory going out into the future was really helpful.”

JC cites the ease of working with ApparelMagic’s API to add new functionality to Lola & Sophie’s ecommerce site that all syncs back effortlessly to ApparelMagic.

“We added to our website support for backorder and preorders on styles so we could rapidly recut if need be,” JC says. “It’s been great because it allows a revenue stream that may have not been there otherwise. That was huge for us on the ecommerce side of things.”

The new Linesheet Creator tool has also been a welcome surprise for the brand. With more sales appointments remote, their sales team can make quick presentations on the fly.

“What we’ve been doing is custom tailoring linesheets for them to streamline the whole selling process,” JC says. “Our in-house sales rep knows her customer. Rather than bogging them down with an hour and a half of product that they will never buy, it’s very tailored to exactly what it is she thinks they could be buying.”

With this kind of thinking, it’s obvious that this isn’t Lola & Sophie’s first rodeo. Having survived fashion’s previous downturn more than a decade ago, the team already knew how to adapt to a changing climate. They knew this was the time to take a few risks to remain relevant.

“We’ve certainly stepped up our efforts with advertising and direct mailings,” Kagan says. “We sent out a catalog at the end of 2020 to go out to 100,000 consumers.”

Why go the route of ink on paper? In an environment of hours-long Zoom meetings and social media scrolling, the opportunity of looking at a physical piece of branding makes for a better connection with Lola & Sophie’s target customers.

“It feels more real than an ad on Instagram or Facebook,” Kagan says. “Our target audience still likes to touch and feel the product before they commit.”

The pandemic has changed a lot of things, but some things, like the fashion industry’s resiliency, prove stronger than ever.

“We’re a creative bunch,” Kagan says. “Give us a challenge and we’ll meet it.”

How ApparelMagic’s manufacturing module is a steady and reliable tool for Portland Garment Factory

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The saying goes that a crisis shows your true character, and if their approach to 2020 is any indication, Portland Garment Factory is one of fashion’s forces for good.

The Oregon-based factory had been in business for 12 years manufacturing for local and international clients when the pandemic hit. Business slowed right away, according to Donna White, Portland Garment Factory’s operations manager, but they retooled their mission for the short term.

“In March when Covid hit, we saw the loss of projects at the same time that we got word of an impending shortage of PPE in our area,” White says. “We identified two goals for PGF: 1. Stay in business and 2. Be helpers.”

Leveraging their unique position as a domestic manufacturer, Portland Garment Factory immediately saw ways that they could make a difference.

“We hit the ground running and started making medical masks at PGF and selling them at cost to the healthcare community,” White says.

Pivoting to masks ensured that while their production lines might have slowed from client projects, they kept a steady stream of fulfilling work for the team. Their other unique business feature, their online store, aptly named PGF Gift Shop, also became a part of their 2020 plan.

“After the need for medical masks subsided, we started making and selling reusable, cloth masks for the general public as well as custom orders for other businesses and organizations,” White says.

Online among PGF Gift Shop’s offerings is their LeMask, a convertible face mask/head scarf/neckerchief hybrid that for every one sold, they donate a barrier mask to a local nonprofit.

“To date, we’ve made over 60,000 masks in our factory and we’ve donated over 2,700 masks to vulnerable communities.”

In tandem with this shift to producing their own products, they started ramping up their existing offerings including a loose collection of cushions, pet beds, and even clothing and accessories.

The wide variety comes with a message: Portland Garment Factory is a zero-waste facility and items are created using the excess fabric and trims left over from the factory’s client projects. Large scraps turn into attractive patchworks, and tiny leftover pieces of fabric are pulverized and turned into a fluffy filling that beats out conventional synthetic fills in terms of sustainability.

According to White, last year was all about “making the system that we have work to meet the occasion.”

“It’s been a really interesting transition during the pandemic,” White says. “Prior to the pandemic, we were almost exclusively producing client orders at our factory and doing development and full service production.”

Recognizing their business’s capabilities and the pandemic-led push to move more online, they successfully survived–and thrived–in 2020.

“It has been a challenging year but we are grateful that we are still open, and that we’ve had the opportunity to make a positive impact.”

White points to ApparelMagic, the tool they’ve used for the past six years to track and manage their manufacturing, as one system they can rely on when little around them is functioning like normal.

“I’ve had nothing but amazing support from ApparelMagic,” White says.

And what’s next for 2021?

“We’re really hopeful. We’re already experiencing business picking up,” White says. “The kind of business that, pre-pandemic, we relied upon.”

That said, they’re not forgetting what they’ve learned in the past year, and Portland Garment Factory is already planning to expand their gift shop.