"By introducing Ship&co, real-time linkage with shipping companies became possible, eliminating hassle and improving operational efficiency."
Tohda Dry has been in the dry cleaning business for 65 years, headquartered in Nishiwaki City, Hyogo Prefecture. Since 2014, we have been offering delivery dry cleaning services under the name "Rinavis", providing services to customers through an e-commerce site. In simple terms, customers send items they want to be cleaned through shipping companies (such as Yamato Shipping and Sagawa Express) to our factory. We perform the cleaning, store the items for a certain period, and return them to customers through shipping companies.
Customers can reserve their desired return date when placing an order, and we clean the items accordingly, store them in our warehouse, and return them through shipping companies. The service allows storage for up to one year and is popular among customers living in central urban areas such as Tokyo and Osaka. Especially for those living in apartments or condominiums, storing bulky winter clothing with us has been well-received for effective space utilization. Additionally, we provide services such as stain removal, simple repairs, and lint removal during cleaning, earning high praise from customers.
Challenges Faced by Rinavis
For sending items to our factory or returning them to customers, we needed to use shipping companies. Previously, we used the Yamato shipping system and packaging products for these shipping procedures.
In recent years, as our service expanded, we needed to use Sagawa Express in addition to Yamato shipping, but we could not integrate with the Sagawa Express system. This led to extra effort in daily operations, occasional operational mistakes, and a need for improvement.
Decision to Implement Ship&co's Shipment API
After evaluating various logistics systems, we found that existing solutions were tailored for merchandise e-commerce, offering complex features unnecessary for their operations. Ship&co stood out for its simplicity, providing essential functionalities like label issuance and shipping coordination seamlessly and cost-effectively. This led us to choose Ship&co for their logistics needs, enhancing operational efficiency.
Effects of Implementing Ship&co's Shipment API
Prior to implementing Ship&co, we faced the challenge of using different systems for each shipping company, creating operational complexities with Yamato Shipping and Sagawa Express. The introduction of Ship&co facilitated seamless integration with both carriers, eliminating manual tasks like CSV data downloads and uploads. This resulted in a notable improvement in operational efficiency, accompanied by a significant reduction in errors.
Comparing the pre- and post-implementation scenarios, we estimate a time savings of over one minute per case. The straightforward implementation process focused on basic functions, making it feasible within approximately a month. Leveraging Ship&co's sub-user function required additional development for management functions, extending the overall development period to around two to three months.
Utilization of Ship&co
We actively employ Ship&co for tasks related to returning cleaned items to customers, primarily for printing shipping labels. The Ship&co API seamlessly integrates within our in-house developed system. In terms of performance, we handle around 2,000 cases per day using Ship&co, showcasing the reliability and scalability of the solution.
As we contemplate expanding shipping companies and increasing shipping points, Ship&co emerges as a potential enabler for further growth. While specific plans are yet to be outlined, Ship&co remains a valuable asset in Rinavis' logistics operations.
