In the current digital age, many family farms are establishing eCommerce platforms. Most of them leverage Shopify for their online storefronts and integrate with web-based shipping software like ShipStation. Keep It Cool seamlessly integrates with both platforms, enabling these small businesses to accelerate their packaging and shipping processes.
The Customer: One of our favorite family farms recently became a Keep It Cool (KIC) customer. This farm specializes in raising grass-fed cattle, offering products ranging from 1/16th to a whole cow. Due to the wide range of product weights, estimating the necessary coolant for each order is particularly challenging for a small operation.
Current SOP: Previously, the shipping manager at the ranch would manually check the weather forecast for each order’s destination. Through trial and error, they would decide which shipments required upgradesand additional dry ice.
KIC & ShipStation Integration: The farm opted fora free trial of KIC’s logistics recommendation engine. With just a few clicks, they integrated KIC with ShipStation. By inputting their box sizes and insulation characteristics, KIC’s thermal models could predict the necessary coolant for incoming orders.
Up & Running: Once integrated, KIC reviewed each order’s contents and delivery address. The platform then selected the optimal distribution center, carrier service, box size, and most importantly, recommended the precise amount of ice needed for each shipment to ensure it safely reached the consumer. These recommendations could be printed on the shipping label or packing slip, making it easy for fulfillment partners to follow KIC’s optimized logistics plan.
Results: After just one month of using KIC, the farm’s on-time-but-thawed rate dropped from 2.5% to 0.5%. This 80% reduction in credits and customer complaints translated to significant savings. With an average order value of $400, the farm saved approximately $5,600 in reship costs over the month.
By streamlining their shipping process with Keep It Cool, this family beef rancher not only improved their efficiency but also enhanced customer satisfaction and achieved substantial cost savings.