Case Study · Fashion Ecommerce · Custom ERP
AX Paris
How we replaced a tangle of manual processes with a fully automated ERP-style back-office, connecting multiple Shopify stores and giving AX Paris real-time control over their entire operation.
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A fast-growing fashion brand held back by manual processes
AX Paris are one of the UK's best-known fast fashion brands, operating multiple Shopify stores and processing high order volumes daily. As the business scaled, the limitations of managing everything manually became impossible to ignore.
Picklists were being generated manually. Consignment workflows were tracked across disconnected systems. Returns required manual processing at every step. Merchandising decisions were being made without reliable, real-time stock data. The back office couldn't keep pace with the front-end growth.
Off-the-shelf ERP systems were evaluated and dismissed. The costs were disproportionate to the business at the time, the implementation timelines were long, and critically, none of them were built for the specific way AX Paris operated. They needed something bespoke.
Manual picklist generation
Every picklist was being created by hand, creating a bottleneck at peak order times and introducing errors that compounded downstream.
Disconnected consignment workflows
Consignment tracking sat across multiple systems with no single source of truth, making stock visibility unreliable and decisions slow.
Manual returns processing
Returns required manual intervention at every step. No automation, no routing logic, no automatic restock or exception flagging.
No real-time stock visibility
Merchandising and buying decisions were being made on stale data. Across multiple sites, nobody had a clear, live picture of what was actually available.
Multi-site complexity
Managing inventory, orders, and fulfilment across multiple Shopify storefronts meant the same problems were multiplied. There was no unified view and no single system of record.
Growth was creating more problems, not fewer
As order volumes increased, the cost of manual processes scaled with them. More orders meant more staff time, more errors, and more firefighting — not more efficiency.
A bespoke ERP-style back-office built around their operation
Rather than force AX Paris into an off-the-shelf system, we built a custom back-office platform designed around how they actually work, connected directly to their Shopify stores, automating the processes that were costing them time and accuracy.
How the system works
The platform connects directly to all of AX Paris's Shopify stores via a real-time API integration. Orders flow in automatically, triggering picklist generation, consignment assignment, and warehouse routing without manual intervention. Stock levels update across all sites simultaneously as items move through the operation.
Returns are handled by the same system: items are scanned back in, exceptions are flagged automatically, and stock is restocked or quarantined based on condition rules set by the merchandising team. The entire operation runs through a single back-office interface built specifically for the way the AX Paris team works.
Discovery and process mapping
We spent time with the AX Paris team mapping every workflow in detail: how orders moved, where decisions were made, where errors occurred and why. The system design followed the process, not the other way around.
Shopify API integration and order capture
Real-time connection to multiple Shopify stores, pulling orders as they're placed and feeding them into the back-office workflow immediately. No polling, no delays, no manual imports.
Automated picklist and consignment engine
Orders are automatically grouped into optimised picklists based on warehouse location, product type, and fulfilment priority. Consignments are generated and tracked from pick to despatch without manual intervention.
Returns management and exception handling
A complete returns workflow: scan-in, condition assessment, automatic restock or quarantine routing, and exception flagging for the merchandising team. Returns stopped being a manual burden.
Real-time stock and merchandising visibility
A live dashboard giving the merchandising and buying team accurate, real-time stock positions across all sites. Decisions that previously relied on outdated reports now happen on live data.
What we built and how
A system built for performance at scale
High-volume fashion retail puts significant demands on back-office software. Order spikes, flash sales, and seasonal peaks mean the system needs to perform under pressure without slowing or failing. Every architectural decision was made with that in mind.
- Direct Shopify API integration across multiple storefronts with real-time order capture
- Automated picklist generation engine with warehouse location optimisation
- Consignment tracking from pick to carrier handover with full audit trail
- Returns processing system with condition-based routing rules
- Merchandise and stock management dashboard with live inventory positions
- Exception flagging and escalation workflows for the operations team
- Performance-optimised database architecture to handle peak order volumes
- Role-based access for warehouse, merchandising, and management teams
What changed for AX Paris
The impact was felt across the operation, not just in the warehouse.
Fulfilment speed increased significantly
Automated picklist generation and optimised pick routes cut the time from order receipt to pick completion. The warehouse team processes more orders in less time with fewer errors.
Pick accuracy improved dramatically
Removing manual picklist creation removed the main source of picking errors. Exceptions are flagged automatically rather than discovered when a customer complains.
Returns processing became a non-issue
What was a daily manual burden became an automated workflow. Returns are processed faster, stock is restocked accurately, and the merchandising team has visibility they didn't have before.
Buying and merchandising decisions improved
Real-time stock visibility across all sites means the buying and merchandising team make decisions on live data rather than yesterday's export. Better decisions, faster.
Operational overhead reduced
Processes that required multiple people handling manual steps now run automatically. The same team handles higher order volumes without proportional headcount growth.
A system they own and control
AX Paris own their back-office software outright. No licence fees to a third-party platform, no dependency on a vendor's roadmap, and no risk from acquisitions or price changes.
What Our Clients Say About Us
“We have been trying reinvent our website for over 5 years, trying to make it convert and failing each time. Spoke to Rob at Dev Partners, the team help create our new site and the improvement was instant. Thank you.”
Want something similar for your business?
The AX Paris system draws on several of our core capabilities. If any of these match what you're looking for, let's talk.
Want to build something like this?
Tell us about your operation and we'll tell you what's possible.
Whether you're running multiple Shopify stores with manual back-office processes, or you've outgrown the platform you're on, we'll give you an honest view of what a bespoke system would involve and what it would cost.
What we'll cover:
- Your current setup and where the manual processes are
- What a bespoke back-office or WMS would look like for your business
- How Shopify integration would work with your existing systems
- Realistic build cost, timeline, and what you'd own at the end
- Whether we're the right fit, or who might serve you better
Calls are typically 30 to 45 minutes. We reply to all enquiries within one working day.
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