Snowdon Timber boosts efficiency with Linnworks automation upgrade
Snowdon Timber has adopted the Linnworks platform to automate and centralise its ecommerce operations, enabling the company to process over 200 orders daily while lowering operational costs.
The timber retailer, based in North Wales, has experienced rapid growth since its establishment in 2019 and now sells via several major online platforms, including B&Q Marketplace, Amazon, eBay, and Temu. The company's expansion outpaced its previous manual systems, which relied on spreadsheets and disparate listings, resulting in overselling and operational inefficiencies.
Centralised systems
Through its recent partnership with Linnworks, Snowdon Timber has consolidated its operations under one unified platform. This move has allowed the company to automate fulfilment processes, standardise product listings across multiple channels, and gain real-time insights into stock levels. The switch from manual to centralised systems has improved stock accuracy and enabled streamlined daily workflows for the business.
Snowdon Timber reports that the integration has resulted in faster order dispatches, improved customer satisfaction, and enhanced operational control. As a result, incidents such as missed deliveries, delays, and product overselling have become less likely.
Adapting to growth
The implementation was completed with minimal disruption to operations, and staff adapted quickly to the new platform. Snowdon Timber states that the enhanced infrastructure supports the company's next growth phase, which includes further automation, integration, and the development of a new industrial site in North Wales.
Managing Director of Snowdon Timber, Jody Goode, highlighted the long-term benefits of the partnership:
Partnering with Linnworks has enabled us to futureproof our business operations. It's helped us move from a reactive way of working to a model that's scalable, controlled, and fit for purpose as we continue to grow. We have found as a business that having our systems connected together in one place and streamlined means we can stay focused on our customers while confidently building for the future.
Industry context
Snowdon Timber's experience is reflective of a broader trend affecting retailers that are expanding through digital channels. Many businesses encounter operational strains as they scale processes without corresponding technology improvements, often resulting in inefficiencies and negative customer experiences.
Chris Timmer, Chief Executive Officer of Linnworks, commented on the impact automation and unification can have on retailers:
Snowdon Timber is a great example of how a forward-thinking retailer can use the power of automation to overcome the growing pains of scaling online. These challenges are experienced by businesses all over the country as they scale and grow, but when equipped with the right tools, they can turn these opportunities into meaningful growth.
He added,
By simplifying complex operations and bringing all sales channels into one place, Linnworks enables businesses like Snowdon Timber to focus on delivering exceptional service while continuing to grow at pace. It's exactly the kind of partnership that shows how smarter workflows can give retailers the edge over their competitors, and step up to meet the expectations of customers and clients in the industry today.
Future plans
Snowdon Timber is planning continued investment in automation and integration as part of its growth strategy, alongside the development of its new industrial site, intended to further increase its operational capacity and reach throughout the UK marketplace.
