Ashley's Lingerie and Swimwear cuts purchase order time by 50%

For an ambitious entrepreneur like Ashley, operational efficiency is key to growing her business. Before she was a business owner, she worked in retail and had to deal with traditional purchase orders. This system was quite tedious, requiring an inventory plan far in advance, which often meant being stuck with products that didn’t sell.

It made it more difficult to keep track of inventory, and because everything was entered manually, there was always a risk of human error.

With a goal to redefine the market, Ashley knew that when she ventured out on her own, she needed to become more agile and eliminate inefficiencies—she needed tools that could support both her mission and business plan.

Being the resourceful and thorough retailer she is, Ashley tried out 16 different POS systems before landing on Lightspeed. Yes, 16.

There were two key factors of Lightspeed POS that sealed the deal for Ashley: the appealing price point and the flexibility. Most other options required long-term commitments she wasn’t ready to make, and Lightspeed stood out as the right choice.

“Lightspeed’s POS was very appealing because I could test drive it and play around with it. And I wasn't really out of pocket more than the next month,” she says.

Now four years in, Ashley has made big changes to her business. Lightspeed NuORDER has been the biggest game changer—allowing her to save double the time on purchase orders and streamline her inventory. Having had experience working at companies that didn’t use NuORDER, Ashley knew how inefficient the process could be. She created purchase orders manually using a carbon-copy notebook. Then, the POs had to be scanned and faxed, all while fitting into rigid ordering cycles.

Now, her orders live in one integrated system. She can save her progress, easily reorder and use the NuORDER catalog to discover new products—giving her full control over inventory management on her own schedule.

Working with her wholesale partner brands on NuORDER allows Ashley to space out her orders, making her more agile and reducing the amount of product she needs to purchase in advance. “NuORDER runs through these veins,” she says. “It’s definitely a huge time saver.”

For a specialty retailer like Ashley, the ability to facilitate special orders easily and seamlessly is essential. She can’t carry everything in-store—especially with bras, which come in countless size and style variations.

“The special order module is phenomenal for me. If a customer wants something else in store and we don't have it, we're able to process their sale,” she says. “We're able to add items that they're either interested in or want to buy and take the deposits for that.”

With Lightspeed’s inventory management and PO sync, Ashley no longer needs to rely on preordering, giving her a competitive edge. If a customer loves a specific product, she can now quickly place an order without second guessing.

Ashley had a difficult experience trying to obtain business funding. The good news? Lightspeed Capital came at a pivotal moment, right at the height of the buying season and when she needed support the most.

Since then, Ashley has been advanced two additional times with Lightspeed Capital which has allowed her to expand into three locations. The process was quick and easy, and remittances are automated and flexible, based on her sales volume.

“I would choose Lightspeed Capital over going to a bank almost nine out of ten times,” she says. “I am a millennial, I am about convenience and instant gratification, and this was convenient and instant gratification.”

Thanks to the merchant cash advance, she’s been able to grow her business while maintaining its signature high-quality customer service and keeping her curated aesthetic on point.

Ashley is making big moves—and as her business grows, she finds confidence in knowing that intuitive technology is developing with her. “I feel like Lightspeed is constantly evolving, growing and trying out new things,” she says.

Her mindset is all about learning and taking risks—that’s what’s gotten her this far and will keep her moving forward.

“I’m building an empire,” she says. “I’m trying to build my brand to push across New York State first, and be that empowering place for everybody, no matter who you are.”