Jaki

Jaki London, a family-run fashion brand, evolved from a local boutique to a global retailer. Scaling internationally introduced operational hurdles  with duties, taxes, and returns management but a partnership with Swap revolutionised their business, enabling them to optimise global operations, increase revenue, and streamline cross-border logistics.

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Founded in 2005, Jaki London has built a reputation as a go-to fashion brand for accessible, stylish collections. With a flagship store on Putney High Street, the brand offers a range of products from knitwear to satin dresses, catering to fashion enthusiasts worldwide. Committed to accessibility and quality, Jaki London provides free international shipping to key markets, including the U.S., Canada. Europe, and Australia.

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Key Takeaways

• Cross-Border Expansion: Swap Global opened new markets, with international sales now contributing 25% of revenue.
• Cost Reduction: US return shipping costs dropped by 31%, enhancing profitability.
• Returns Optimization: A streamlined portal increased retained revenue by over 10%, improving customer experience.
• Operational Consolidation: Comprehensive analytics enabled data-driven decisions, improving efficiency and scaling potential.
• Outstanding Support: Swap’s responsive team ensured seamless integration and ongoing improvements.

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Jaki London and Swap:  Growing globally without the growing pains.

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Selling internationally was once fraught with high costs and customer dissatisfaction. Before Swap, Jaki London had limited success advertising outside the UK and US due to the challenges of delivering Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) shipments.

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Before Swap, less than 1% of our business came from cross-border sales outside core markets. Now, global markets account for a significant chunk of our revenue (25 %).

– Rameez, CFO, Jaki London

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Swap’s ability to guarantee accurate landed costs empowered Jaki London to confidently enter new territories, resulting in a major boost to global sales.

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Reduced Shipping Costs

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High shipping costs often deter customers and erode margins. Swap’s partnerships with multiple carriers allowed Jaki London to access competitive rates, reducing their costs significantly.

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Our US return rates dropped by 31%, from £26 to £18 per shipment. That reduction makes a big difference to our margins and customer satisfaction.

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This cost-saving allowed Jaki London to reinvest in marketing and expand its presence in key markets.

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Better Global Carrier Rates

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Before partnering with Swap, managing global shipping costs was a different beast altogether. While Ad-hoc shipments via DHL Express were Jaki London’s  go-to, having unstructured contracts with carriers left room for cost improvements.

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With access to Swap’s global network, the brand transitioned to FedEx for their primary international shipping needs, using pre-negotiated FedEx rates, optimized for cost efficiency, to get a more structured and predictable solution that also sets them up for success.

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The Results

• Cost Savings: Swap’s DHL Express rates proved to be about 10% cheaper compared to the brand’s own negotiated contracts for key destinations like Australia.
• Significant Savings with FedEx: Transitioning to Swap’s FedEx rates has yielded a 31% cost reduction to Australia, with shipping costs dropping from £32 (DHL Express) to £22 (FedEx via Swap)

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Retaining Revenue from Returns and Analytics

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Returns are an unavoidable aspect of e-commerce, but they don’t have to be a revenue drain. Jaki London leveraged Swap’s consolidated returns portal and analytics tools to drive efficiencies and enhance customer satisfaction.

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Having exchanges and store credit built into the portal gave us 10% in retained revenue. It’s been a game-changer.

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By providing transparency in returns processing, Jaki London could quickly address customer queries and avoid unnecessary losses. This added peace of mind for both the brand and its customers.

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Enhancing Customer Experience

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Managing multiple carriers and platforms manually was a strain on Jaki London’s small team. Swap’s all-in-one solution simplified this complexity, improving internal efficiency and customer service.

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Consolidating our tech stack with Swap made it easier to manage shipping, returns, and analytics. Now, we can resolve customer queries quickly and accurately.

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The system’s centralised data helped the team understand customer behaviour and make informed decisions to optimise operations further.

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Outstanding Support and Agility

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Beyond the platform, Swap’s personalised, responsive support. Jaki London found its partnership with Swap’s team invaluable in tackling early challenges and implementing solutions tailored to their needs.

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The team has been great—whether it's Jack or Agnes, they’ve been incredibly responsive. For example, when Apple Pay wasn’t working, they resolved it in two weeks.

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This proactive support ensured a smooth experience and rapid resolution of any technical or operational issues.

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