JP Outfitters uses Cart.com as their primary third-party logistics (3PL) and fulfillment partner.
About JP Outfitters
JP Outfitters is a Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) brand-building catalog and digital platform specializing in high-quality apparel, footwear, and accessories. The company designs, sources, markets, and distributes products bearing the trademarks of two distinctive lifestyle brands: The J. Peterman Company and The Territory Ahead.
Unlike "fast-fashion" retailers, JP Outfitters focuses on creating timeless products that evoke strong emotional responses from customers. Their business model centers around developing compelling lifestyle brands that foster customer loyalty and command higher price points in the marketplace.
The J. Peterman Company represents an aspirational lifestyle, offering distinctive, hard-to-find merchandise inspired by travel, while The Territory Ahead emphasizes originality, comfort, and performance with well-crafted products that encourage adventure. This unique market positioning has allowed JP Outfitters to establish itself as a premium player in the apparel industry.
Why JP Outfitters Needed to Optimize Fulfillment
Despite their strong brand positioning, JP Outfitters faced significant challenges with scaling their warehouse operations. The company owned a fulfillment facility near Cincinnati, Ohio, but encountered difficulties managing and scaling operations as their business grew.
The main challenges JP Outfitters faced included:
- Limited internal expertise to optimize warehouse operations
- Concerns about potential disruptions and quality issues that typically arise when switching to traditional 3PL providers
- The need to scale their owned facility efficiently without sacrificing customer experience
- Desire to focus more resources on their core competencies of marketing and selling distinctive products rather than logistics management
These fulfillment challenges threatened to become bottlenecks for growth as JP Outfitters continued to expand their direct-to-consumer business across multiple channels.
Partnership with Cart.com and Results
JP Outfitters selected Cart.com to manage operations at their fulfillment facility near Cincinnati, Ohio. This strategic partnership delivered significant improvements to their fulfillment operations.
The key results of this partnership include:
- Seamless integration of JP Outfitters' Ohio facility into Cart.com's network of 12 other omnichannel facilities nationwide
- Implementation of Cart.com's proprietary operational model, enabling JP Outfitters to scale their fulfillment operations without disruption
- Ability for JP Outfitters to focus more resources on their core business of marketing and selling distinctive products
- Enhanced operational efficiency through Cart.com's tech-enabled logistics capabilities
- Improved nationwide fulfillment capabilities to support growth across all sales channels
This partnership represents a creative solution that gives JP Outfitters the flexibility to grow without the burden of scaling their owned facility themselves—a key benefit in the competitive Ohio logistics landscape.
The Cart.com 3PL Solution
Cart.com deployed a comprehensive suite of services to address JP Outfitters' specific fulfillment challenges. Rather than requiring JP Outfitters to move their inventory to a new location, Cart.com implemented a unique solution by managing operations directly at JP Outfitters' existing facility.
The solution includes:
- Tech-enabled logistics capabilities: Cart.com deployed their proprietary Warehouse Management System (WMS) and Order Management System (OMS) to optimize inventory and order processing at the Ohio facility.
- Operational expertise: Cart.com's team brought specialized knowledge in ecommerce fulfillment and pick and pack operations to improve efficiency.
- Omnichannel capabilities: The solution supports fulfillment across multiple sales channels, including direct-to-consumer and wholesale channels.
- Network integration: JP Outfitters' facility was integrated into Cart.com's broader network, providing redundancy and additional capacity when needed.
- Scalable model: The partnership allows for flexible scaling as JP Outfitters' business continues to grow.
This approach provided JP Outfitters with a "best of both worlds" scenario—maintaining control of their physical facility while leveraging Cart.com's expertise and technology to optimize operations.
Lessons for Other eCommerce Brands
The successful partnership between JP Outfitters and Cart.com offers several valuable lessons for other eCommerce brands facing similar fulfillment challenges:
- Creative 3PL partnerships can preserve flexibility: Traditional 3PL relationships often require moving inventory to the provider's facility. JP Outfitters' experience demonstrates that innovative approaches, like having a 3PL manage your owned facility, can deliver benefits while maintaining control.
- Technology is as important as physical capabilities: Cart.com's tech-enabled approach demonstrates that advanced systems for inventory and order management are crucial components of modern fulfillment solutions.
- Focus on core competencies: By outsourcing fulfillment operations, JP Outfitters freed up resources to focus on what they do best—marketing and selling distinctive products—rather than logistics management.
- The right fulfillment partner enables growth: With Cart.com's expertise and technology, JP Outfitters positioned itself to scale without the typical growing pains associated with expanding fulfillment operations.
These lessons highlight how strategic fulfillment partnerships can become a competitive advantage for growing eCommerce brands in the increasingly complex last-mile delivery landscape.
Is Cart.com Right for Your Business?
While the JP Outfitters case demonstrates a successful partnership with Cart.com, each business must evaluate whether this 3PL provider aligns with their specific needs. Consider these factors when determining if Cart.com might be the right fit for your business:
- Business model compatibility: Cart.com's solutions are particularly well-suited for omnichannel retailers with both direct-to-consumer and B2B sales channels.
- Technology requirements: Companies that value integrated technology solutions for order management, inventory visibility, and fulfillment would benefit from Cart.com's tech-enabled approach.
- Scale and growth trajectory: Cart.com is designed to support businesses experiencing growth that requires flexible scaling of fulfillment operations.
- Geographic considerations: With multiple facilities nationwide, companies needing strategic locations in Cincinnati, OH or other major logistics hubs may find Cart.com's network advantageous.
- Custom solutions: Businesses seeking creative approaches to fulfillment challenges, rather than one-size-fits-all solutions, may align well with Cart.com's flexible model.
To determine if Cart.com or another 3PL provider is right for your business, consider using a matchmaking service that can help evaluate your specific requirements and connect you with appropriate partners.
Final Thoughts
The partnership between JP Outfitters and Cart.com represents a compelling example of how innovative fulfillment solutions can support business growth without sacrificing operational control. By leveraging Cart.com's expertise, technology, and operational capabilities, JP Outfitters has positioned itself to scale efficiently while maintaining focus on its core brand-building activities.
For eCommerce brands facing similar challenges with warehouse operations and fulfillment, this case study demonstrates that 3PL partnerships can go beyond traditional models. Cart.com's willingness to manage JP Outfitters' owned facility rather than requiring relocation to a 3PL facility highlights the evolving nature of demand planning and fulfillment partnerships in today's retail landscape.
As the eCommerce environment continues to evolve, partnerships that combine physical capabilities with advanced technology solutions will likely become increasingly important for brands seeking to optimize fulfillment operations while focusing on their core business activities.
Whether your business operates in apparel, like JP Outfitters, or in other sectors, finding the right fulfillment partner remains a critical component of long-term success in the competitive eCommerce marketplace.