Ace & Tate partners with Ingram Micro Commerce to bring in-store experiences to customers’ homes
Ace & Tate, a promising upscale Dutch eyewear brand, entered into partnership with Ingram Micro Commerce in 2013. Their online-first business strategy promotes eyewear as an affordable accessory and aims to change not only the way people buy glasses, but how they perceive them — as a lifestyle accessory rather than a medically necessary tool. By providing cost-friendly eyewear, Ace & Tate enables people to change their glasses often without compromising style or quality. By designing their products in-house and producing their own frames, the company has cut out the most expensive part of the traditional manufacturing chain. While Ace & Tate began as an online business, they have opened several physical stores and have expanded the original online business to Belgium, Germany, Denmark, United Kingdom and Sweden (France and Spain are next).
The ordering process
With their special ‘Home Try-On’ service, Ace & Tate customers can order a trial set of frames, sample various styles and return them back to Ingram Micro free of charge. After choosing their preferred frames, customers purchase the glasses in store or online, at which point the lenses are ground and fitted by a third party Dutch provider. The finished glasses, marked by a unique number, are delivered to Ingram Micro Commerce for packaging and shipping. With regards to packing and transportation, Ingram Micro offers extensive advice and benefits resulting from access to an economy of scale.
Packing and transport support
Proper packing is always necessary to guarantee successful delivery, but it becomes absolutely essential when shipping a fragile product like eyeglasses. Years of experience providing efficient and secure packaging, including added value options like branded packaging, makes Ingram Micro a strong choice to support the needs of Ace & Tate.
Omnichannel
To be successful in online sales, creating a positive omni-channel experience is a must. Whether buying frames in-store or online, the experience with Ace & Tate is seamless. When a pair of glasses is ordered online, Ingram Micro Commerce adds a personal touch to each order by inserting a handwritten note on behalf of Ace & Tate. To provide convenience to the end customer, glasses ordered online can be delivered at home or to one of the company’s brick and mortar stores, ensuring a smooth last-mile experience.
Sustainability
Along with customer experience, Ace & Tate puts a strong focus on their ecological footprint. They have begun conducting research to define their footprint and discover ways of minimizing impact.
Together, Ace & Tate and Ingram Micro are working to find solutions to reduce their carbon footprint and make business more sustainable. Future plans in this effort include sustainable packaging and a cleaning cloth made out of recycled PET plastic. Additionally, to support Ace & Tate’s commitment to a low-emission production process, Ingram Micro Commerce will continue to select carriers with low emission rates and environmental-friendly packing materials.
Towards the future: international expansion and cross-border
Ingram Micro Commerce supports Ace & Tate’s goals to increase their international presence and provides consultations on the best carriers by country, as well as consumer preferences. Whether buyers want products to be delivered at home or to pick them up at a nearby pick-up point, Ingram Micro provides the insight into these preferences, allowing Ace & Tate to confidently enter the countries that fit their unique business model best.
Floks Laverman, Head of Supply Chain at Ace & Tate, said: “Our ambition is to expand internationally on a large scale. We trust in the ability of Ingram Micro to facilitate our ambitious growth plans; that is why we chose them as our partner in 2013 in the first place.”
