Fashion

Balancing Domestic Wholesale and Export Transactions Order Confirmation, Delivery and Proforma invoices Easy creation of export forms was the key factor.

CATERPILLAR PRODUIT CO.,LTD Sales Manager Machida Hiroichi

Problems beforehand

Problems beforehand
  • Sales to overseas wholesale customers while overseas exhibitions are not possible
  • Balancing domestic and overseas orders
  • Errors during order aggregation work
  • The time and effort required for manually making forms and billing errors
After introducing DEXTRE
  • Global sales through online catalogs that can be displayed in multiple languages and in multiple currencies.
  • Easily create sales materials for domestic and international use by simply registering, reducing workload
  • Reduction of tallying errors by online order receipt
  • Creation of delivery notes and combined invoices from order data eliminates data discrepancies and reduces errors.

Background

Due to the Corona pandemic, Paris Fashion Week, which we had participated in every season for 15 years, was canceled, and we had to think about how to receive orders from overseas retailers.
We have about 30 overseas clients in Europe, the U.S., China, and other countries in addition to those in Japan. We deal with overseas retailers in three currencies, US dollars, euros, and Japanese yen, but wholesale prices vary depending on the terms of export transactions such as FOB and DDP.
The management of these transactions was very complicated.

As for the reason why we introduced DEXTRE, we considered several similar services, but there was no system that allowed us to register multiple prices for a single product, and when we were having trouble, DEXTRE was introduced to us.
Considering the global use of the system, we also considered overseas services, but none of them fit the Japanese business practices.
Since it was a Japanese service, the fact that it was compatible with Japan’s unique “multiplying ratio trading” was also a very significant factor.
Another factor was the extremely low pricing.

After using DEXTRE

To prepare for the exhibition so far, we created a line sheet in Illustrator and input photos and information for each product. Separately, an Excel order sheet was prepared.
After the system was introduced, we prepared by entering product information into a prescribed Excel form and uploading it. After that, we uploaded about 10 images per product to the product page.
Before I got used to the system, some parts of the process seemed a little time-consuming, but now that I no longer have to create illustrator line sheets and excel order sheets, the amount of information for each product has increased, but I have the impression that it has decreased as a task.

To buyers, we sent an e-mail with links prepared for each transaction condition to access DEXTRE. We set up appointments for online meetings and had opportunities to explain the information to them, but they were so impressed that they said, “We don’t need this information since it is so complete.”

It was so easy to see that they said, “We don’t need it. , we did not see a decrease in orders despite the loss of the exhibition, and considering that the actual exhibition costs were reduced, we consider this to be a positive factor.
I have the impression that the hurdle for first contact has been lowered rather than having visitors come to the actual exhibition.

First impressions

How did you feel about the process after receiving orders? Up until now, in order tallying, we had to put the data we received one by one into Excel and manually tally each item number.
DEXTRE has a full range of Excel export functions, so we could create export templates that we wanted to manage, and then export the data separately for domestic, overseas, and individual orders, and assign them to different warehouses.
It was also very helpful to be able to track the progress of orders in real time.

In addition, order confirmation and deposit invoices can be easily created from the order data, making the process from order receipt to order confirmation much easier and faster. The size and color of dropped part numbers can be easily excluded by updating the Order Confirmation, eliminating errors in sharing the information with suppliers.
I also like the feature that allows me to select the delivered items and automatically sort the items by supplier to create a consolidated invoice.
After the invoice is created, the commercial invoice (CI) and packing list (PL) required for export can also be easily created, which has greatly reduced the time required to create forms for a single shipment. 
In addition, since invoices can be easily created from delivery receipts to closing payments, all tasks from order receipt to invoicing can now be handled in a single system.

Management costs have also been reduced by the fact that what used to be managed in various Excel files is now all managed in one place.

Using DEXTRE post covid

I think it will be necessary. More buyers will no longer come to overseas exhibitions.
Buyers can check product images on DEXTRE even at domestic exhibitions, so photographing products at exhibitions is no longer necessary. Both our company and our suppliers have streamlined their exhibition operations. As a result, I think we have more time to try on and look at each product one by one.

We believe it is very important that we have more time than ever before for our customers to take a good look at our products. In addition, by distributing the link for individual orders to all concerned, sales on Friends Day have also improved.
Considering the direct positive impact on sales, there is no choice but to use the system. In fact, DEXTRE has made it possible for us to see order totals in real time, and considering that we were replacing them with Excel, I think it has made things much easier.

The delivery slips and combined invoices, which were originally an issue, can now be easily created from the order, eliminating mistakes, and the system is becoming an indispensable system within the company.

I hear that the system is scheduled to be further improved in the future, and I have high expectations for it.
The Viridi-anne (ザ ヴィリジアン)
CATERPILLAR PRODUIT CO.,LTD
Location
2F 3-42-12 EBISU SHIBUYA-KU TOKYO JAPAN 150-0013
Number of employees
Undisclosed
Main products
Based in Tokyo, we are a men’s apparel manufacturer that distributes two brands, The Viridi-anne and DUELLUM, to dozens of companies in Japan and dozens of companies overseas.
Official Site
https://viridi-anne.jp