Ellis Brigham has been a pioneering force in UK outdoor retail since 1933, known for bringing the first climbing hardware from Europe and being early adopters of skiing and snowboarding in the UK market.
Since then, the brand built its reputation on expert-led customer experiences across their 15 physical stores. They offer premium brands like Patagonia, Arc'teryx, and Norrøna, amongst others.
What started as an effort to strengthen brand identity quickly expanded into a full-scale digital transformation across Ellis Brigham's operations, including delivery and returns.
Quick, smart online shopping means one less thing on an explorer's list — gear arrives on time, at the right place, without causing any worry.
Shopping as it’s meant to be
The company faced a critical disconnect between their exceptional in-store service and delivery experience. Ellis Brigham's in-store staff are enthusiasts in their respective areas, so customers buying a snowboard get a snowboard expert advice and personalized gear fittings.
"We don't just sell stuff," Mark Oldham, Head of Operations, tells us. "We know why we sell the equipment."
Online experience, however, didn't quite match up. Ellis Brigham's digital presence felt generic, as it blended in with countless other multi-brand retailers, and the shopping experience seemed to lack that premium touch.
Mark candidly admits: "I've long wrangled with how to make online experience and delivery feel like in-store shopping. We're competing with direct-to-consumer (DTC) mono brands that are creating this very brand-led experiential feeling online, delivering quickly and conveniently."
"I've long wrangled with how to make online experience and delivery feel like in-store shopping.”
Core challenges
As Mark explains: "We weren't experts in sending people stuff. We weren't experts in communicating with customers online at the right moments. We weren't experts in sorting things out when they went wrong from a distance. So, we needed an expert partner who could educate and empower us — Limesharp, Centra, and Ingrid did that for us."
Inaccurate delivery promise
The checkout process lacked clear delivery timeframes and offered vague promises that orders "might get there in three days, might get there in seven days," Mark jokes. It felt like packages would just show up eventually, which caused real anxiety for customers planning ski trips or other outdoor outings.
Outdated infrastructure limiting growth
Ellis Brigham was trapped in legacy systems that made even simple changes require developer intervention. The legacy platform couldn't adapt to modern customer expectations, whilst competitors were delivering superior digital experiences.
Poor omnichannel integration
Their click-and-collect service was actually a confusing hybrid of click-and-reserve and buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS) methods, leading to customer complaints when orders took up to seven days instead of the expected same-day pickup.
Single-carrier dependency
Locked into DPD's booking system, Ellis Brigham couldn't offer customers a wider choice and optimize delivery based on location, urgency, or cost preferences.
Solutions
In collaboration with the digital commerce agency Limesharp, Ellis Brigham replatformed to Centra — the headless DTC e-commerce platform for fashion brands with complex catalogues.
Then, instead of trying to build a custom shipping widget from scratch, they implemented Ingrid ⚫️'s all-in-one delivery experience suite to leave delivery to the experts while Ellis Brigham got to focus on what they do best.
Delivery checkout for transparent experience
Clear delivery timeframes displayed for each shipping option, dynamic pricing based on customer loyalty and order history, and real-time stock visibility to show accurate pickup times.
Proactive tracking for real-time communication
Branded tracking from order confirmation to delivery, available through the 'My Orders' panel in customer accounts and via email. Previously, customers had to dig up tracking details via Google searches.
Transport management for operational efficiency
Multi-carrier integrations without additional setup costs, automated rules for optimal carrier selection, and store fulfillment capabilities.
In-store fulfillment for faster delivery
Real-time availability checks across all locations, true click-and-collect limited to stores with actual inventory, and ship-from-store capabilities to optimize inventory flow and delivery time.
"It's unacceptable to not be able to offer choice and communication. One bad delivery and you've lost a customer, the customer lifetime value (CLTV) hinges on it.”
Key results
1. Online shopping that puts people first
Outdoor adventurers have enough on their minds — route planning, weather windows, gear checks — without delivery anxiety adding to the list.
Transformed checkout journey
"The new sites — Ellis Brigham and TSA, The Snowboard Asylum — are a joy to use," Mark explains. "Our checkout got so slick, I'm tempted to buy something just to experience it."
Transparent delivery promise
Customers now see precise delivery windows — next-day for warehouse inventory, 3-5 days for store-sourced items. It allows Ellis Brigham to manage expectations accurately while working toward their goal of faster fulfillment.
Proactive customer communication
While Mark notes they're still transitioning from legacy systems, the improvement in customer communication feels substantial and reinforces the Ellis Brigham brand experience rather than a generic carrier message.
True click and collect implementation
The new system eliminated complaints about delayed click-and-collect orders by ensuring customers can only select stores where items are actually available. This created a 24-hour pickup experience that drives foot traffic to their expert store staff.
"Our checkout got so slick, I'm tempted to buy something just to experience it."
2. The strategy towards to shipping profitability
Ellis Brigham A/B tested the free shipping threshold for both domestic and international cart values to identify the sweet spot between shipping revenue and conversion rates.
UK orders
Free shipping for orders over £80.
International orders
Free shipping for orders over £150.
“If you’re another retail operations leader struggling with similar delivery challenges, you need to stop absorbing the costs of delivery and returns.”
3. Operational excellence
Streamlined multi-carrier management
Previously manual processes for Royal Mail and UPS shipments became fully automated, while maintaining their existing DPD integration. The team can now make strategic carrier choices based on customer preferences rather than internal system limitations.
Analytical insights
New reporting capabilities allow the team to build reports and track fulfillment patterns across warehouse versus store inventory, enabling data-driven inventory optimization decisions.
Competitive positioning
Ellis Brigham can now compete effectively with DTC brands that previously offered superior online experiences — the company's checkout experience has transformed from a liability to a competitive advantage.
Future-ready infrastructure
The headless, API-first approach means Ellis Brigham can rapidly adapt to changing customer expectations without extensive development cycles.
Expert advice from the leading retailer
Mark Oldham's experience leading Ellis Brigham's digital transformation offers valuable insights for other UK operations leaders facing similar challenges.
On implementing Ingrid
"There was a bit of a leap of faith where we went: 'We like these people and they obviously know what they're talking about. There's a reason why Paul Smith would go with these people.' It's our blocker of not understanding the potential rather than it not being a great product."
On customer experience
"It's unacceptable to not be able to offer choice and communication. It's absolutely critical. One bad experience and you've lost a customer, that's what customer lifetime value (CLTV) hinges on."
On delivery strategy
"If you're another operations leader struggling with similar delivery challenges, you need to stop absorbing the costs of delivery and returns. Offer customers genuine choice between economy delivery and premium options, and consider alternative solutions for urban areas like London and Manchester for same-day delivery."
On delivery expectations
"Climate change and environment. In 2-3 years, there's going to be a shift in how people view delivery and what it costs vs. quick and free. There has to be a choice. Premium and fast versus cheap and standard. Free shouldn't be a necessity."
Looking forward
What started as a technology upgrade has turned into a strategic alignment with an expert delivery platform that lets Ellis Brigham's team focus on their core competency — being outdoor activity pros.
Meanwhile, Ellis Brigham continues to optimize operations. They plan to make the most out of Ingrid Returns to transform another pain point into a strategic asset and further develop ship-from-store capabilities.
Ingrid makes delivery a competitive advantage, not just a cost. We help retailers optimize delivery options at checkout, grow conversion and shipping revenue, and streamline returns.
