Nature Innovations EDI with SPS Fulfillment Helps Take Retailer Relationships to a New Level

Nature Innovations LLC is a maker of ultra-realistic outdoor landscape and home décor products that include planters, storage sheds, water tanks and fish feeders, among other innovative products. Nature Innovations’ patented products replicate elements found in nature such as tree bark, trunks and logs and are handcrafted with high-quality polyurethane. All the company’s products are proudly made in the USA.

Nature Innovations EDI Automation to Manage Inventory, Scale the Business

Nature Innovations was launched by the creator of Nature Blinds LLC, its sister company, which makes realistic-looking artificial hollowed-out trees that serve as deer blinds. Nature Innovations’ products, such as its flagship REAL Planters™, are found at leading retailers such as Home Depot, garden supply stores and a growing roster of online retailers. In 2014, in response to the demands of its omnichannel retailers — and market opportunities — Nature Innovations turned to SPS Commerce.

Joining the SPS community was an easy decision given Nature Innovations’ rapidly expanding product lines and inventory volumes. “SPS allows us to efficiently expand our trading partner connections while ensuring our ability to meet retailer’s fulfillment requirements,” says Andrew Lyke, vice president of sales and marketing at Nature Innovations. In 2014 alone, the company’s SKUs grew from 6 to 19. Inventory grew from 2,500 items in 2013 to more than 200,000 items this year.

SPS Commerce’s solutions have allowed Nature Innovations to take its retailer relationships to a new level with greater reach and profitability. “Given our growth, we will be moving ahead with an enterprise-level ERP system that includes inventory and warehouse management systems,” Lyke says, adding, “SPS will integrate with the new system to provide a seamless process, allowing us to better serve world-class retailers and have one place to locate inventory and process orders, accessible by our headquarters and remote staff alike.”

A Networked Approach with SPS Commerce Fulfillment EDI

Aided by SPS Commerce solutions, Nature Innovations offers retailers a variety of fulfillment models that include direct to consumer (drop ship), ship-to-store and direct-to-warehouse (bulk and cross dock). Since joining the SPS network in early 2014, Nature Innovations EDI trading partner network connections have grown to include dozens of dot-com retailers.

Of all the benefits of its alliance with the SPS network, Lyke says Nature Innovations is most impressed with its people. “The speed in which every person there works and responds to us is amazing. SPS has been a huge asset for our company because it gives us an outside perspective to an inside idea. SPS responds to our ideas with valuable feedback because they’ve seen it before, and this really helps a small company like ours grow.”

Nature Innovations EDI for Growing Channels and Audiences Year-Round

Nature Innovations has encountered great demand for its products not only from consumers but from trades such as florists and photographers for its REAL Planters™. As a result, the company is no longer limited to the seasonal sales cycle of the home-and-garden segment that brings heavy volumes of fall orders to meet the spring busy season. SPS allows Nature Innovations to easily scale to support growing order volumes in addition to seasonal peaks.

Lyke recommends SPS Commerce to any supplier on a growth path. “The depth of expertise and connections we’ve made through SPS Commerce makes real things happen. In addition to streamlining our fulfillment and inventory management, we are actively promoting our products to potential retailer customers through their online sourcing community, Retail Universe.”