CASE STUDY
Jun 21, 2024
How Manifest.eco scaled their returns process by 4x with Two Boxes
About Manifest.eco
Manifest.eco offers a sustainable 3PL experience tailored to exceed all your shipping needs. Located in Austin, TX, we provide D2C and B2B services, personalized account management, and innovative logistics solutions without the premium price.
The Challenge
Manifest.eco's returns process wasn't scaling with their business
Manifest.eco grew rapidly in its early days, building a strong client base of health and beauty, sports nutrition, and apparel accessory brands. However, many of these products were one-time use and couldn't be returned, which turned reverse fulfillment into a forgotten aspect of the business.
"We were doing what many 3PLs do with returns: throwing them in containers, putting them on the top shelf of our racking, and trying to avoid them," says Bob Sixsmith, Co-founder and VP of Operations.
As they expanded beyond their typical industries, Bob and his operations team needed help handling new clients' expectations. Their existing WMS was slow and lacked native connections to RMA providers like Happy Returns, Loop, or AfterShip. Manifest.eco would have to log directly into each brand's RMA accounts to process returns, but this wasn't scalable as they grew.
To make matters worse, the challenges from their WMS began leaking into other areas of the business. The lack of a unified process made it difficult to quantify the time and cost of each return, leading to inconsistent and sometimes inaccurate billing rates.
So Bob began searching for an alternative to their WMS that could grow alongside their return volume. He wanted a simple, all-in-one platform that could handle every client's reverse fulfillment needs while improving the process for his operations team.
The Solution
Two Boxes simplifies Manifest.eco's reverse fulfillment and drives more revenue
Thanks to Two Boxes, Manifest.eco was able to unite its entire returns management process into one platform. Two Boxes automatically integrates with major RMA platforms, saving Bob and his team valuable time previously spent managing multiple client accounts.
Two Boxes also helped Manifest.eco digitize its SOPs, turning all the manual steps in the returns process into client-specific checklists. "All the little points of emphasis, from 'Does it have a tag?' to 'Is it damaged?' and 'Does it still work?' are fully loaded into Two Boxes," Bob explains.
When the warehouse staff processes a return, they select the client in Two Boxes and follow the step-by-step instructions, ensuring that each return follows that client's guidelines.
The unified platform gives Manifest.eco more data into its process, allowing the team to understand the time and cost of each return. The result? Highly accurate billing rates.
"We bill by the RMA, the number of units, and if a value-added service is performed," Bob says. "Two Boxes makes it easy to quantify all three of those, create a bill at the end of the month, and send it," Bob explains that this approach ensures every bill covers the exact services provided so clients understand the cost of their reverse fulfillment.
The Results
Manifest.eco doubles profit margins thanks to a smarter returns process
Partnering with Two Boxes turned Manifest.eco's reverse fulfillment into a strength that sets them apart. Now, they're building upon their track record of sustainable fulfillment with scalable, easy-to-manage returns.
The results so far have been exceptional:
300% faster returns processing
100% increase in profit margins on reverse logistics
Ready to let returns grow your business?
At Two Boxes, we make returns an asset instead of a liability. Book a demo today and get started!
About Manifest.eco
Manifest.eco offers a sustainable 3PL experience tailored to exceed all your shipping needs. Located in Austin, TX, we provide D2C and B2B services, personalized account management, and innovative logistics solutions without the premium price.
The Challenge
Manifest.eco's returns process wasn't scaling with their business
Manifest.eco grew rapidly in its early days, building a strong client base of health and beauty, sports nutrition, and apparel accessory brands. However, many of these products were one-time use and couldn't be returned, which turned reverse fulfillment into a forgotten aspect of the business.
"We were doing what many 3PLs do with returns: throwing them in containers, putting them on the top shelf of our racking, and trying to avoid them," says Bob Sixsmith, Co-founder and VP of Operations.
As they expanded beyond their typical industries, Bob and his operations team needed help handling new clients' expectations. Their existing WMS was slow and lacked native connections to RMA providers like Happy Returns, Loop, or AfterShip. Manifest.eco would have to log directly into each brand's RMA accounts to process returns, but this wasn't scalable as they grew.
To make matters worse, the challenges from their WMS began leaking into other areas of the business. The lack of a unified process made it difficult to quantify the time and cost of each return, leading to inconsistent and sometimes inaccurate billing rates.
So Bob began searching for an alternative to their WMS that could grow alongside their return volume. He wanted a simple, all-in-one platform that could handle every client's reverse fulfillment needs while improving the process for his operations team.
The Solution
Two Boxes simplifies Manifest.eco's reverse fulfillment and drives more revenue
Thanks to Two Boxes, Manifest.eco was able to unite its entire returns management process into one platform. Two Boxes automatically integrates with major RMA platforms, saving Bob and his team valuable time previously spent managing multiple client accounts.
Two Boxes also helped Manifest.eco digitize its SOPs, turning all the manual steps in the returns process into client-specific checklists. "All the little points of emphasis, from 'Does it have a tag?' to 'Is it damaged?' and 'Does it still work?' are fully loaded into Two Boxes," Bob explains.
When the warehouse staff processes a return, they select the client in Two Boxes and follow the step-by-step instructions, ensuring that each return follows that client's guidelines.
The unified platform gives Manifest.eco more data into its process, allowing the team to understand the time and cost of each return. The result? Highly accurate billing rates.
"We bill by the RMA, the number of units, and if a value-added service is performed," Bob says. "Two Boxes makes it easy to quantify all three of those, create a bill at the end of the month, and send it," Bob explains that this approach ensures every bill covers the exact services provided so clients understand the cost of their reverse fulfillment.
The Results
Manifest.eco doubles profit margins thanks to a smarter returns process
Partnering with Two Boxes turned Manifest.eco's reverse fulfillment into a strength that sets them apart. Now, they're building upon their track record of sustainable fulfillment with scalable, easy-to-manage returns.
The results so far have been exceptional:
300% faster returns processing
100% increase in profit margins on reverse logistics
Ready to let returns grow your business?
At Two Boxes, we make returns an asset instead of a liability. Book a demo today and get started!
Impact Summary
Faster returns processing
Increase in profit margins on reverse logistics
Our original process was unworkable. We could do it for one client, but what if I had to do that for 20 different stores and 20 different log-ins? So when I heard that Two Boxes could connect as many stores as I wanted with one log-in, the light bulb went off, and I realized this was the solution for us.
Bob Sixsmith
Co-Founder & VP of Operations at Manifest.eco
Ready to supercharge your returns?
At Two Boxes, our mission is to make returns an asset instead of a liability. We’re proud to partner with 3PLs like Rocket Shippers to supercharge their return operations and benefit their team, customers, and the planet. If you’d like to make returns a strength for your business, reach out to us today!
Featured Integrations
Featured Customers
Returns are hard.
Two Boxes makes
them easy.
Returns are hard.
Two Boxes makes
them easy.