The Story

Bakes Marine, the longest-standing inboard dealer in the Northwest

Since 1989, superior customer service has made Bakes Marine the longest-standing inboard dealer in the Northwest. They carry the largest inventory of specialty inboard parts anywhere in the world.  Their online store ships to customers and dealers in North America, South America, Central America, Europe, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia.

At Bake’s, they set themselves apart from the “normal” dealer through their employees and their mission statement objectives. Their mission was written in 1989 and is still valid today.

The Challenges

Outdated Active Server Page Extended application

In 2017, Bake’s Marine was struggling with its old Active Server Page Extended (.aspx) application. It was no longer PCI compliant, and communication with offshore developers was growing increasingly difficult. He had gotten to the point where he didn’t know what would happen to his eCommerce site.

Struggles with inventory and order management 

After a much-needed migration from an outdated .aspx platform, Bakes Marine migrated to Magento 2. However, they did not have a real-time inventory tracking system, which contributed to many frustrated customers and canceled orders.

While demand was in Bakes Marine’s favor, they faced an inventory hurdle to overcome. Without real-time inventory status enabled, customers became frustrated when they purchased products, only to find out they were not in stock. It caused a two-fold problem for Paul. Customers were upset which in turn led to his staff spending extra time on damage control and refunds.

The Objective

Outgrow online business processes and enhance customer experience.

The Solutions 

The team at Variux conducted an analysis of the problem at hand and implemented an inventory tracking system by using the HexaSync Integration Platform to synchronize inventory data between the Magento eCommerce website (bakesonline.com) and Acumatica ERP instance. This ensures customers can access the real-time availability of each part and estimated arrival time. The Variux Managed Magento Service enabled them to be better prepared with inventory planning while also listening to customers’ needs and planning accordingly.

The Results

Lower +9% returned goods and increase +150% revenue

In 2020, Bakes Marine did 10% returned goods without the solution. With the new solution in place, Bakes Marine generated 1% in returns in 2021, and revenue increased by over 150%. The reason for the drastic improvement? With the updated platform and integration solutions, they were the only supplier in the industry that gave real-time inventory status, enabling greater success. Now customers know what to expect, which builds more trust and generates less hassle.

Bakes Marine was ready for the future scale up

In 2020 the global pandemic put life on hold for many, but it turned out to be a blessing for the marine industry, and, in turn, for Bakes Marine. Boating was an activity that could be enjoyed in relative safety, leading to an increased demand for products. Its updated eCommerce platform and integration system turned out to be a valuable preparation, helping them be ready for the sudden increase in orders.

“Overall, our sales have exponentially grown, and we have a better rapport with our customers. We are on track to have a 200% increase over last year, and I am so grateful to Variux for helping to make sure my online store was working for me and my customers.”

— Paul Gregoire, CEO, BakesOnline.com