Premier Housewares Impressed with Whistl Parcels’ Willingness to Innovate
Premier Housewares is a family‑run business and one of the UK’s most trusted homewares suppliers, trading since 1988.
As a leading dropshipper and supplier to the retail trade, Premier Housewares offers a catalogue of more than 12,000 homeware products – a number that continues to grow. Driven by both consumer demand and the evolving needs of retail partners, innovation is central to the business.
The Challenge
With expanding storage facilities and increasing stock levels, Premier Housewares identified the need to streamline delivery management and improve visibility across its order management system.
In November 2017, Hayley McAlinden, Online Sales and Account Manager, discovered Whistl Parcels as a potential solution – a single, multi‑carrier platform designed to simplify and centralise delivery operations.
“It would be extremely difficult and inefficient to rely upon a single carrier. Not one carrier in the industry offers a range of solutions suited to our extensive, evolving product range.”
A One-Stop, Multi-Carrier Solution
Premier Housewares ships a wide variety of products, each with different delivery requirements.
“Some of our smaller items are most effectively shipped via an international packet service, whereas larger items may require a two‑man delivery. It made sense for us to find a one‑stop solution like Whistl Parcels – one that gave us access to a wide range of carriers and services within a single platform, while increasing visibility of delivery statuses.”
Whistl Parcels’ multi‑carrier software met the majority of requirements from the outset.
“The software was around 90% right for our needs, but it still required further customisation. Whistl Parcels took the time to analyse how we processed orders and implemented a staged plan, including carrier phasing and bespoke development.”
Open, Flexible and Willing to Innovate
What stood out most was the collaborative approach taken by Whistl Parcels.
“To have an IT developer visit us, take the time to understand our complex requirements and scope out a clear plan was incredible. I was genuinely surprised by how open and willing Whistl Parcels was to take on the project.”
“Other delivery management providers we spoke to were either too rigid, unwilling to tailor their solution, too expensive, or simply unnecessary. Whistl Parcels struck the perfect balance.”
