Meet the Partner: Brightpearl

This month, we’re speaking to Ollie Slade, Partnerships Manager at Brightpearl – a Retail Operations Management Platform focused on controlling and automating the back office for multi-channel retailers.

Who are Brightpearl?

Brightpearl is a Retail Operating Platform for retailers, wholesalers and brands.

Built purely for the retail sector, Brightpearl gives multi-channel merchants the freedom and flexibility to grow fearlessly. By automating processes that happen after the buy button, Brightpearl enables retailers to meet demand and fulfil orders efficiently and at scale.

To give an idea of scale, Brightpearl handles more than three million orders every month and over $5bn of trade annually. During the last Cyber Monday alone, the platform processed 250,000 orders with zero issues or glitches.

How did Brightpearl begin?

Brightpearl grew out of its co-founders’ previous business, Lush Longboards. Founders Chris Tanner and Andrew Mulvenna needed better operational software to manage inventory and fulfil orders. When Chris developed software to run Lush’s sales and operations – including its eCommerce website – they brought it to market as Pearl Software, which later evolved into Brightpearl.

Who’s behind the Brightpearl team?

Brightpearl is a transatlantic business, with its UK headquarters in Bristol and a US headquarters in Austin, Texas.

The team brings together expertise from across eCommerce, ERP and SaaS, working collaboratively across borders. Culture is a core focus for Brightpearl, with a strong emphasis on teamwork, shared values and customer success.

Who are Brightpearl’s customers?

Brightpearl works with retailers selling finished goods, particularly those operating across multiple sales channels – including websites, marketplaces, physical stores and B2B.

The platform excels at managing inventory across complex, multi-channel environments. Brightpearl customers commonly operate in sectors such as fashion, homeware, furniture, luxury goods and sporting goods.

Brands using Brightpearl include Oliver Sweeney, Stance, YETI, Fairfax & Favor and Goodhood.

“Being able to automatically create drop-ship POs has led to massive product expansion. Combined with automated inventory listing of every new item, our range has increased from 4,000 to 11,000 items with no staff member required to manage it.”

“With Brightpearl, shipping and delivery is chosen automatically for each order without any manual intervention. At 400 orders a day, that time saving is huge.”

James Ewens, Head of E‑Commerce, FurnitureBox

“It’s made our business so much easier to manage, and transparency is greater than ever.”

“Now, we have one central source of truth that pulls everything together – anyone can see any order from any channel.”

Mark Tweed, Brand Director, CyberJammies

What challenges do Brightpearl’s customers face?

Operational issues remain one of the biggest causes of poor customer experiences. In fact, 77% of 1–3 star retailer reviews are linked to fulfilment and back-office problems, rather than the product itself.

Common challenges include:

• Late, missed or incorrect deliveries

• Inefficient returns processes

• Poor customer communication

• Manual, time-consuming workflows

As retailers invest heavily in front-end experiences, the processes beyond the buy button are often overlooked. This creates friction, slows growth and impacts customer loyalty.

Brightpearl helps retailers regain control by replacing manual processes with automation, transforming the back office into a driver of operational excellence.

Who are Brightpearl’s ideal customers?

There has never been a better time to launch or scale an eCommerce business. Brightpearl supports:

• Fast-growing retailers needing operational control

• Established brands building scalable, best‑of‑breed tech stacks

• Businesses looking to leverage APIs for flexibility and growth

How does Brightpearl work?

Brightpearl uses a sophisticated automation engine that allows merchants to configure rules based on their fulfilment needs.

Through near real-time integrations, Brightpearl ensures:

• Accurate inventory levels across all sales channels

• Orders are fulfilled from the right locations

• Stock purchasing is forecasted accurately

Alongside its open API, Brightpearl offers functionality across:

• Order management and processing

• Inventory and warehouse management

• Accounting and analytics

• Customer management

This allows retailers to scale with confidence.

What makes Brightpearl different?

Brightpearl is 100% retail-focused. Every feature is designed specifically for eCommerce and retail businesses.

Compared to traditional ERP systems, Brightpearl:

• Implements nearly three times faster

• Requires minimal development support

• Offers clear, upfront pricing that scales with the business

Who does Brightpearl partner with?

Partnerships are central to Brightpearl’s approach. The platform works closely with:

• eCommerce platforms such as Shopify Plus and BigCommerce

• Technology partners across the retail ecosystem

• Specialist agencies supporting merchants day to day

These partnerships ensure Brightpearl stays aligned with the evolving needs of retailers.

Tips for preparing for peak trading

Plan for increased returns

Return rates can reach 30% during peak periods like BFCM. A clear, efficient returns process is essential, especially as 67% of consumers check return policies before purchasing.

Offering longer return windows, flexible shipping options and free returns can significantly improve conversion and customer satisfaction.

Plan inventory early

Real-time inventory visibility is critical during peak trading. Without it, retailers risk overselling, refunds and negative reviews.

Demand planning tools and automation help merchants forecast accurately, avoid stock issues and save an average of 20% in operational time.

Why partner with Whistl Parcels?

Brightpearl partners with Whistl Parcels because of a shared commitment to improving delivery success and customer experience.

Whistl Parcels helps merchants proactively manage deliveries, reduce errors and ensure parcels arrive where and when customers expect them to.

What stands out about Whistl Parcels?

First and foremost, it’s the people. The Whistl Parcels team puts merchants and their end customers at the heart of everything they do.

Their innovative technology and proactive approach help keep parcels moving efficiently while reducing misdeliveries. Joint research projects, such as delivery expectation studies, reflect a shared drive to continuously improve.

Why is a multi-carrier approach essential?

A multi-carrier strategy is vital for retailers selling items of different sizes, values and delivery requirements.

Without it, merchants risk higher costs, limited delivery options and failed deliveries – all of which directly impact customer satisfaction.

How important is proactive customer service?

Extremely. eCommerce is fiercely competitive, and poor delivery experiences can be costly. Research shows that 89% of consumers won’t return after a bad experience.

Proactive communication and transparency can significantly influence how customers perceive a brand and whether they choose to shop again.

Looking ahead with Whistl Parcels

Brightpearl and Whistl Parcels are committed to strengthening their partnership, supporting more merchants and building on joint insights such as the Expectation Gap research.

Together, they’re helping retailers thrive in an increasingly dynamic eCommerce environment.

What’s next for Brightpearl?

Over the next three to five years, Brightpearl will continue enhancing its product and services, helping merchants deliver outstanding customer experiences through secure, scalable and automated operations.