Secret Sales unveils fulfilment service for brands needing UK distribution centre

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
May 24, 2022

Secret Sales has launched a fulfilment service to support brands requiring a UK distribution centre. It’s called Fulfilment by Secret Sales (FBSS) and it aims to solve logistics challenges for those wanting to partner with the fashion marketplace “but geographical location or technical infrastructure prevent them from fulfilling orders directly to consumers in the UK”.

Claiming a “fully-managed logistical solution”, FBSS allows brands and retailers to ship goods in bulk to Secret Sales’ UK warehouse. It handles picking, packing and direct-to-consumer shipping via 24- or 48-hour tracked services, as well as returns.
 
The system also opens up a direct-to-consumer opportunity for brands currently selling wholesale-only in the UK.

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Brands pay a “small” management fee per month, alongside a per-parcel pick, pack and ship rate. It says the management fee is “heavily subsidised, compared to typical industry costs, and rates are similar to those which brands would experience if they were fulfilling orders themselves”.  
 
Chris Griffin, CEO of Secret Sales, said: “Our premium e-commerce marketplace model, with digitally connected inventory and brand to consumer shipping is by far the most efficient, sustainable and profitable way for brands and retailers to trade non full price inventory.
 
“However, we understand the challenges faced by a number of brands unable to fulfil the last piece of the puzzle if their stock is based in continental Europe or Brexit regulations are making selling directly to UK consumers prohibitively expensive. We are simply adding a convenient option that looks after the final step, helping those brands to fulfil orders on the Secret Sales platform.”
 
Secret Sales also said it wants to gradually roll out a fulfilment service in each country it trades in, to solve similar challenges. Headquartered in the UK, the marketplace has operations in the Netherlands and Belgium, and plans to launch in 12 more European countries over the next two years.