Iconic UK design brand Paul Smith has integrated Centra’s ecommerce platform to strengthen its global brand presence and improve online direct-to-consumer (DTC), digital wholesale, and physical retail customer experience.

Specifically, Centra’s technology aims to revamp Paul Smith’s digital business, featuring a range on DTC capabilities such as including a digitising wholesale on the Centra Showroom.

The new system allows Paul Smith’s wholesale partners to access Centra’s inbuilt digital wholesale showroom, which simplifies the buying process through a like-for-like DTC consumer shopping experience.It includes a range of capabilities such as individual pricing, global tax calculations and shipping management.  

Centra’s technology also features an order management system (OMS) platform which integrates third-party logistics offering a range of new capabilities, including loyalty and VIP programmes for customers as well as new languages and currencies that aim to improve the overall customer experience while strengthening operational efficiency.

“When considering Centra, its OMS which integrates third-party logistics and supply chain was the immediate win, but the total package – from operationally being able to consolidate how we could manage wholesale much quicker than we could ever do before and all from one site and centralised system – sealed the win,” said Hannah Bennett, head of digital at Paul Smith.

The brand, which currently counts more than 130 stores globally in more than 60 countries had transformed its digital flagship in 2022, with ecommerce specialist Limesharp designing a headless front-end platform. The retailer said that, however, the customer experience ‘fell flat’ due to a range of issues such as slow checkouts that led to several challenges streamlining and scaling the business.

The retailer added that Centra’s integration managed to improve site speed and reliability to allow the business to focus on maximiszing sales periods without the risks of site crashes.

Martin Jensen, chief executive of Centra, commented: “Paul Smith is Britain’s leading independent design company with more than 50 years of design expertise.  By partnering with Centra, Paul Smith now has a scalable and future-proof omnichannel retail operation that frees the brand team to focus on inspiring customers with its trademark maverick and colourful approach to design.”

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