‘Thanks to Droppery, it is possible to deliver on our online promises’

The Belgian furniture company Medal NV, known for its brands Medalounger, Modulax, and Up2date, is fully committed to serving their customers and consumers quickly and efficiently. Hans Vandendriessche, CEO of Medal, emphasizes the importance of this fast service, especially in urgent situations. “You need to be able to assist someone immediately, for instance, if they’re coming out of the hospital and need a recliner, or if someone is searching for dining chairs, you need to be visible. Often in such situations, people look and buy online. If you want to sell something but it’s not in stock, then you have a problem.”

Hans Vandendriessche, Director at Medal.

Fulfilling online promises To meet customer demand, Medal has entered into an innovative partnership with Droppery, a company active in the furniture industry, connecting brands and retailers. Hans came into contact with the owners of the software company over a year ago. “Thanks to Droppery, we are able to fulfill our online promises. As soon as a consumer clicks on a model online, the product is immediately reserved.”

Seamless integration The collaboration with Droppery includes seamless integration of product synchronization, real-time inventory management, and automated order processing. Hans explains that this approach does not involve traditional dropshipping. There are several ways an order can reach the end customer, depending on the retailer’s preference.

The first option is for Medal to deliver the goods directly to the retailer. This ensures that the products reach the end customer in the right way, with the service of the furniture retailer, invoiced and delivered by the owner of the webshop.

Additionally, Medal has set up an option through Droppery where orders can be picked up at Medal’s warehouse. Preferably, it is possible to deliver directly to the consumer. These arrangements are reviewed per retailer by Medal. Finally, Droppery offers a logistical solution, taking care of the logistics process for both the supplier and the retailer. Droppery ensures that the order is picked up at Medal and delivered to the end customer. This option can be useful for shortening lead times and easing the workload for both Medal and the retailer.

Sustainability Shipping directly to the consumer offers several advantages by skipping steps in the supply chain and logistics. Firstly, it minimizes the need for inventory storage, reducing warehouse space and management costs. Additionally, the solution eliminates direct shipping to the store, skipping a step in the supply chain to reduce CO2 emissions.

Step forward For Hans, this is a step forward, especially since traditional ERPs and platforms are often not compatible. He sees Droppery as an essential link to efficiently connect suppliers, brands, and retailers. “Droppery connects ERP systems to the webshops of furniture stores,” Hans explains.

This integration makes the existing B2B catalog available online for furniture retailers, including stock availability, with the supplier’s approval. The retailer receives a login and has immediate access to available stock, including technical specifications and photos. The benefits go beyond inventory management. “Droppery saves significant time by using one back office for price lists, customer groups, and order processing,” Hans says.

Marco Mulder, Co-founder of Droppery.

‘Quality retailers’ Every wholesaler on the Droppery platform has its own reasons for joining. On the one hand, they want to offer an automation process for existing customers. On the other hand, Droppery helps businesses find new sales locations, both in the Netherlands and abroad. Marco Mulder, co-founder of Droppery, emphasizes the trust that suppliers have in the platform. “Quality retailers with a good track record are admitted, allowing suppliers to maintain control over their brand.”

Medal NV, in collaboration with Droppery, aims not only for fast service but also for innovative solutions for the furniture industry. By combining inventory, technology, and collaboration, they create a model that not only serves the end customer but also improves the efficiency of the entire chain.