SportOkay.com opens new logistics center with robot stock management system.
Austrian online sporting goods retailer creates the most state-of-the-art logistics center in the country with the support of Axis network cameras.
Mission
SportOkay.com, an Austrian online retailer of sportswear and equipment, completed construction of a state-of-the-art logistics center in 2018. The build met their needs for more technologically advanced premises to handle the company’s growth and expanding customer base. Two robot systems were integrated and work in harmony with high resolution IP camera systems to handle product capture, management and tracking for the entire logistics center and to ensure safety.
Solution
SportOkay.com had clearly defined selection criteria for the required cameras: The solution had to provide excellent, high-resolution image quality, a multi-level zoom function, and an integrated barcode scanner. It was also important to ensure an uninterrupted power supply via Power over Ethernet (PoE), i.e. the network cable. In the end, the company opted for approximately 70 AXIS P1448-LE Network Cameras for the new logistics center since they covered all of the required functions and even scored points when it came to IT security.
Result
SportOkay.com’s new logistics center opened in October 2018 and has since been providing greater efficiency, detailed goods tracking and faster shipping times thanks to the robot systems coupled with the Axis network cameras. Customers usually receive their ordered products the day after the order comes in.
Austrian company Sport Okay GmbH has been operating the SportOkay.com webshop since 2013 and in recent years has become one of the leading suppliers of sportswear, sports equipment, shoes and accessories. The online retailer currently offers more than 25,000 products from 300 top mountain sports, cycling and ski brands (especially in the alpine, freeride and touring categories), as well as running, fitness and climbing sports.
The 35 employees handle orders and shipments to about 200,000 registered customers with about 3 million visits/month. The webshop is currently available in three languages (German, English and Italian) and ships to 28 countries.
Investment in the latest technology helps improve business growth and customer loyalty
In the past ten years, online shopping in Austria alone has almost doubled*, making the online retail industry highly competitive, including in the field of sportswear and equipment. SportOkay.com therefore decided to make long-term customer loyalty a focus area, with customer satisfaction paramount. They achieved this by having a wide range of products, detailed product information, carefully selected services and fast shipping.
In 2013, SportOkay.com was the first webshop in the world to launch a unique hemispherical 3D display of products in online retail. With over 100 photos of each product, the customer gets a rotatable 360° view, leaving no detail hidden – from any device that can access the webshop. Customers also appreciate the numerous special offers and discount promotions, which is particularly clear from the rating of 4.9 out of 5 at TrustedShops.
In order to provide customers with the best possible service, the new SportOkay.com logistics center was created in Innsbruck, Austria in October 2018. Spanning 1600 m2 and a height of 16 m, the center has two different state-of-the-art robot systems to provide fully automated stock management.
“In order to fulfill customer desire for fast delivery, high-tech systems for optimal flow of goods were linked together,” says Konrad Plankensteiner, CEO of SportOkay.com.
To achieve this, SportOkay.com was looking for a longterm network camera solution that could support the robot systems in daily operations, for example to provide visual images of goods tracking. In addition to IT security, the following evaluation criteria were used:
> Excellent image quality
> Zoom function
> PoE (Power over Ethernet)
> Integrated barcode scanner
High-tech solutions for the most innovative webshop in Austria
The new logistics center is based on two different robot systems specially designed for stock management. This makes it possible to separate the products by size, with one area for products like clothing shoes and small sports equipment (like ski goggles and helmets) and another for large projects like skis, poles or bicycles.
The robot stock management systems are currently among the most modern in Austria. The products are stored in marked boxes and shelves in the logistics center. The robot then picks the products found in the order in question. This is a fully automated process and can therefore be done at night. In the morning, the packing staff then finds the boxes/shelves with the ordered products and can pack them for shipping.
Approximately 70 Axis network cameras positioned at various stations in the new logistics center ensure both trouble-free capture and tracking of the various products and overall safety and security. In addition to building surveillance and visualization of the flow of goods, AXIS P1448-LE Network Cameras also scan the barcode or EAN code of the individual products, packages or containers at the respective stations.
They document the entire process – from the robot’s automated selection of each product and manual packing at the station to shipment of the order. The videos are time-stamped, so they can be called up with just a few clicks. This results in automated, optimized and faster traceability of goods in the logistics center and minimizes potential sources of error.
The robot systems coupled with the Axis network cameras speed up the entire process for order processing, shipping and returns. Depending on their location, customers often receive their goods the next working day after the order is processed.
During camera and IT installation, we had various specialists at our side, which made everything go smoothly and eliminated the need for introductory training. We are particularly impressed with the excellent image quality of the Axis cameras, which enables us to zoom in very close to the products. This allows us to immediately detect and correct small errors in the flow of goods.
Conclusion
The new logistics center for SportOkay.com’s webshop in Innsbruck, Austria has been up and running since autumn 2018. The move to the new premises, the installation of new Axis technology, and the implementation of the associated IT infrastructure took about three weeks.
“During camera and IT installation, we had various specialists at our side, which made everything go smoothly and eliminated the need for introductory training. We are particularly impressed with the excellent image quality of the Axis cameras, which enables us to zoom in very close to the products. This allows us to immediately detect and correct small errors in the flow of goods,” said Konrad Plankensteiner.
SportOkay.com is a leading sports and outdoor online retailer in terms of quality, customer satisfaction and innovation. With its new logistics center, the company relies on professional solutions. The two robot systems coupled with the installed Axis camera system satisfy the special requirements of the retailer and ensure that the stock management system is both efficient and reliable. According to SportOkay.com, this gives them the most innovative high-tech logistics center in all of Austria.
Products & solutions
