Start Fitness cuts failed deliveries by 30% with HubBox
See how one of the UK’s largest specialist sports retailers cut missed deliveries and shipping costs after rolling out HubBox, with 15% of orders now going to pickup.
See how one of the UK’s largest specialist sports retailers cut missed deliveries and shipping costs after rolling out HubBox, with 15% of orders now going to pickup.
Start Fitness has spent over three decades building a reputation among UK runners and athletes for expert advice and a wide range of specialist stock that has seen revenue reach £40 million. As the business grew online, rising delivery failures and parcel theft started chipping away at margins and pushing the team to look for a smarter way to get orders to customers.
With HubBox, pickup at checkout became the answer.
0%
Reduction
in failed deliveries
0%
Saving
on total shipping bill
0%
Orders to
pickup points
About Start Fitness
Start Fitness was founded in Newcastle in 1991 by two runners who started out sourcing specialist running shoes through their own athletics club. In the 35 years since, the business has grown into one of the UK's largest specialist sports retailers and stocks everything from running shoes and bikes to gym gear and sportswear from a 30,000 square foot megastore alongside its online operation.
The business has kept close ties to the running community it grew out of, sponsoring events across the North East including the Blaydon Race. That connection to serious athletes and everyday runners alike has shaped a customer base that expects both expert knowledge and dependable service.
Challenges
Rising costs were putting pressure on the business from several directions at once. Delivery failures were eating into margins, while rising parcel theft only added to the pressure. On top of that, customers wanted more flexibility around how their orders arrived.
We were facing increasing costs of doing business from delivery failures, parcel theft and customer expectations that kept changing. We needed something that worked from day one.
Michael Taggart, Head of Operations at Start Fitness
Redirecting parcels mid-transit to a pickup point often caused delays and led to items being recalled altogether, which only added friction for customers and extra work for the support team.
Start Fitness needed a way to offer a better pickup experience, with the option built seamlessly into its checkout instead of being an afterthought.
Michael Taggart, Head of Operations at Start Fitness, says: "We were facing increasing costs of doing business from delivery failures, parcel theft and customer expectations that kept changing. We needed something that worked from day one."
Solutions
Start Fitness chose HubBox for being easy to set up without being a pull on internal resources. Micheal described the appeal, saying "It’s easy to get off the ground without requiring lots of internal resources.”
The integration ran through HubBox's checkout software, giving customers a branded map of nearby pickup points at the point of purchase. For a retailer selling bikes alongside trainers and gym kit, the pickup network needed to handle a wide range of parcel sizes without adding friction to the buying journey.
Onboarding moved faster than Start Fitness expected. "Go live came around quicker than we could do our part," Michael says. The HubBox team handled setup end-to-end, leaving little for his side to manage.
Support didn't stop once the integration went live, as HubBox kept working with Start Fitness on configuration. HubBox stayed involved on map display and how pickup options surfaced against other delivery choices well past the go-live date.
Results
Since integrating HubBox, failed deliveries at Start Fitness have reduced by 30%, and the business has saved 5% on its total shipping bill. Pickup now accounts for 15% of all orders.
Customer service enquiries have fallen too, replacing the delays and parcel recalls that used to come with switching deliveries to pickup points mid-transit. Shoppers have been quick to notice the difference, with pickup fitting around busy schedules.
One customer wrote in to say: "My Asics shoes and your free socks arrived quickly to my pickup point."
Michael says: "Customers love having the convenience of picking up parcels around their busy lifestyles."
Why HubBox?
The HubBox team has been very helpful. The resources help maximise conversion to pickup, and the team are great at sharing best practice for our use case.
Michael Taggart, Head of Operations at Start Fitness
Beyond the setup and the numbers, Michael adds: "The HubBox team has been very helpful. The resources help maximise conversion to pickup, and the team are great at sharing best practice for our use case."
Resources shared by HubBox have helped push conversion to pickup even higher, with the team offering best-practice guidance specific to Start Fitness's use case.
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