Automating eCommerce Operations: A Case Study of Spivo

Spivo is an eCommerce business that offers innovative photography equipment for adventure enthusiasts. The company was founded by Andre Bellerive and Marc, who were inspired to create a product that could capture any angle in an instant after missing a shot while skiing in Canada. Their flagship product, the Spivo stick, allows users to swivel the attached GoPro camera or phone to different directions at the press of a button. The company has since expanded its product range to include lenses and cases for phones, as well as mounts for GoPros and phones. Spivo's mission is to encourage more people to embark on adventures, as evidenced by their vibrant online community.

Spivo, an eCommerce business specializing in adventure photography equipment, faced a significant challenge with their email management system. They used Shopify as their store platform, which allowed the addition of plugins for various functionalities. However, one of these plugins caused a major issue, resulting in thousands of emails being improperly categorized. Consequently, numerous email funnels, crucial for their marketing and customer engagement, were never sent. This incident highlighted the need for a more efficient and reliable way to manage emails and orders, prompting Spivo to seek a solution that could automate their work and increase reliability.

Spivo turned to Zapier, an app automator, to streamline their email and order management processes. Zapier allowed Spivo to connect the tools they used, ensuring seamless data transfer from one point to another without the need for manual updates. With Privy collecting emails from Spivo's site visitors, a Zap (an automated workflow in Zapier) was built to send these emails to Rare.io, where the Spivo team managed their marketing emails. This Zap handled the bulk of Spivo's automation, providing a sense of security and reliability. Additionally, Spivo used Zapier to track referral codes used on orders. A Zap triggered from new orders in Shopify with a referral code, and then Zapier sent a message in Slack with order details, enabling Spivo to monitor customer referrals effectively.

• The implementation of Zapier's automation tools has significantly improved Spivo's operational efficiency and reliability. The automation of email management has eliminated the risk of emails being improperly categorized, ensuring that all marketing and customer engagement funnels are executed as planned. The automated tracking of referral codes has also provided Spivo with valuable insights into their customer referral patterns, enabling them to optimize their referral programs. Moreover, the increased reliability of their eCommerce store operations has reduced the risk of outages and bugs, ensuring a smooth shopping experience for their customers. Overall, the automation has allowed Spivo to focus more on their core business of creating innovative adventure photography equipment.

• Automated management of thousands of emails, ensuring they are properly categorized and sent.

• Efficient tracking of referral codes used on orders, providing valuable insights into customer referrals.

• Increased reliability in the operation of their eCommerce store, reducing the risk of outages and bugs.