How Inhaven Streamlined B2B Homeware with BigCommerce in Weeks

Introduction

Vacation rental hosts often face a complex journey sourcing durable, hospitality-grade homeware. Inhaven’s founder, Ashley Ching, witnessed firsthand how fragmented the B2B purchasing process could be. Hosts would spend hours rummaging through generic marketplaces, hoping to find quality items that stand up to guest wear and tear. Recognizing this gap, Ashley envisioned a streamlined destination: a B2B storefront offering expert-curated checklists, transparent inventory status, and simplified restocking workflows.

The Challenge

Inhaven needed an e-commerce engine robust enough for B2B demands: company-level accounts, tiered volume pricing, and extensible APIs. Shopify Plus lacked depth in B2B features, while Magento promised flexibility at the cost of lengthy, costly development. Time was of the essence; Ashley needed a platform that could deliver advanced capabilities without stretching the launch timeline to months.

Why BigCommerce?

• API-first architecture that enables rapid third-party integration.
• Built-in B2B suite: company accounts, granular user permissions and tiered pricing.
• Extensive marketplace of apps and plugins for seamless add-ons.

Implementation & Integrations

Partnering with Cronix, Inhaven configured company-level customer portals, enabling multiple stakeholders to manage orders, budgets and product standards. Flxpoint provided real-time inventory sync for reliable stock visibility. Searchspring enhanced search precision, guiding hosts to the exact pieces they need. Zoho CRM centralized customer and vendor data in one dashboard.

Innovative Shopping Experience

To simplify ordering, Inhaven introduced curated checklists for each room type. Hosts could add entire bundles or individual line items, knowing each product met hospitality standards. The PWA restocking tool allowed housekeepers to snap photos of damaged items, attach notes, and submit purchase requests in a few taps. Approval and one-click checkout happened instantly, preserving brand consistency and reducing errors.

Results

By choosing BigCommerce, Inhaven launched in mere weeks—more than 50% faster than alternative platforms. The custom portal and checklist features boosted operational efficiency and improved user satisfaction. Following launch, Inhaven achieved double-digit revenue growth quarter over quarter, validating the approach.

Looking Ahead

Inhaven plans to continue advancing its platform with AI-powered recommendations and smarter, predictive restocking. With BigCommerce’s ongoing investments in machine learning and headless capabilities, Ashley is poised to refine the e-commerce journey even further.