How Simon Pearce Streamlined Retail and Wholesale with Shopify

Simon Pearce Unites Retail, Ecommerce, and Wholesale on Shopify

Simon Pearce started as a small glass shop in Ireland in 1971 and built a reputation for handblown glassware and pottery. After moving to Vermont, founder Simon Pearce transformed an old mill into a living workshop, restaurant, and store. Over five decades the brand expanded to 13 flagship locations, 400 wholesale partners, and a growing online storefront. Maintaining a seamless experience across physical and digital channels called for a robust technology foundation, but legacy systems created friction. The team faced frequent point-of-sale outages, delayed inventory updates, and manual engraving workflows that slowed operations and frustrated customers. It was clear something had to change.

The Challenge of Fragmented Systems

Outdated tools and multiple platforms forced staff to check stock once a day, rely on paper forms for custom engraving, and jump between separate ecommerce, POS, and B2B systems. Especially during the holiday rush, interruptions in the checkout process cost sales and stress. Store associates couldnt see live inventory, which made it hard to confirm availability for in-store pickup or wholesale orders. Approval for custom engraving required email threads and paper sketches that took days to resolve. This process undermined Simon Pearce’s high-touch approach and threatened growth plans for new locations and expanded partnerships.

A Unified Shopify Solution

After evaluating their options, Simon Pearce moved to Shopify’s unified commerce platform, consolidating ecommerce, POS, and B2B operations under one roof. Shopify POS replaced the legacy system, delivering reliable cloud-based checkouts during peak periods. The team collaborated with Riess Group to build a custom engraving app using App Bridge, letting customers preview text and designs instantly at checkout and generate same-day work orders. A bespoke gift messaging UI extension streamlined gift notes and packaging choices in a single flow. Unified product management meant one update populates the web, POS, and wholesale portal, and inventory reflects across all locations in real time.

Results and Impact

Since launch, Simon Pearce reports zero POS outages during critical selling windows and faster service on busy weekends. Inventory accuracy jumped as staff view stock across 13 stores and warehouses in real time. Custom engraving approvals moved from a multi-day email chain to an immediate digital preview at point of sale, cutting lead time to hours. Retail associates gained confidence handling gifts and special orders, while management freed time to focus on strategy rather than manual reconciliation. The improved technology stack supported a smoother holiday season, higher customer satisfaction, and a clear path for future growth without the bottlenecks of the past.

Team Adoption and Training

Adopting the new platform proved smoother than expected. Store teams learned the intuitive POS interface within days, and ecommerce staff appreciated the centralized admin for product updates. The custom engraving module earned praise for clarity and speed, reducing miscommunication on personalized orders. Cross-functional teams used the unified dashboard to monitor daily sales and inventory, breaking down old departmental silos. With onboarding time cut by half, managers could roll out new product launches and promotions faster, ensuring the Simon Pearce brand remained agile even as operational complexity increased.

Future Outlook

Looking ahead, Simon Pearce plans to scale into new markets, leverage more Shopify APIs for personalization, and expand B2B self-service to wholesale accounts. The unified platform serves as a stable backbone, ready to support seasonal spikes and promotional campaigns. With real-time data and custom integrations in place, the brand can explore pop-up events, limited-run collaborations, and enhanced digital experiences. The focus now shifts from patching tools to refining service, engaging customers, and upholding the brand’s reputation for handcrafted excellence.