How Wreaths Across America Scaled Sponsorships by 63% with BigCommerce

Introduction

Wreaths Across America (WAA) has grown from a small volunteer-driven program into a national nonprofit powerhouse, honoring U.S. veterans with wreath-laying ceremonies at over 4,000 locations each December. Facing an increasingly complex logistics network and a custom back-end that strained volunteers and staff alike, WAA turned to BigCommerce in 2017. Their goal: streamline order management, empower coordinators, and improve the online sponsorship experience.

The Challenge: Complexity Meets Seasonality

Each wreath sponsorship requires specific “in honor of” or “in memory of” dedications, must arrive at the right cemetery, and must tie back to sponsorship groups and volunteers across the country. On top of that, WAA’s Location Coordinators—many of whom are unpaid volunteers—need an easy way to update pages, track deliveries, and fulfill orders during the critical wreath-laying season. Prior to BigCommerce, the nonprofit wrestled with a cumbersome custom system that made order review tedious and reporting nearly impossible.

Solution: Ease of Use and Custom Checkout

BigCommerce’s intuitive dashboard quickly became a “savior” for the team. New volunteers and seasonal hires could log in and immediately review every detail—sponsor names, dedication text, shipment addresses—without needing to learn a dated, legacy application. In parallel, the organization invested in a brand-new front-end built on BigCommerce’s Catalyst framework. This modern storefront included a custom checkout flow that allowed users to edit cart items, review dedications in real time, and complete transactions quickly.

Expert Partnership and Support

Beyond the platform itself, WAA credits its rapid growth to the dedicated team at BigCommerce. A named Customer Success Manager and Technical Account Manager responded swiftly to issues, advised on best practices, and helped architect new integrations. Monthly strategy calls ensured the nonprofit stayed ahead of peak demand and utilized advanced features like ShipStation, Chargebee, InStockNotify, and HubSpot.

Results

Since migrating to BigCommerce, Wreaths Across America has realized:

• 63% increase in revenue year-over-year
• 28% jump in total orders handled
• 27.5% rise in average order value

Perhaps most importantly, the platform saved countless hours during the busiest season. Volunteers could process and verify thousands of orders without wading through a “dinosaur” of an old system, freeing staff to focus on expanding outreach and sponsorship opportunities.

Looking Ahead

With a proven foundation in place, Wreaths Across America is poised for continued expansion. All digital marketing channels—including email, social media, and direct links—will funnel supporters into the streamlined online store, ensuring each wreath sponsorship directly supports the mission of remembering veterans and teaching future generations the value of freedom.