Ridam Online’s evolution: from traditional trade to digital ambitions

Founded in 1970, Ridam began by trading private-label goods. Over time, they created subsidiaries like Ridam Notions, which provided travel essentials to top retailers like Kruidvat, HEMA, and Albert Heijn. Embracing the digital age, Ridam ventured into ecommerce by introducing Ridam Online and Reisartikelen.nl, a platform selling not just their items but also products from other brands.

Their online offerings grew with collaborations with Bol.com and other marketplaces across the Benelux and Europe. Today, besides marketplaces, Ridam operates through three different Shopify webshops, highlighting their shift from traditional trading to diverse online selling.

The obstacles to ecommerce expansion

As Ridam Online moved into online retail, they faced numerous challenges. The transition wasn’t just about online sales but aligning their traditional business with the dynamic digital world.

As their online product range grew, managing inventory and orders across different categories became complex. The traditional method of managing product data with their ERP system lacked the flexibility to support their multi-channel goals, making it hard to synchronize inventory and product data across platforms.

As Ridam aimed to provide a good shopping experience for each channel, ensuring precise product details and delivery became essential. These challenges risked affecting the efficiency of online sales, emphasizing the need for Ridam to renovate its digital approach and infrastructure.

“Managing multiple marketplaces requires ensuring that product data, inventory levels, and pricing information are accurately synchronized across all platforms. This can be challenging as each marketplace may have different requirements and formats for product listings and updates.” (Jenny Vrins, E-commerce Project Manager, Ridam Online)

Digital transformation: how Ridam reshaped its backend

In pursuit of a more efficient digital approach, Ridam collaborated with KatanaPIM (a Product Information Management system for managing product data) and ChannelEngine, reshaping their online operations. KatanaPIM, with its user-friendly interface, made product information management simpler. ChannelEngine became crucial for seamlessly synchronizing orders, inventory, and product data across channels.

“We enrich our offerings in KatanaPIM and choose the right specification group for each channel, with ChannelEngine mapping it out. The structure we have now is way more efficient.” (Jenny Vrins, E-commerce Project Manager, Ridam Online)

With the warehouse partner, Montapacking, which integrates with their ERP, Exact Globe, logistic information is directly fed into ChannelEngine. By integrating perfectly all their systems, Ridam now efficiently streamlines product data and inventory across three Shopify environments and various marketplaces.

“Synchronization, in particular, has made inventory, orders, and product information management across multiple channels easier. The structured system reduces the time and resources needed.” (Jenny Vrins, E-commerce Project Manager, Ridam Online)

This integration made processes smoother and is saving significant time, enabling quicker and easier management. As a result, Ridam offers a consistent, enhanced customer experience across all sales channels, solidifying their online retail presence.

“Integration between ChannelEngine and KatanaPIM ensures that Ridam Online’s product data is centralized and up-to-date across all online marketplaces. This helps in maintaining consistent and accurate product information, improving the customer experience, and speeding up product launches.” (Jenny Vrins, E-commerce Project Manager, Ridam Online)

Ridam’s forward-looking strategy

With the support of KatanaPIM and ChannelEngine, Ridam is ready for a bright digital future. Their flexible system is structured for both current needs and future growth. Looking to expand further in Europe, Ridam plans to increase its presence, including selling on platforms like Amazon.

Thanks to the improved backend systems, Ridam can quickly adjust to market changes, keeping them aligned with customer needs. This robust digital infrastructure boosts confidence to push the company towards consistent growth and industry leadership.

“It’s great that Ridam Online can benefit from the opportunities provided by Katana and ChannelEngine. These software solutions allow businesses to optimize their online operations and enter new marketplaces.” (Jenny Vrins, E-commerce Project Manager, Ridam Online)

www.ridam.com