How Hello Molly cut warehouse labour by 20% with shipping automation
2026-03-05
Written by Kimberley Hughes
Key results:
Reduced dispatch headcount by 15-20% while maintaining consistent output.
Quickly scaled into the US by replicating existing fulfilment workflows and automations.
Automated multi-carrier routing across AU & US warehouses and removed manual rate comparison.
Integrating Starshipit with our WMS as well has helped us streamline and reduce the time it takes to fulfil orders. In the first year after implementation, we reduced our dispatch headcount by around 15 to 20%, while maintaining the same output level. That’s helped us lift throughput as we’ve grown, without dispatch labour having to grow at the same rate. - Mario Eisa, Supply Chain Director at Hello Molly
Table of contents
- Challenge: Manual fulfilment couldn’t scale with order volume
- Automating carrier routing and label creation
- The revenue impact: more output with a lower headcount
- Multi-carrier strategy without added complexity
- Replicating success in the US with SEKO
- Building customer confidence with choice at checkout
- Scaling peak season without panic
- Outcome: A fulfilment operation built for global growth
Intro
For Hello Molly, delivery is part of the product.
Founded in 2012, the Sydney-born fashion brand has grown into a high-volume, globally recognised online retailer, known for trend-led collections and fast-moving inventory. As demand accelerated across Australia and into the US, the UK and beyond, so did the complexity behind the scenes.
Hello Molly has built its reputation around life’s biggest moments, including formals, weddings, birthdays, graduations, and long-awaited nights out. Customers don’t come to Hello Molly for everyday basics. They shop with a date in mind.
And when there’s a specific date attached to a purchase, “arriving eventually” isn’t good enough.
“It can genuinely be the difference between an amazing night or a ruined one,” explains Ena Eaton, Hello Molly’s Operations Director. “A lot of customers come to us right before a big event still searching for the right outfit.”
As the business scaled rapidly and order volumes increased, that pressure only intensified. Customer expectations evolved, speed became non-negotiable, and delivery confidence became part of the brand promise.
To protect that promise at scale, the operation behind the scenes had to evolve just as quickly, without letting cost and complexity spiral.
Challenge: Manual fulfilment couldn’t scale with order volume
Before implementing Starshipit, Hello Molly’s dispatch processes were far more manual.
Invoices and shipping labels were printed separately. Orders were matched together by hand, literally paper-clipped before being picked and packed. If an order needed to be edited, held or adjusted, the process often required logging into individual carrier portals to generate labels or reconfigure details manually.
At smaller volumes, the system worked. It was manageable and it felt familiar. But as the brand grew, so did the friction.
As volumes increased, manual processes introduced friction. More orders required more labour. Manual carrier selection required more oversight. Each additional step increased the risk of human error.
“We used to print invoices and labels separately and paper-clip them together,” Ena recalls. “There was always room for human error.”
More importantly, growth was beginning to outpace process.
Each increase in order volume required a proportional increase in labour. And in an event-driven fashion business where demand can spike rapidly, that dependency created operational risk.
Peak periods exposed the cracks. Manual processes required more oversight, teams had to move faster without better systems, and complexity compounded.
Hello Molly needed a fulfilment system that could handle increasing complexity without increasing operational drag.
Automating carrier routing and label creation
By integrating Starshipit directly with their warehouse management system, PeopleVox, Hello Molly removed a significant layer of manual handling. Instead of generating labels in isolation or manually comparing carrier options, dispatch became embedded within their broader fulfilment ecosystem.
Orders flowed from the eCommerce platform into PeopleVox. From there, Starshipit automated label creation and carrier selection in the background.
At scale, the impact was immediate. Manual decision-making was removed from the dispatch floor. Carrier selection no longer relied on individual judgement. The system handled it.
“We needed something fast, consistent and easy for the team to manage every day,” says Mario Eisa, Supply Chain Director. “At scale, manual processes just don’t hold up.”
Automation changed dispatch from a variable cost centre to a scalable system.
Orders are now routed automatically based on destination and parcel weight. Where multiple carriers offer the same service level, for example, next-day delivery, the system selects the most cost-effective rate depending on where the parcel is going and how heavy it is. In some cases, logic has been introduced to cap the number of items assigned to certain carriers to optimise cost further.
Dispatch staff no longer need to compare rates or manually decide which service to use. The logic is already built in.
This not only reduced time, but also a lot of operational friction and variability.
The revenue impact: more output with a lower headcount
The most significant result was structural. In the first year after implementing Starshipit and embedding automation, Hello Molly reduced dispatch headcount by approximately 15–20% while maintaining the same output level.
That shift fundamentally changed how the operation scaled. This is where automation moved from operational improvement to commercial advantage.
Order volumes went up but staffing didn’t have to. Hello Molly increased throughput without increasing labour at the same rate. Fulfilment became smoother, more repeatable, and less dependent on manual processes.
For a high-volume, event-driven fashion brand, that matters. Dispatch efficiency directly impacts margin. Controlling labour costs while maintaining service levels creates room to reinvest elsewhere, like marketing, product, and global expansion.
By automating carrier selection, label creation and routing logic, Hello Molly achieved:
- Faster dispatch processing
- Reduced manual touchpoints
- Lower dependency on individual decision-making
- More predictable labour planning
- Stronger cost control during growth phases
It wasn’t about reducing output, it was about eliminating inefficiency. And in an industry where margins can be tight and customer expectations unforgiving, that distinction matters.
Multi-carrier strategy without added complexity
As Hello Molly grew, so did the sophistication of their delivery offering. Customers expect choice at checkout, and can now choose from same-day, next-day or standard shipping options depending on urgency. But offering those services is only competitive if they’re operationally sustainable.
Behind the checkout page, multiple carriers power those delivery tiers. Automation ensures that complexity doesn’t spill onto the warehouse floor.
When a customer selects a service, the system determines which carrier should handle the order. If two carriers provide similar timeframes, the most cost-effective option is selected automatically.
Internally, this means dispatch teams don’t need to pause and evaluate options for every shipment. Externally, customers experience choice without delay. The result is control without operational overhead.
Replicating success in the US with SEKO
Expanding into the United States introduced a new layer of complexity.
However, rather than building an entirely new fulfilment stack, Hello Molly chose a different path. They replicated what was already working in Australia.
By extending Starshipit into their US warehouse and partnering with SEKO for outbound shipping, they established operational consistency across regions. The same automation logic applied. The same integration principles held.
“We didn’t want to rebuild everything from scratch,” Mario explains. “We wanted to replicate a proven setup.”
SEKO’s services supported competitive outbound rates in the US market, helping control shipping costs while maintaining delivery speed. The partnership also began with cross-border returns, allowing Hello Molly to offer affordable international returns while streamlining internal handling processes.
Instead of introducing new operational complexity, US expansion became an extension of a proven model.
Building customer confidence with choice at checkout
For Hello Molly, reliability means brand protection. Many customers shop days before an event. Some shop hours before a shipping cutoff. The margin for error is small.
Offering same-day and next-day delivery gives customers confidence. Automation ensures those promises are fulfilled consistently.
Because Starshipit integrates directly with their systems, shipping updates are triggered automatically, reducing inbound “Where’s my order?” queries and improving transparency. Customers stay informed without the operations team needing to manually intervene.
From the outside, it feels seamless, but behind the scenes, it’s carefully engineered.
Scaling peak season without panic
Peak periods test operational resilience, and manual dispatch processes often strain under volume spikes. Automated systems absorb them.
With dispatch automation embedded into their workflow, Hello Molly can increase volume without adding complexity at the same rate. Processes remain repeatable. Carrier selection remains consistent. Labour scaling becomes more strategic rather than reactive. That stability protects both cost structure and customer experience.
Outcome: A fulfilment operaton built for global growth
Hello Molly delivers moments tied to real dates, real events and real expectations. By integrating Starshipit with PeopleVox, embedding automation rules into dispatch and extending a proven model into the US with SEKO, Hello Molly has built a fulfilment infrastructure designed for growth.
Dispatch headcount reduced by 15–20% in year one. Throughput increased, carrier logic became automated and US expansion didn’t require starting from zero.
What customers see is a dress arriving on time – what sits behind that moment is a fulfilment operation built for scale. Efficient, consistent and commercially sustainable.
If you’re looking to reduce fulfilment complexity, control dispatch labour, and scale without rebuilding your workflows, Starshipit can help you do the same.
Book a demo with one of our shipping experts to walk through your current workflow - we’ll help you identify practical ways to simplify and improve it.
Or, if you’d prefer to explore it yourself, start a 30-day free trial and get set up at your own pace.
Kimberley Hughes
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