Overview
As Operations Manager at Lifestyles Sports, Taylor Dimitrakakis oversaw all store builds and purchasing, and she knew their outdated platform wasn’t keeping up with the pace of business. After a quick demo at an industry tradeshow, Taylor and her team made the switch to Chipply the very next day. Since then, they’ve experienced faster, more streamlined processes that have transformed the way they work.
The Challenge
As a small business, Lifestyles Sports needed a more efficient way to manage their online stores. They were looking for more than just better software; they needed a true partner. One that not only offered a powerful web store platform, but also understood the unique challenges of their industry and could deliver real-world solutions to help them grow.
“We wanted a software solution that would allow us to grow in our own way, that would evolve with us.”
-Taylor Dimitrakakis, Operations Manager, Lifestyles Sports
The Solution
Chipply delivered greater efficiency for Taylor and her team, with faster store builds made possible by templates, store-copying capabilities, live inventory feeds, and automated purchasing. It also enhanced the experience for Lifestyles Sports’ customers by allowing them to showcase their own branding within stores and access real-time sales data.
Beyond the platform itself, Chipply also provided the support and tools needed to help Lifestyles Sports grow. Built by team dealers for team dealers, Chipply continues to innovate through its close connection with sister company Burghardt Sporting Goods – a business with over 140 years of experience that keeps Chipply in touch with the real-world needs of the industry.
“Most software companies just hand you the platform and say, ‘Use it however you want.’ But Chipply is constantly evolving based on real-world experience, thanks to the connection with Burghardt’s. They’re not just improving the platform for themselves, they’re sharing those solutions with everyone else and saying, ‘This works for us, give it a try.’ That kind of partnership is rare.”
The Results
Faster store builds and processing using templates, store-copying capabilities, live inventory feeds, and automated purchasing.
“Copying stores has been a game changer. A store that used to take me one to two hours to build now takes just 15 minutes. I can duplicate a store, swap the logos and colors, and be done, without having to start from scratch every time.”
Simplified onboarding for new sales reps, with tools like templates and store duplication making it easier for new team members to learn the system, what’s trending within the industry, and start selling quickly.
“We encourage our sales team, especially the newer ones, to utilize the templates because it’s a great starting point. They can see what products are most popular and widely used across the industry instead of feeling like they’re drowning with all the options that are out there.”
Ongoing improvements in store setup and customization, driven by Chipply’s consistently released new features.
“All of these unique features allow us to keep everything clean and streamlined, and allow things to keep moving forward as efficiently as possible.”
Improved customer experience, with streamlined communication through organizer logins and clean, professionally designed storefronts that make it easy for end-users to navigate, shop, and stay informed—while reducing the time Taylor’s team spends answering routine questions.
“Giving customers backend access has been huge. It creates full transparency and eliminates so many of the questions we used to get. Now we can just say, ‘Here’s your link and password – check it anytime!’”
The Future
Since switching to Chipply, Lifestyles Sports has grown its team to include additional sales representatives, customer service professionals, and a dedicated store builder. Through every stage of that growth, Taylor and her team have relied on Chipply’s industry expertise and responsive support to help them navigate challenges and scale efficiently.
“At the end of the day, Chipply is powering thousands of small businesses – businesses like ours that need to run as efficiently as possible – and enabling them to grow.”
With Chipply as a trusted partner, Lifestyles Sports is well-positioned to continue growing, evolving, and serving their customers – faster and more efficiently than ever before.