In today’s fast-paced ecommerce landscape, businesses are under constant pressure to grow faster, operate more efficiently, and deliver exceptional customer experiences. However, if your current commerce processes rely on manual tasks or disconnected systems, they could be holding your business back. These inefficiencies not only slow down operations but also increase costs, limit scalability and make it harder to stay competitive in an ever-evolving market.
Adopting a solution like Linnworks can be a game-changer, helping you streamline operations, automate processes, and gain better control over your business. But implementing new technology often comes with its own set of challenges—especially when it requires persuading a wider team, securing budget approval and aligning with company goals.
That’s where a well-structured business case comes in. A compelling business case not only highlights the fully integrated ecommerce platforms benefits but also addresses the concerns of key stakeholders, demonstrates measurable ROI and connects the solution to broader business objectives.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of creating a business case for a solution like Linnworks. From identifying stakeholder priorities to presenting data-driven benefits and aligning with company goals, we’ll show you how to build a case that resonates with decision-makers and sets your business up for success.
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Section 1: Why building a business case is crucial
If your current ecommerce tech stack relies on manual tasks or disconnected systems, it could be holding your business back. It’s not just about choosing the right technology—it’s about ensuring that the entire organization is aligned and ready to embrace the change. This is where a well-crafted business case becomes essential.
A business case serves as your roadmap for gaining buy-in from key stakeholders, securing the necessary budget and demonstrating the value of the investment. Without it, even the most innovative solutions can face resistance, whether due to concerns about costs, disruption to current processes or uncertainty about the return on investment.
Here’s why building a business case is so important:
1. Aligning stakeholders
Every organization has multiple stakeholders, each with their own priorities and concerns. For example:
- Operations teams may focus on efficiency and scalability.
- Ecommerce teams are likely concerned with marketplace expansion and customer experience.
- Warehouse teams prioritize streamlined workflows and reduced manual effort.
- IT teams want seamless integration and centralized data.
- Finance teams need to see clear cost savings and ROI.
A business case helps you address these diverse priorities by tailoring your message to each group, ensuring that everyone understands how the solution benefits them directly.
2. Overcoming budget constraints
Budget is often the biggest hurdle when proposing new technology. A strong business case demonstrates how the investment will pay off in both the short and long term. By presenting measurable outcomes—such as reduced operational costs, increased efficiency and higher revenue—you can make a compelling argument for why the upfront cost is worth it.
3. Demonstrating ROI
Decision-makers need to see tangible results before committing to a new solution. A business case allows you to showcase data-driven benefits, such as:
- Time saved by automating manual processes
- Cost reductions from optimized shipping and inventory management
- Revenue growth from faster marketplace expansion
By using real data from your business or third-party research, you can prove the value of the solution and build confidence in its ability to deliver results.
4. Connecting to broader business goals
Every organization has overarching goals, whether it’s increasing profitability, improving customer satisfaction, or scaling into new markets. A business case bridges the gap between these goals and the solution you’re proposing. It shows how implementing Linnworks isn’t just a tactical decision—it’s a strategic move that supports the company’s long-term vision.
5. Reducing resistance to change
Change can be daunting, especially when it involves new technology. A business case helps mitigate resistance by addressing potential concerns upfront. It provides a clear plan for implementation, highlights the benefits and reassures stakeholders that the transition will be smooth and well-supported.
6. Building confidence in your decision
Finally, a business case isn’t just for your stakeholders—it’s for you, too. By thoroughly researching and outlining the benefits, costs, and implementation plan, you’ll gain confidence in your decision and be better equipped to advocate for it.
In summary, a business case is more than just a document—it’s a tool for building alignment, overcoming objections, and ensuring the success of your proposed solution. By taking the time to create a compelling business case, you’ll set the stage for a smoother implementation and a more impactful outcome for your business.
Section 2: expand, automate, and control – breaking it down
When building a business case for a solution like Linnworks, it’s essential to focus on the three core areas where it delivers the most value: Expand, Automate, and Control. These pillars address the key challenges businesses face in scaling operations, improving efficiency, and maintaining control over their commerce processes. Let’s dive deeper into each area, supported by data points and insights to strengthen your case.
1. Expand
What it means:
Linnworks enables businesses to seamlessly grow into new regions and marketplaces by providing the tools and integrations needed to scale quickly and efficiently.
Key benefits:
- Faster market entry: With native integrations across 100+ marketplaces, Linnworks reduces the time and effort required to connect to new sales channels.
- Example: Businesses using Linnworks report a 50% faster time-to-market when expanding to new marketplaces (Forrester).
- Increased revenue opportunities: By reaching new customer bases and managing listings across multiple channels, businesses can unlock new revenue streams.
- Example: Data-driven companies are 23% more likely to acquire new customers (Gartner).
Stakeholder focus:
- Operations Teams: Streamlined processes for scaling reduce the complexity of managing multiple marketplaces and regions.
- Ecommerce Teams: True ecommerce marketplace integration ensures product listings, pricing, and updates are consistent and compliant across all channels, making management easier.
- Finance Teams: Revenue growth potential is maximized by tapping into new markets and customer segments.
Strengthen your case:
- Highlight how Linnworks’ integrations eliminate the need for manual updates and reduce errors when managing multiple marketplaces.
- Use third-party research, such as Shopify’s finding that 30% of an online store’s visitors come from international markets, to emphasize the importance of global expansion.
| Case study in action: Spreetail’s 6x European growth
Challenge: Ecommerce accelerator Spreetail had ambitious plans to launch their European Distribution Center and needed a solution that could support rapid, multi-market expansion from day one. Solution: Spreetail implemented Linnworks and went live in just under three weeks. The platform’s extensive integrations were critical to their strategy, allowing them to launch in new marketplaces across Germany, France and the Netherlands. Key Result: In their first year using Linnworks, Spreetail achieved 6x growth in Europe, a scale-breaking expansion enabled by the ability to quickly launch and manage new marketplaces |
2. Automate
What it means:
Linnworks helps you automate inventory management, introduces robust order processing automation and streamlines automated order fulfillment to eliminate manual processes and reduce errors.
Key benefits:
- Save time: Automation frees up resources by handling repetitive tasks like inventory updates, order sorting and shipping label generation.
- Example: Linnworks customers save up to 600 hours per year per marketplace by automating order processing (Forrester).
- Reduce costly errors: Automation minimizes human errors, such as overselling or incorrect order fulfillment, which can lead to customer dissatisfaction and increased costs.
- Example: Retailers using Linnworks report a 47% reduction in operational errors (Linnworks State of Commerce Ops 2025 Report).
Stakeholder focus:
- Warehouse teams: Simplified workflows reduce manual effort, allowing staff to focus on higher-value tasks.
- IT teams: Automation reduces reliance on disconnected systems, streamlining the tech stack and minimizing maintenance.
- Finance teams: Lower operational costs and improved margins result from increased efficiency and fewer errors.
Strengthen your case:
- Include examples of how Linnworks’ automation capabilities, such as its rules engine, made 47 million decisions in November 2024 alone, showcasing its ability to handle complex order lifecycles
- Reference third-party research, like McKinsey’s finding that automation can reduce operational costs by up to 30%, to underline the financial benefits
| Case Study in Action: Tootonic automates for efficiency
Challenge: As a £53 million company, Tootonic’s manual, paper-based warehouse operations were no longer sustainable. They were losing stock and finding it difficult to manage inventory with spreadsheets as the business grew. Solution: By adopting Linnworks’ integrated warehouse management module, Tootonic was able to move away from paper and fully automate its processes from stock location to dispatch. Key result: Tootonic successfully saved time and sped up processes that were previously done manually, making their business significantly more efficient, especially in managing stock. |
3. Control
What it means:
As a comprehensive ecommerce software with inventory management, Linnworks provides real-time visibility and centralized management of operations, empowering businesses to make data-driven decisions.
Key benefits:
- Accurate inventory tracking: Real-time updates prevent overselling and stockouts, ensuring a seamless customer experience.
- Example: 73% of consumers are likely to switch brands if they experience stockouts (iWeb).
- Data-driven insights: Linnworks’ analytics tools provide actionable insights into sales trends, inventory performance, and customer behavior.
- Example: Businesses using Linnworks report a 23% improvement in forecasting accuracy (Linnworks State of Commerce Ops 2025 Report).
Stakeholder focus:
- Operations teams: Improved inventory accuracy and forecasting enable better planning and resource allocation
- Finance teams: Better cost control and resource allocation result from real-time visibility into inventory and operational data
- IT teams: Centralized data ensures seamless integration with other systems, reducing complexity and improving reporting capabilities
Strengthen your case:
- Highlight how Linnworks’ centralized platform acts as a single source of truth, eliminating the need for multiple disconnected systems
- Use third-party research, such as Gartner’s finding that data-driven companies are 19% more profitable, to emphasize the value of real-time insights
| Case Study in action: Rave Coffee gains control over order volume
Challenge: When COVID lockdowns caused Rave Coffee’s orders to double to 800 per day, their existing system couldn’t scale to manage the influx. This led to order syncing issues and manual reconciliation, making it impossible to maintain accurate stock levels. Solution: Rave Coffee chose Linnworks for its robust integration and automation capabilities, allowing them to handle the spike in demand and regain control over their fulfillment process. Key result: With Linnworks, Rave Coffee successfully managed a 100% increase in orders and is now able to focus on automating workflows instead of troubleshooting administrative issues. |
Conclusion:
By focusing on these three core areas—Expand, Automate and Control—you can clearly demonstrate how Linnworks addresses the challenges of scaling, improving efficiency, and maintaining control over commerce operations. Use data points and third-party research to strengthen your case and show stakeholders the tangible benefits of adopting Linnworks. This approach not only makes your business case more compelling but also ensures it resonates with the priorities of each stakeholder group.
Section 3: breaking it down by stakeholder role
When building a business case for a solution like Linnworks, it’s essential to tailor the benefits to the specific priorities of each stakeholder group. By addressing their unique challenges and demonstrating how Linnworks delivers value, you can create a compelling case that resonates with everyone involved in the decision-making process. Here’s how Linnworks benefits key stakeholder roles:
1. Operations teams
Key challenges:
- Managing complex workflows across multiple marketplaces and regions
- Ensuring efficiency and scalability while minimizing errors
- Maintaining visibility and control over inventory and fulfillment processes
How Linnworks helps:
- Expand: Streamline processes for scaling into new regions and marketplaces with native integrations across 100+ platforms
- Example: Businesses using Linnworks report a 50% faster time-to-market when expanding to new marketplaces (Forrester).
- Automate: Eliminate manual tasks like inventory updates and order processing, freeing up resources to focus on strategic initiatives.
- Example: Automation reduces operational errors by 47% (Linnworks State of Commerce Ops 2025 Report)
- Control: Gain real-time visibility into inventory levels and order statuses, enabling better planning and resource allocation.
- Example: Accurate inventory tracking prevents overselling and stockouts, which 73% of consumers cite as a reason to switch brands (iWeb)
Why it matters:
Linnworks empowers operations teams to scale efficiently, reduce errors and maintain control over complex workflows, ensuring smoother day-to-day operations and long-term growth.
“With Linnworks, we tripled our fulfillment rate with the same staff and saved around 12 hours daily across stock management and order processing.”
– Ben Dobson, Operations Director, Aspire Furniture
2. Ecommerce teams
Key challenges:
- Managing product listings, pricing and updates across multiple sales channels
- Expanding into new marketplaces while maintaining consistency and compliance
- Delivering a seamless customer experience
How Linnworks helps:
- Expand: Simplify marketplace management with centralized tools for creating and managing listings across multiple channels.
- Example: Linnworks customers experience up to 85% efficiency improvement in marketplace management (Forrester)
- Automate: Automate repetitive tasks like updating product information and syncing inventory, reducing manual effort and errors
- Control: Ensure consistent and compliant product listings with real-time updates and centralized data
Why it matters:
Linnworks enables ecommerce teams to focus on growth and customer experience by simplifying marketplace management and ensuring consistency across all channels.
“We achieved our multimillion-dollar revenue target in the first year. We simply couldn’t have achieved this with our old system. Linnworks has been absolutely critical to our international growth.”
– Rich, Co-Founder, Source BMX
3. Warehouse teams
Key challenges:
- Reducing manual effort and errors in inventory and order management
- Optimizing workflows for picking, packing and shipping
- Managing stock levels across multiple locations
How Linnworks helps:
- Expand: Support growth into new regions and marketplaces with tools that simplify inventory transfers and warehouse management
- Automate: Streamline workflows with automation for tasks like order sorting, label generation, and inventory updates
- Example: Linnworks’ automation capabilities saved businesses 600 hours per year per marketplace (Forrester)
- Control: Improve inventory accuracy with real-time tracking and barcode scanning, reducing discrepancies and overselling
Why it matters:
Linnworks helps warehouse teams operate more efficiently, reduce errors and scale their operations to meet growing demand.
“The barcode scanning works phenomenally. That cuts down errors with sending stuff out, which leads to customer satisfaction, less returns and better stock control.
– Nathan Houghton, General Manager, Energized Customs
4. IT teams
Key challenges:
- Managing disconnected systems and achieving seamless ecommerce data integration
- Reducing the complexity of the tech stack
- Providing reliable data for reporting and decision-making
How Linnworks helps:
- Expand: Simplify the integration of new marketplaces and sales channels with Linnworks’ native connectivity
- Automate: Reduce reliance on disconnected systems by centralizing operations on a single platform
- Control: Provide a single source of truth for inventory and order data, ensuring accurate reporting and seamless integration with other systems
Why it matters:
Linnworks reduces the complexity of IT operations, streamlines integrations, and ensures reliable data for better decision-making and reporting.
5. Finance teams
Key challenges:
- Justifying the cost of new technology investments
- Reducing operational costs and improving margins
- Ensuring accurate financial forecasting and resource allocation
How Linnworks helps:
- Expand: Drive revenue growth by enabling faster market entry and reaching new customer bases
- Example: Data-driven companies are 23% more likely to acquire new customers (Gartner)
- Automate: Lower operational costs by eliminating manual processes and reducing errors
- Example: Automation can reduce operational costs by up to 30% (McKinsey)
- Control: Provide real-time visibility into inventory and operational data, enabling better cost control and financial planning
Why it matters:
Linnworks delivers measurable ROI by reducing costs, driving revenue growth, and providing the data needed for accurate financial forecasting.
“By spending on Linnworks software, I’m saving tens of thousands on staffing costs per year. The ROI is 100%.”
– James Rogers, Tru-Tension
Conclusion:
By focusing on the specific benefits Linnworks delivers to each stakeholder group, you can create a business case that resonates with everyone involved in the decision-making process. Whether it’s streamlining operations, simplifying marketplace management, or improving financial outcomes, Linnworks provides the tools and insights needed to drive growth and efficiency across your entire organization. Use data points and third-party research to strengthen your case and demonstrate the tangible value of adopting Linnworks.
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