Hello Molly case study: 15-20% lower dispatch headcount with shipping automation | Starshipit

How Hello Molly cut warehouse labour by 20% with shipping automation

Key results:

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Reduced dispatch headcount by 15-20% while maintaining consistent output.

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Quickly scaled into the US by replicating existing fulfilment workflows and automations.

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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

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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:

It wasn’t about reducing output, it was about eliminating inefficiency.

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.

Behind the checkout page, multiple carriers power those delivery tiers. Automation ensures that complexity doesn’t spill onto the warehouse floor.

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.

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.

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.

Outcome: A fulfilment operation 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.