The Challenge: Plans Changed, Timeline Accelerated
Our client, a rapidly growing board game publisher, had originally planned to onboard with us after Gen Con. Their growth trajectory had other ideas.
By May 2025, it became clear they needed to move now. Gen Con was months away, but they had massive Gen Con inventory inbound, pre-show sales launching, and a mounting operations crisis: they were drowning in manual order processing.
The onboarding challenges were multifaceted:
- Massive Gen Con inventory inbound: Receiving and organizing show merchandise months in advance
- Pre-show sales: Fulfilling Gen Con pre-orders while still receiving inventory
- Crowdfunding fulfillment: Separate campaigns with thousands of orders to process
- ShipStation chaos: Manual order categorization was crushing their team
- International shipping gap: No Canada shipping, missing sales opportunities
- Convention prep: Mystery kits, show inventory staging, logistics planning
The original plan was to wait until after Gen Con to switch fulfillment partners. But waiting wasn't an option—the operational load was already unsustainable.
What is Gen Con?
Gen Con is the largest tabletop gaming convention in North America. Held annually in Indianapolis, it draws 70,000+ attendees over four days. For board game publishers, it's the Super Bowl—a chance to launch new titles, meet fans, and generate a year's worth of buzz. Missing Gen Con or running out of inventory mid-show isn't an option.
The Real Problem: ShipStation Chaos
Before we even touched inventory, we had to solve the order processing bottleneck.
Our client was processing hundreds of orders manually in ShipStation. Every order needed categorization:
- Which orders were Gen Con pre-sales?
- Which were crowdfunding rewards?
- Which were regular e-commerce?
- Which needed special handling?
- Which could batch together for efficiency?
Manual categorization was eating hours every day. Orders were getting missed. Batching wasn't happening. The team was buried.
Our Solution: Automated Order Processing
We implemented custom ShipStation automation that categorized orders automatically based on order source, product type, shipping destination, and customer tags.
What the automation handled:
- Automatic order tagging and categorization
- Intelligent batching rules for warehouse efficiency
- Priority sorting for time-sensitive Gen Con orders
- Crowdfunding campaign separation and tracking
- Exception handling for special cases
The result: Orders that used to take hours of manual sorting now processed automatically in seconds. The client's team could focus on customer service and product launches instead of ShipStation drudgery.
Opening International Shipping: Canada and Beyond
The client didn't have international shipping set up. They were turning away Canadian customers and missing sales opportunities across the border.
We brought them online with international shipping to Canada—proper customs documentation, accurate shipping rates, and smooth cross-border fulfillment.
This wasn't theoretical. We ship to over 120 countries worldwide for other clients. We know customs forms, HS codes, VAT handling, and international carrier requirements. Setting up Canada shipping was straightforward because we'd done it hundreds of times before.
The impact:
- Canadian customers could finally order directly
- Gen Con attendees from Canada could pre-order merchandise
- International crowdfunding backers had a fulfillment path
- Client could expand market reach without operational headaches
The Inbound Surge: Sorting Chaos into Order
With order processing automated, we could focus on the physical challenge: receiving massive amounts of Gen Con inventory months before the show.
We had no clear picture of what was coming or when. The client was growing fast, inventory was arriving from multiple manufacturers, and SKU counts were estimates at best.
What arrived:
- Games: Core products, expansions, new releases
- Apparel: T-shirts, hoodies (multiple sizes, colors)
- Plush: Character merchandise
- Drinkware: Mugs, bottles, cups
- Miscellaneous merch: Pins, stickers, posters, accessories
Some of these were completely new product categories for our warehouse. We'd handled board games before, but coordinating apparel sizing with live order fulfillment while receiving pallets of plush toys? That was new territory.
The Receiving Process
We couldn't just pause operations to organize inventory. Orders were coming in daily—Kickstarter backers don't wait, and Gen Con pre-orders had deadlines.
So we built a parallel system:
- Morning shift: Receive, sort, and categorize inbound inventory
- Afternoon shift: Fulfill live orders from organized stock
- Evening coordination: Plan next day's Gen Con booster shipments
Every pallet that came in got sorted, SKU-identified, and slotted into our racking system. We created temporary staging areas for Gen Con booth inventory—items that would ship to Indianapolis in waves as the show demanded.
Live Fulfillment: Shipping During Setup
While organizing inventory, we were simultaneously shipping:
Gen Con Pre-Launch Items:
Customers who pre-ordered new releases wanted them before the convention. This meant identifying which SKUs were Gen Con debuts, prioritizing fulfillment, and ensuring they shipped with enough lead time to arrive before the show opened.
Crowdfunding Overflow:
The client had multiple successful Kickstarter campaigns wrapping up. Backers were waiting for rewards. We had to fulfill these orders while juggling everything else.
Regular E-Commerce:
Just because Gen Con was happening didn't mean daily orders stopped. The business kept running.
The key was flexibility. We adapted our picking schedule daily based on what inventory had been processed and what orders were most time-sensitive.
What We Learned: Barcoding and Scanning
Midway through this chaos, we realized we needed better tools.
Our client was growing fast. What started as a manageable SKU count was expanding into hundreds of items across multiple categories. Manually tracking inventory and fulfillment was becoming a bottleneck.
The solution: Barcoding and scanning equipment.
We needed to:
- Scan items during receiving to instantly update inventory counts
- Scan during picking to reduce errors
- Track Gen Con booster shipments with precision
- Handle apparel size/color variants without confusion
This was a turning point. The Gen Con rush exposed our scaling limits—and showed us exactly where to invest to grow with our clients.
(Spoiler: We're implementing barcode scanning now. This case study taught us what we needed.)
Nightly Booster Shipments: Keeping the Show Stocked
Gen Con is four days of controlled chaos. Booth inventory moves fast.
Our client couldn't bring their entire inventory to Indianapolis—booth space is limited, and you can't predict which items will explode in popularity. Some games sell out in hours. Others move steadily all weekend.
The strategy: Nightly booster shipments.
Every evening during Gen Con, the client sent us a list:
- "We need 50 more copies of Game X"
- "Send 100 plush characters"
- "Ship 25 of each apparel size for the new design"
We'd pick, pack, and ship overnight to arrive at the convention center the next morning. This kept the booth stocked without overloading it upfront.
The result: Zero stockouts.
Every time a product started moving faster than expected, we could replenish it. The client never had to turn away a sale because inventory was sitting in our warehouse instead of their booth.
On-Site Support: Showing Up When It Matters
Some problems can't be solved from 500 miles away.
As Gen Con opened, we realized the final booster shipments needed to be hand-delivered to ensure they arrived exactly when needed. So we drove to Indianapolis.
Not just to drop off boxes—to help. To be there if something went wrong. To answer questions in real-time. To make sure our client could focus on selling and demoing games instead of worrying about logistics.
That's partnership. Sometimes it means being physically present when stakes are high.
Mystery Kits: Assembling Random Assortments
One of the more interesting challenges: mystery assortment kits.
The client wanted to offer "grab bags" at Gen Con—collections of random items (pins, stickers, small games, accessories) in themed bundles. Great idea. Challenging to execute at scale.
The assembly process:
- Pull random selections from specified SKU pools
- Ensure variety (no duplicates in a single kit)
- Package in branded bags
- Assemble hundreds before show opening
The problem that arose mid-production:
Halfway through assembly, we realized one of the SKU pools was running low. If we continued as planned, the last 50 kits would have less variety than the first 50.
The fix (on the fly):
We adjusted the randomization strategy to spread remaining inventory evenly across all kits. This meant reworking some already-assembled kits, but it ensured consistency.
The client never knew there was an issue. The kits shipped on time, properly assorted, ready for Gen Con.
That's the kind of problem-solving that matters when timelines are tight.
The Diversity Challenge: New Product Categories
Before this client, our experience with apparel was limited. Drinkware? Occasional. Plush toys? New territory.
Board games are relatively straightforward: pick the SKU, pack the box, ship it. But apparel has size and color variants. Plush items have different packaging requirements. Drinkware needs careful packing to avoid breakage.
What we learned:
Apparel:
- Size/color tracking is critical (can't send a Medium when customer ordered Large)
- Folding matters for presentation
- Polybag packaging prevents warehouse dust on fabric
Drinkware:
- Extra padding required (mugs break, games don't)
- Box size matters (shipping a single mug shouldn't cost $15)
- Weight distribution in multi-item orders
Plush:
- Bulky but light (dimensional weight pricing hurts)
- Compression packaging where possible
- Character variants need clear labeling
Every new product category taught us something. By the time Gen Con arrived, we'd adapted our processes to handle the full range of gaming merchandise.
Keeping the Needle on the Record
That's how our client described what they needed: "Just keep the needle on the record."
They were growing fast. Launching new products. Running crowdfunding campaigns. Preparing for the biggest convention of the year. Expanding into new merchandise categories.
What they didn't need was to worry about fulfillment logistics. They needed a partner who could keep things running smoothly while chaos swirled around them.
That's exactly what we did.
During the Gen Con rush, we:
- Onboarded 2 months early without missing a beat
- Received and organized massive inventory surges
- Fulfilled live orders across multiple product lines
- Shipped nightly booster inventory to the convention
- Hand-delivered critical shipments on-site
- Assembled mystery kits and fixed issues mid-production
- Learned new product categories on the fly
- Identified scaling needs (barcoding/scanning)
The client could focus on what they do best: designing amazing games, running successful campaigns, and selling at Gen Con.
We handled the rest.
The Outcome: Operational Excellence + Cost Savings
ShipStation Automation Impact:
- Hours of manual order categorization eliminated daily
- Automatic batching, priority sorting, campaign tracking
- Team freed to focus on customer service and growth
- Scalable system that handles increasing order volume
International Shipping Expansion:
- Canada shipping launched (first time for client)
- Access to 120+ countries for future expansion
- Proper customs documentation and international fulfillment
- New revenue streams from cross-border customers
Gen Con Convention Results:
- Booth fully stocked from day one
- Zero stockouts across 4 days (70,000+ attendees)
- Nightly booster shipments executed flawlessly
- On-site support and hand-delivered final shipments
- Mystery kits assembled and shipped on time
Financial Benefits:
- Lower shipping costs using client's own carrier accounts
- Credit card points on every shipment (thousands in rewards annually)
- Flexible storage pricing without enterprise minimums
- Fair custom services pricing (no premium project fees)
What This Case Study Proves
Flexibility Matters More Than Perfect Planning
You can't predict everything. Growth happens faster than expected. Inventory arrives in surges. Convention logistics change daily. What matters is having a partner who can adapt.
Partnership Means Showing Up
Sometimes support means driving to Indianapolis to hand-deliver shipments. Sometimes it means fixing mystery kit issues on the fly. Sometimes it's just being available when things get chaotic.
Learning Happens in Production
We learned we needed better scanning equipment. We learned how to handle apparel variants. We learned drinkware packing techniques. Every challenge taught us something that made us better for the next client.
The Best Problems Are Growth Problems
Our client needed to onboard early because they were growing fast. That's the kind of problem we love solving.
The Financial Impact: Real Cost Savings
Beyond operational efficiency, the client saw significant financial benefits from the partnership:
Lower Shipping Costs
We set the client up to use their own carrier accounts for shipping. This meant:
- Credit card points: Every shipment earned rewards on their business card
- Direct control: Full visibility into shipping costs and carrier performance
- Negotiated rates: They could leverage their own carrier relationships and volume discounts
- No markup: Transparent shipping costs without 3PL carrier surcharges
For a high-volume business shipping hundreds of orders weekly, credit card points alone add up to thousands of dollars in travel, cash back, or business expenses annually.
Lower Storage Costs
Our pricing model is designed for small to mid-size businesses that need flexibility without enterprise minimums.
The client paid for exactly what they needed:
- No long-term storage contracts
- Scalable pricing that adjusted with seasonal inventory fluctuations
- Efficient space utilization (we don't charge for air)
- Lower per-pallet rates than competitors targeting larger clients
During the Gen Con surge, inventory turnover was high—products arrived, got organized, and shipped out quickly. We charged for active storage, not dead space.
Custom Services Without Upcharges
Mystery kit assembly. International shipping setup. ShipStation automation. Nightly booster shipments. On-site convention support.
These weren't "special projects" with premium pricing. They were partnership services—the kind of support that helps clients grow.
Our "fab services" approach means we'll build, assemble, or customize whatever clients need:
- Kitting and bundling for promotions
- Custom packaging and inserts
- Product assembly and prep work
- Special project handling (like mystery kits)
For this client, custom services included mystery kit assembly, Gen Con staging, and nightly booster coordination—all priced fairly as part of the partnership, not as expensive one-offs.
The Cost Savings Formula
Lower shipping costs (own carrier accounts + CC points) + Lower storage costs (flexible pricing, efficient space) + Fair custom services (no premium project fees) = Sustainable partnership economics that make sense as businesses grow.
The Real Success
Gen Con was a huge success for our client. But the real win was proving we could handle rapid onboarding, massive inventory surges, diverse product categories, and complex convention logistics—all while keeping daily fulfillment running smoothly. That's the kind of partnership that lets businesses grow without worrying about operational capacity.