Online retailer Charles Ted finds perfect partner in Panther

An online furniture retailer said its distribution needs turned into a “nightmare” after logistics firms repeatedly let it down before it found the perfect partner in Panther Logistics.

Charles Ted said it had spent five years employing multiple logistics firms, but damaged goods, unfriendly delivery drivers and a lack of communication skills meant it felt it had lost control of the operation.

Co-founder Hannah Walters said: “When it comes to delivery, we have tried everyone. In the early days, we kept things quite small, but after realising that there was a lot more of a margin on the big-ticket items, we knew that we needed a reliable logistics firm to help us grow.

“Some logistics companies promised us the earth but failed to deliver.

“It was all a bit of a nightmare to be honest. One firm delivered our products in water damaged boxes, and another argued with our customer.

“The providers we had prior to Panther were not good at communicating and we felt we had little control over the entire process.”

The company employed operations manager Suzie Mckeown to track down the best logistics provider and her quest brought Charles Ted to the door of Panther Logistics:

“Previously when approaching a logistics provider, they can respond quite late and be vague in their offering,” said Mckeown. “But Panther came back straight away and were forward thinking in their approach to our business.

“It was important that our provider was the right fit and understood our business model, and it seems that Panther is the right choice. So far, everything has gone well, and our customers are very happy with the service.”

James Langer, business development manager at Panther Logistics, said: “For Panther, customer experience is of top priority, and we understand the importance of providing a seamless and professional service to enhance a business’s brand.

“We look forward to a long and happy partnership with Charles Ted, and we hope to be an important part of their successful journey in the coming years.”