Established more than four decades ago, Barneys Originals started out as a leather jacket supplier to high street retailers. A family-run enterprise from its inception, Barneys Originals has remained a trusted supplier to household names such as John Lewis, ASOS, and Matalan. They are responsible for the full product lifecycle, from concept to final product.

We spoke to Amy Fletcher-Gratton, Online Business Manager at Barneys Originals, to find out how they partner with Linnworks, and how our solution has helped them achieve success on channels such as Debenhams marketplace.

Origins: How Barneys Originals managed Debenhams before Linnworks

“Barneys Originals has a long-standing relationship with Debenhams through the wholesale business. Producing Debenhams-branded items — including well-known lines like Rocha and Red Herring,” explains Fletcher-Gratton. However, before Linnworks, Barneys Originals attempted to manage their inventory for Debenhams marketplace manually. 

Fletcher-Gratton explains, “We did try to manually maintain stock flow to Debenhams the old-fashioned way. Every morning we’d have to compile Excel documents and manually input data into a central order database.” she continues, “It was stifling growth. We were limited to how many SKUs we could offer and even with a smaller range, the man-power involved in managing stock was not sustainable.” 

This is where Linnworks came into the picture. “Linnworks was the only way forward for us and we simply can’t imagine working without it,” Fletcher-Gratton confirms. 

Linnworks was the only way forward for us and we simply can’t imagine working without it.

Amy Fletcher-Gratton, Online Business Manager at Barneys Originals

Meaningful growth on Debenhams thanks to Linnworks 

“During Cyber Weekend 2023, with the assistance of Linnworks, we were able to double the amount of Debenhams orders dispatched,” Fletcher-Gratton explains, she continues, “The process of managing stock, pick and packing, and despatching orders is far more efficient for us now.”

The ease of managing this 100% growth was felt across their team. Fletcher-Gratton recalls, “Most of the team remarked on how that level of performance would not have been possible using our old system – and they were right!” 

During Cyber Weekend 2023, with the assistance of Linnworks, we were able to double the amount of Debenhams orders dispatched.

Amy Fletcher-Gratton, Online Business Manager at Barneys Originals

Debenhams marketplace as a significant growth level for Barneys Originals 

Barneys Originals views Debenhams marketplace as a core engine for their growth. Fletcher-Gratton explains, “Transitioning to work with Debenhams as a marketplace seemed like a strategic move, especially considering the positive sales history from previous collaborations.” Fletcher-Gratton expands, “Working with Debenhams as a marketplace provides Barneys Originals with additional opportunities to showcase its products to a broader audience and leverage the established reputation of the Debenhams brand.”

This partnership has proven highly rewarding. Fletcher-Gratton highlights, “From April 1, 2022, to January 22, 2023, our sales amounted to £800,000. Subsequently, during the period from April 1, 2023, to January 22, 2024, our sales experienced growth, reaching £1.2 million.” She attributes this growth to the power of teamwork, explaining, “This significant increase in sales can be attributed to our collaborative efforts with the Debenhams team, involving strategic collaborations and promotions throughout the year.” 

Linnworks: Vital features to support future growth — across marketplaces 

“Having one central stock pot, shared by multiple marketplaces, was a total game changer for us,” Fletcher-Gratton comments. She continues, “Being able to limit the percentage of stock flowing to each marketplace also gave us a buffer zone during peak season to avoid customer disappointment. Not to mention, the team were very pleased to see the back of the manual spreadsheets!” 

Having one central stock pot, shared by multiple marketplaces, was a total game changer for us.

Amy Fletcher-Gratton, Online Business Manager at Barneys Originals

Barneys Originals has capitalized on a fruitful collaboration with Debenhams thanks to Linnworks. Not only bidding farewell to painful spreadsheets, Barneys Originals has been able to double-down on their strategic partnership with the historic British retailer and marketplace, seizing seasonal opportunities and securing sustained commercial growth.