I Love Fancy Dress (ILFD) began as a small venture in a bedroom in the UK, driven by a simple vision, making costume and party supplies accessible to everyone. Today, they’ve grown into one of the leading players in the fancy dress market, managing an impressive catalog of over 36,000 products that span everything from Halloween costumes to themed party accessories. Facing complex challenges during high-demand seasons such as Halloween—including overwhelming order volumes, manual inefficiencies from manual processes, and the processes to support rapid marketplace expansion.

The implementation of Linnworks gave ILFD the ability to improve their operations through automation of core operational workflows, centralized control and seamless onboarding of new sales channels. This transformation enabled ILFD to manage growing demand, streamline processes and provide reliable customer service.

From bedroom startup to costume empire

What started as a modest ecommerce operation has evolved into a sophisticated retail business that serves customers across multiple channels and countries. ILFD’s product range includes costumes for every occasion, party supplies, accessories and seasonal items that capture the imagination of customers looking to transform themselves for special events.

The company’s growth trajectory reflects the expanding fancy dress and costume market, where seasonal peaks can make or break a business. With Halloween alone generating massive spikes in demand, ILFD needed operational systems that could scale rapidly while maintaining the customer experience that built their reputation.

The challenge of seasonal success

ILFD’s success brought significant operational challenges, particularly during high-demand seasons when order volumes could increase by 500% or more. Halloween, Christmas parties and other seasonal events created intense pressure on their fulfillment operations, often overwhelming their existing systems.

Managing inventory across multiple sales channels became increasingly complex as ILFD expanded their reach. Stock levels needed constant monitoring to prevent overselling on popular items, while ensuring they had adequate inventory to meet sudden demand spikes. Manual processes that worked during quieter periods became bottlenecks when thousands of orders flooded in during peak seasons.

The company also faced the challenge of expanding into new marketplaces and sales channels while maintaining operational control. Opportunities to sell through platforms like Shein and TikTok Shop required sophisticated inventory management and order processing capabilities that their existing systems couldn’t support.

Customer expectations for fast delivery during costume season added another layer of complexity. When someone needs a Halloween costume, they typically need it within days, not weeks. ILFD’s reputation depended on their ability to fulfill orders quickly and accurately, even when dealing with unprecedented order volumes.

With growing demand and the need to manage a vast product range across multiple channels, ILFD recognized that their existing systems would not support the seamless experience their customers expected during peak times. They set out to find a solution that could adapt alongside their business, offering both the scalability required for high-volume seasons and the flexibility to onboard new marketplaces without disruption. Linnworks stood out as the partner that met these needs, bringing together reliable automation, simple multi-channel integrations and the operational efficiency ILFD needed to continue their growth.

Smooth onboarding with Linnworks

Bringing Linnworks into ILFD’s operations was a straightforward process, designed to keep their business running smoothly throughout the transition. The Linnworks team provided dedicated support from day one, guiding ILFD through each step with clear instructions and hands-on assistance. Implementation was structured and transparent, ensuring ILFD understood what to expect and when.

By focusing on open communication and tailored guidance, Linnworks helped ILFD integrate the platform with minimal disruption. The onboarding process allowed ILFD to stay operational and responsive, even as new automation and inventory tools went live. This smooth transition set the foundation for ILFD to tackle their busiest seasons with confidence, knowing they had reliable technology and expert support behind them. 

“The onboarding process was very smooth. We had concerns about transferring our massive catalogue, but Linnworks helped us through it, ensuring a seamless adoption.”
–George Nesnas, Director, ILFD Group

Delivering results when it matters most

Implementing Linnworks has transformed ILFD’s operations. The company now confidently manages up to 20,000 daily orders during peak seasons, achieves greater efficiency through automation, and quickly adapts to new marketplaces. Real-time insights and centralized systems have prepared ILFD for sustained growth and innovation.

“The difference is night and day,” notes the representative. “we process over a million parcels annually, and Linnworks has given us the confidence to push into new markets without hesitation.”
–George Nesnas, Director, ILFD Group

Seamless peak season management

ILFD now processes thousands of orders during Halloween and other peak periods without operational strain. Automated systems handle the volume surge while maintaining fast fulfillment times, ensuring customers receive their costumes when they need them.

Successful marketplace expansion

The company has successfully launched on multiple new platforms, including Shein and TikTok Shop, opening up new customer segments and revenue streams. Each new channel integrates seamlessly with their existing operations through Linnworks.

Improved inventory accuracy

Real-time synchronization across all channels has virtually eliminated overselling incidents, protecting customer satisfaction and reducing the operational overhead of managing stock discrepancies.

Enhanced scalability

With automated processes handling routine operations, ILFD’s team can focus on growth initiatives, new product development and expanding their market reach during both peak and off-peak periods.

“Linnworks has been essential to our growth from a small UK startup to a major player in the costume market. The platform handles our seasonal peaks effortlessly and made it possible for us to expand into exciting new channels like TikTok Shop and Shein. We can now focus on what we do best—helping our customers find the perfect costume for any occasion—while Linnworks takes care of the operational complexity behind the scenes.”
–George Nesnas, Director, ILFD Group

Future plans and innovations

Looking forward, ILFD is committed to further international expansion, prioritizing growth in major European and US marketplaces. The company also plans to enhance its technical infrastructure with custom dashboards, additional BI integrations, advanced barcode scanning, and updated picking and packing workflows to support ongoing innovation and efficiency.

ILFD’s strategic adoption of Linnworks enabled it to transition from manual bottlenecks to a future-proofed, automated operation. This partnership has been instrumental in scaling fulfilment, expanding market reach, and delivering consistent service at scale.

Businesses seeking to optimize order and inventory management can look to ILFD’s experience as a blueprint for leveraging integrated automation to drive sustained growth, operational agility and customer satisfaction in a dynamic ecommerce climate.

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