From a small market stall to Belgium’s largest online garden center: webshop Hermie has gone through an impressive growth journey in recent years. With around 400,000 parcels shipped annually, a reliable shipping partner is crucial to maintain that pace. That’s why Hermie joined forces with DHL eCommerce about two years ago. “Our growth has made our logistics more complex, but with DHL eCommerce we have everything perfectly under control,” says Managing Director Steven Van Den Bossche.
From local market to international webshop
Years ago, Steven and his brother in law Pieter could be found at the market every week selling vegetable plants. In 2017, the itch to take their first steps into e-commerce grew, with the launch of their own webshop alongside their market activities. “During COVID, online sales completely exploded. At a certain point, we decided not to return to the market anymore. It simply wasn’t possible to combine that with our online shop.”
Today, Hermie has grown into the largest online garden center in Belgium, offering a wide and diverse product range. The focus remains on garden products such as fertilizers, grass seeds and plants, but the assortment has expanded significantly over the years. From swimming pools and jacuzzis to toys, candles and household goods, Hermie responds to what consumers need all year round. Meanwhile, Hermie has also built a solid customer base in the Netherlands, Germany and France.
A logistics partner for every type of shipment
That strong growth and broad assortment inevitably bring logistics challenges. Not every product fits neatly into a standard box. “We ship both small parcels and large, heavy goods,” Steven explains. “Think of regular garden products, but also swimming pools or jacuzzis.”
To efficiently manage these different flows, Hermie works with several shipping partners. For the bulk of standard parcels in Belgium and the Netherlands, they rely on another carrier. But for more specific or ‘challenging’ shipments, they turn to DHL eCommerce. “For bulky goods and international deliveries to France and Germany, we rely on DHL. These are exactly the shipments where other carriers often reach their limits.”
“Many carriers impose strict limits on dimensions and weight. With DHL eCommerce, the possibilities are much broader. Even products that are lightweight but voluminous, such as rain barrels or raised garden beds, can be shipped with DHL eCommerce. That gives us a lot of flexibility.”
Flexibly responding to peak volumes
Logistics at Hermie is also highly seasonal. As soon as the first sun appears, demand for garden products and swimming pools increases rapidly. “One day we ship five pallets, the next day fifty. That can change very quickly,” says Steven. In those peak moments, flexibility is key.
“If we indicate before noon that additional volume is coming in, DHL can still provide an extra truck the same day. That way everything goes out and nothing needs to be postponed.” This approach has significantly improved Hermie’s operations. “In the past, we sometimes had to move shipments to the next day. Now everything leaves the same day, and we start the next day with a clean slate.”
Fast delivery and reliable service
Fast delivery also plays a key role in the partnership. “I personally track the figures: if we ship today, is it really delivered tomorrow? DHL eCommerce is among the top performers,” Steven says. Customers appreciate that reliability as well. “We see many positive reviews about delivery on our webshop.”
That reliability also matters on external sales platforms. “There, delivery performance directly affects your score. Thanks to DHL eCommerce, we can truly deliver on the quality we promise.”
Service makes the difference too. “Our customer service team notices fewer parcel-related complaints than before. And if something does go wrong, it’s handled quickly and correctly. In case of damage, the situation is assessed objectively: was it our responsibility or DHL eCommerce’s? If it’s the latter, they take ownership.” That allows Hermie to act fast towards customers. “If a customer receives a damaged parcel, we can often offer a solution within 24 hours.”
With this strong foundation, Hermie looks to the future with confidence. “We now have a three year partnership in place. Soon, we’ll be back at the negotiation table. But all signs point to continuing together,” Steven concludes.
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