1851

Since beginning<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wildbirdsunlimited/wild-birds-unlimited-introduces-omni-channel-initiative-to-enhance-e-commerce-platform-and-connect-online-sales-to-local-stores-2705037" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> the roll-out process of its omni-channel Initiative last year</a>, leading birding retail franchise<a href="https://franchise.wbu.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=one-year-since-its-introduction-wild-birds-unlimiteds-omni-channel-initiative-has-business-soaring-to-new-heights-2709939" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> Wild Birds Unlimited</a> has already seen considerable success.

The initiative works by leveraging multiple platforms within the<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wildbirdsunlimited" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> Wild Birds Unlimited</a> system, including online and mobile ordering through the<a href="https://order.wbu.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=one-year-since-its-introduction-wild-birds-unlimiteds-omni-channel-initiative-has-business-soaring-to-new-heights-2709939" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> MyWBUStore</a>. Each franchise location has its own online platform and controls which products from a list of approved inventory they put up for purchase on the online store. The online store is linked to the brick-and-mortar location&rsquo;s POS system so that pricing is locally determined. This means that Wild Birds Unlimited now enjoys 100--and eventually over 300--brand-consistent sites that customers can use to connect directly to a given franchisee&rsquo;s store. Under this model, WBU has just completed its seventh consecutive month of e-commerce growth.

Patrick Eckhardt, Wild Birds Unlimited&rsquo;s e-commerce Specialist, said that the initiative was developed to prioritize franchisee success.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s no secret that retail is rapidly changing, and we felt it necessary to invest in new, custom-built technology and new employees&mdash;me, for example&mdash;to equip our franchisees to thrive in both the now and the future of retail,&rdquo; Eckhardt said. &nbsp;&ldquo;Our franchisees do such an amazing job connecting with customers and providing an excellent in-store shopping experience. This platform allows them to make that same connection with current and new customers online, and allows those customers to have an exceptional shopping experience simply by picking up their phone or logging onto their computer.&rdquo;

Lauren DeRosa is the owner of<a href="https://fortcollins.wbu.com/who-are-we-meet-the-team-wbu-fort-collins?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=one-year-since-its-introduction-wild-birds-unlimiteds-omni-channel-initiative-has-business-soaring-to-new-heights-2709939" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank"> Wild Birds Unlimited in Ft. Collins, Colorado</a>, one of the brand&rsquo;s highest-grossing stores and an early omni-channel initiative participant.

&ldquo;Wild Birds Unlimited is unique in that we don&rsquo;t have a central distribution center,&rdquo; DeRosa explained. &ldquo;When a customer goes to the brand&rsquo;s main consumer website, they&rsquo;re prompted to enter where they live and then they&rsquo;re directed to the closest store with online capability. There are more than 300 stores in the system and about 95 of those have elected to use the online platform, so those are the stores filling digital orders. The first time a customer goes to the website they are diverted to the local store&mdash;and then the next time they shop, they can go straight to the local store&rsquo;s MyWBU Store.&rdquo;

In order to become a participant, DeRosa explained, her Ft. Collins location had to agree to use a third-party credit card processing company for secure transactions via the online portal. Additionally, DeRosa emphasized that store owners who participate in the omni-channel program need to be sure that their online inventory numbers accurately reflect their in-store inventory so that customers don&rsquo;t mistakenly order an out-of-stock item. DeRosa said that her location is also in the process of upgrading their point-of-sale system to a cloud-based alternative that will streamline the ordering process.

&ldquo;Right now, we have to wait until the end of the day for those orders taken online to sync with our in-store POS system,&rdquo; DeRosa said. &ldquo;But our upgrades will integrate customers&rsquo; in-store accounts with their online accounts and both the in-store and online sales systems.&rdquo;

Asked how the implementation process went, DeRosa said that signing onto the omni-channel initiative was a smooth transition.

&ldquo;It really went off without a hitch and it helps our customers, which is great for us,&rdquo; said DeRosa.

Since implementing Wild Birds Unlimited&rsquo;s omni-channel program, DeRosa reports that her store has enjoyed a steady flow of new customers coming into the system.

&ldquo;We check and double check our orders, and I try to give the orders a sense of local flavor even when they come in online, because that&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re known for,&rdquo; DeRosa said. &ldquo;Other websites don&rsquo;t offer a local flavor but we do because we use local vendors.&rdquo;

In DeRosa&rsquo;s case, the omni-channel initiative has translated to customers from far and wide&mdash;including those from 150 miles away in North and South Dakota. This has meant that DeRosa and her team have had to nail down their shipping process, but DeRosa shared that the transition has been seamless.

&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve really honed the process over the last year since we introduced [the omni-channel program],&rdquo; DeRosa said. &ldquo;We have a dedicated computer that alerts us when orders come through, a process for packaging for FedEx to pick up at the end of the day, and a dedicated printer for mailing. Everyone is trained on how to handle the orders, so it&rsquo;s business I welcome.&rdquo;

DeRosa explained that, prior to the omni-channel initiative, much of the business that is now done online was instead done over the phone. Having an online platform that allows customers to see all available inventory makes the ordering process that much more efficient and eliminates the time an employee may have had to check the back room while an inquiring customer sits on hold.

&ldquo;This way saves time and is ultimately more secure because we&rsquo;re not taking credit card orders over the phone,&rdquo; DeRosa said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s translated to a lot of business that wouldn&rsquo;t occur otherwise.&rdquo;

With about a third of the Wild Birds Unlimited system engaged in implementing the initiative and another third slated to begin launch by the end of the year, 2019 promises to be full of continued growth and exceptional service for the brand.

One Year Since Its Introduction, Wild Birds Unlimited’s Omni-Channel Initiative Has Business Soaring to New Heights

1851 Franchise

The initiative connects online sales to local stores through an e-commerce platform that elevates the traditional shopping experience.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

one-year-since-its-introduction-wild-birds-unlimiteds-omni-channel-initiative-has-business-soaring-to-new-heights

Comfort Keepers

Comfort Keepers - Midyear Press Release 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Comfort Keepers® Hits Mid-Year Stride With Strong Franchise Growth and Rising Demand for In-Home Care

comfort-keepers-franchise-midyear-momentum-2025

petbar

petbar - Garrett Dewan - Why I'm Investing - 1851 Franchise

Why Garrett Dewan Is Choosing To Reinvest in petbar

petbar-franchise-austin-garrett-dewan-multi-unit

Paris Baguette

NJBIZ: Paris Baguette Ramps Up Expansion With New Franchises, Facility and 2030 Growth Target

njbiz-paris-baguette-ramps-up-expansion-with-new-franchises-facility-and-2030-growth-target

Busy Bee Jumpers

Top 10 Reasons To Buy a Busy Bee Jumpers Franchise in 2025

top-10-reasons-to-buy-a-busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-in-2025

Home Halo

home-halo-former-athletes-frachisees-image

Why Former College Athletes Can Make Winning Home Halo Franchise Owners

former-college-athletes-home-halo-franchise

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down - Breaking News - 1851 Franchise

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down Amid Challenges, Leaving Franchisees Facing Uncertainty

wendys-ceo-transition-kirk-tanner-franchisee-uncertainty

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Photo of Roof Scientist truck and trailer

Roof Scientist Expands Into Northern Indianapolis as Entrepreneur Dale Speckman Launches New Business in Fishers

roof-scientist-expands-into-northern-indianapolis

Image of Donald Trump pointing with red stripes in the background

August 1 Tariff Deadline Is Said to Have ‘No Extensions’: What This Could Mean for Franchises

august-1-tariff-deadline-franchise-impact

What June’s Jobs Report Means for the Franchise Industry

what-junes-jobs-report-means-for-the-franchise-industry

Unlocking Superpowers: How KidStrong Is Building the Next Generation of Confident Kids — and Thriving Franchise Owners

kidstrong-franchise-confident-kids

Image of a kid growing up, developing with kidstrong, high fiving and smiling. 

How KidStrong has Become the Franchise Disrupting Child Development by Partnering with Purpose-Driven Franchise Owners 

kidstrong-franchise-opportunity-child-development

Picture of kids for franchise business Kidstrong which focuses on child development and fitness

KidStrong Is Pediatrician-Recommended for Raising Confident, Capable Kids and Families Can't Get Enough

kidstrong-child-development-program

Bringing Robots to Main Street: How Elad Inbar’s RobotLAB Franchise Is Powering the Local AI Revolution

bringing-robots-to-main-street-how-elad-inbars-robotlab-franchise-is-powering-the-local-ai-revolution

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

From Corporate Careers to Community Roots: Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

kansas-couple-opens-childrens-lighthouse-gardner-olathe

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery 

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery in Overland Park, Kansas

paris-baguette-franchise-overland-park-khandelwal

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

One Year Since Its Introduction, Wild Birds Unlimited’s Omni-Channel Initiative Has Business Soaring to New Heights

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS