Skip to content
Refer a friend and get 6 months free support! Find out more.
a selection of wellies at outdoor retailer Arran Active

Arran Active

Outdoor Retailer Case Study

Discover how this independent family-run business overcame retail challenges to scale and grow by partnering with Intelligent Retail

Arran Active logo - more than an outdoor shop

Arran Active, the largest retailer on the Isle of Arran, Scotland (aside from the local supermarket), has grown from a tiny cottage-based business in 2005 to a key player in the island’s retail landscape.

Specialising in outdoor gear for activities such as hiking, kayaking, and paddleboarding, the company caters to both locals and the massive influx of visitors, which can reach 750,000 annually. With a population of just 5,000 residents, the island’s popularity as a tourist destination makes Arran Active a crucial retail hub, providing clothing, footwear, and specialist equipment for outdoor enthusiasts.

Arran Active is not just a store but a key part of the island's economy. The business supplies local mountain rescue teams with specialised gear and ensures residents and visitors alike have access to essential outdoor products.

Over the years, they have expanded into their 12,000 sq ft store, which boasts scenic views of the sea and mountains and is just a short walk from the island’s ferry port. As their business grew, they chose to partner with us at Intelligent Retail for their multichannel EPoS systems, mobile retail hardware, and integrated eCommerce, which helped them to continue to evolve and succeed while staying true to their independent, family-run ethos.

Meet Richard

Richard from Arran Active on a boat wearing sunglass and cap

Richard is the Operations Director at Arran Active and their 'go-to' man for getting things done in the business. He has a love of the sea and teaches scuba diving around the island, as well as being a member of the Arran Lifeboat Crew.

"We've been with Intelligent Retail for over six years. They have evolved with us every step of the way. I couldn't have done it without the relationship with David and the rest of the Intelligent Retail team."

Richard, Operations Director, Arran Active

arran active camping department in store

The need for a more advanced retail system

When Arran Active expanded their business in 2015, this growth came with the need for a more advanced retail system capable of handling their large and complex product inventory. This meant finding EPoS software that could deal with their 27,000 top level products, handle all the different colour and size variations (82,000 individual SKUs) and their pricing strategies. Many systems they looked at had oversimplified interfaces and couldn't handle the volume and variety of their stock in the way they wanted.

Alongside that, they were looking to upgrade their static website to an eCommerce offering which could be linked to a multichannel system that would help them keep stock levels up to date in real time across the business.

Arran Active also wanted a more mobile retail system that could give staff the flexibility to help customers wherever they are in the store or even outside, without feeling tied to the cash desk.

A flexible & scalable solution arrives

Arran Active partnered with Intelligent Retail in 2017. First, we installed the Connect EPoS Software with its advanced features, such as the hierarchical stock tree, which gave them the power to efficiently manage their stock. "One of the biggest selling points is the stock tree. It would be impossible to manage our inventory without it".

We worked closely with Richard, to design and launch their fully integrated eCommerce website. Allowing Arran Active to link up its instore and online operations seamlessly and provide real time stock availability for a cohesive customer experience. Teamed with an online marketing programme that they describe as "like having a magic EA or PA in the digital world", they see the value of the guidance and support they receive - "it's worth its weight in gold".

The mobile hardware solutions now give the staff at Arran Active the freedom to move around the store with customers, while still having all data at their fingertips. From the 2-in-1 hybrid mobile POS that detaches from the base unit, to the handheld stock management terminals that have been "a game changer" and "improved the customer journey".

Industry / location

Outdoor Retailer

Isle of Arran, Scotland, UK

Integrations / features

Facebook Product Feed

Google Product Feed

PayPal Payments & Pay-in-3

Worldpay

Purchase Ordering

Loyalty Cards

Gift Cards & Vouchers

laptop, tablet and mobile screenwith Arran Active ecommerce website on them
"The SEO programme is definitely worth it; it has helped grow our business up to 125%."

Richard, Operations Director, Arran Active

selection of wellies on boxes in arran active outdoor shop with view of mountain in background

Partnership of growth & innovation

The strong partnership has been the cornerstone of Arran Active's continued growth and success. Richard highlights that the "personal touch that I've gained from Intelligent Retail is key". From working closely with David, their direct contact, to the knowledge and guidance provided by Kiran, their online marketing consultant, and the support of the Helpdesk, he feels "that relationship, and the contacts are really important".

Despite being a small, family-run business, Richard comments "We punch well above our weight for the scale of operation,". This is not only evident in their robust inventory management and multichannel retail strategy, but also in how they've grown their online presence and embraced new mobile hardware solutions to bring their business into the 21st century and improve the customer journey - ensuring they remain a staple of the Isle of Arran's retail scene for years to come.

"Absolutely, I am an advocate of Intelligent Retail. They know our business, and they know our system. I'm not seeing it done better elsewhere"

Richard, Operations Director, Arran Active

arran active outdoor shop view of building with blue sky and mountain

Looking for a retail system?

Are you an independent outdoor retailer struggling to sync your stock across multiple stores in various locations, marketplace channels or online?

Get ready to discover Connect, our multichannel EPoS system designed to help retailers like yourself to manage all your stock from one place, giving you back the time to focus on what matters the most - like growing your business.

Contact us to find out more and book a free personalised no-obligation demo to explore what our software can do for you.

Or simply call us for a chat and to answer any questions you might have.

Book a demo 0845 6800 126*

Get a free quote

Feature highlights for outdoor retailers

Quick view product colour/size matrix

Folderised stock tree inventory

Individual pricing on variants

Mobile POS hardware

On the go stocktake & product lookup

Transfer transactions between tills

On account & deposit feature

Click & collect

Gift vouchers & cards

Powerful built-in suite of reports

Loyalty scheme

Variety of discount schemes

See more customer stories

Hello,

We are very sorry, but the browser you are visting us with is outdated and not complient with our website security.

Please upgrade your browser to a modern secure version to view our website.