For B2B retailers running on BigCommerce, native invoicing tools rarely keep up once order volume climbs into the hundreds a day, especially when shipments cross borders and each market needs its own paperwork. GTSE ran into exactly that wall as its catalog grew, and has spent the last six years solving it with Printout Designer, built on PDF Generator API.
From Go Cable Ties to a Multi-Category Trade Supplier
GTSE started out in 2011 as Go Cable Ties, an online-only seller of, unsurprisingly, cable ties. The business has grown considerably since then, expanding well beyond its original niche.
“We started out as a company called Go Cable Ties, and we just sold cable ties. Since then we’ve expanded our product range dramatically, to about 25,000 SKUs on the website now.”
That range now spans cable ties and tape, alongside signage and warehousing and safety equipment, sold in bulk to trade and industrial customers rather than individual consumers.
The Challenge: BigCommerce Wasn’t Built for GTSE’s Paperwork
Behind each order sits a different mix of paperwork, depending on the customer’s payment method and where the order is shipping. BigCommerce’s built-in invoicing tools were never built for that kind of variety, and doing any of it by hand would only get harder as GTSE’s catalog and order volume kept growing.
“It’s no secret that BigCommerce’s invoicing functionality is not fantastic, so we’ve really become reliant on Printout Designer.”
That reliance grew into a fully automated setup covering every document GTSE sends.
The Solution: Email Automation Built Around GTSE’s Own Rules
GTSE runs all of its BigCommerce documentation through Printout Designer’s BigCommerce app, using its automatic emails feature to cover every document type the business needs.
“We use it for sending pro forma invoices, VAT invoices, purchase orders and commercial invoices for shipping internationally.”
Deciding which of those goes out, and when, is down to Printout Designer’s automation rules rather than anyone on GTSE’s team. That kind of automation carries real weight in the day-to-day operation.
“It’s hugely important. We send invoices based on the different payment methods within BigCommerce.”
Templates themselves are built and adjusted with the platform’s drag-and-drop editor.
“All of our invoice templates are unique, or custom-edited. I think the editor is really good. It’s always given us the functionality to do what we wanted it to do.”
Purchase orders get their own logic for GTSE’s drop-shipping suppliers: certain product brands are tied to a specific supplier, and when a customer orders a product from one of those brands, the matching purchase order goes out to that supplier automatically.
“That’s the main automation we’ve done so far. Everything else we just take manually from here.”
Two Stores, Two Accounts
GTSE’s growth eventually reached beyond the UK, into a dedicated US operation at gtsegroup.com that runs on its own, second Printout Designer account, since each account maps to a single BigCommerce store rather than a single company.
“We operate in a similar model over there, just with a bit more of a refined product range. We really only do cable ties and tape in the US.”
Between the two accounts, Printout Designer now handles the invoicing and shipping paperwork behind every GTSE order, on either side of the Atlantic.
The Impact: Hundreds of Automated Emails a Day
GTSE now sends around 200 automated emails a day through Printout Designer, across every document type the team relies on, without anyone drafting one by hand.
The setup has also proven sticky. Asked what GTSE would do without it, the answer pointed to options that exist mainly on paper.
“Either our ERP would send them straight from NetSuite, or we’d potentially look at the B2B edition of BigCommerce. But honestly, for the price of it, that’s just overkill for us. We wouldn’t need all the features.”
That satisfaction extends to the everyday experience of using Printout Designer itself.
“We’ve been happy with the experience so far.”
Conclusion
Six years later, GTSE still runs its invoicing, purchase orders and international shipping documents through Printout Designer’s email automation, built on top of BigCommerce rather than around its limits. As GTSE keeps growing its BigCommerce operations in both the UK and the US, GTSE and Actual Reports continue refining the setup together, one automation rule at a time.
Related
Automate every document your orders need
Start your 14-day free trial. No credit card required.