How a Family-Run Store Simplified Everyday Tasks
Amaton Baby Imports is a family-owned business in Dallas, Texas, that sells party goods for weddings, baby showers, and special occasions.
Managed by Rafael Amaton and Stephanie Amaton, they took over running the store from their parents. As a result, the store has a solid customer base, particularly with the local Hispanic community.
“Our independence helps us stay competitive and in sync with local demand. We offer items that can’t be found elsewhere, bulk buys at really competitive prices, and discounts to local customers,” Rafael explains.
Keen to expand the store's appeal, they have plans to diversify by adding more crafting and do-it-yourself products, running new offers, and, in the longer term, adding eCommerce.
The pandemic stalled their growth plans in 2020, forcing the store to close for four months in 2020. Foot traffic was also impacted due to subsequent in-store social distancing.
However, business picked up considerably in 2021. Their biggest challenge is keeping up with customer demand during supply chain disruptions and finding new employees to expand the team.
Our independence helps us stay competitive and in sync with local demand. We offer items that can’t be found elsewhere, bulk buys at really competitive prices, and discounts to local customers.
Rafael and Stephanie spend their time running the store day-to-day, managing inventory, and serving customers—leaving little time to introduce new product lines or move sales online.
“Logistics companies are understaffed and affected by rising fuel prices, resulting in delays. Our suppliers can’t keep up with our growing demand,” said Rafael.
The introduction of Epicor Propello to run the store's operations gave Amaton a 360˚ view of inventory levels, sales, and pricing, with reports available in just a few clicks.
“We can scan and see everything we need to know about every one of our 15,000 different products, saving trips to the stockroom and removing manual work,” Rafael explains. “For example, we can update the prices for our 200 ribbon styles in just two minutes.”
These insights help to optimize inventory management, ensuring they can adjust promotions, update pricing, and fast-track new inventory orders in line with supply chain and customer demand changes.
They have a positive outlook for the future of the business: “Epicor Propello has completely streamlined how we run our store, which is vital with just two people running the business,” Rafael says. "We can make quick decisions based on live data to meet customer demand and take advantage of the opportunity to grow our business."