Flash sales turned into logistical nightmares. Holiday spikes left orders stranded. And the team? They were stuck in a never-ending game of catch-up, putting out fires instead of focusing on growth.

“We were overwhelmed,” admits Marcus Hatcher, CEO of TAO Clean. “Our in-house logistics couldn’t handle the demand, and our previous fulfillment partner? Let’s just say we were constantly blindsided by hidden fees and missed deadlines.”

While TAO Clean had perfected the art of clean, they were struggling with the art of fulfillment.

The Challenge: When Growth Becomes a Grind

Before partnering with ShipMonk, the TAO Clean team was trapped in a cycle of “fulfillment fire drills.” Their rapid growth, which should have been a cause for celebration, was creating significant operational stress.

The problems were multifaceted and all-too-common for a scaling ecommerce brand:

1. Inability to Scale: Seasonal surges and flash sales overwhelmed their previous provider. “With previous experiences, it would take days or sometimes weeks to get caught up on backorders,” Hatcher recalls. This meant frustrating delays for customers, especially during the critical Q4 holiday rush.
2. Operational Blackouts: A warehouse that closed on weekends meant orders from Friday to Sunday piled up, creating a massive backlog and delaying shipment until the following week.
3. Hidden Costs & Waste: The team felt they were constantly being “gouged and nickel-and-dimed” with opaque billing and surprise charges. Worse, their meticulously designed products were being shipped in oversized boxes with excessive, costly filler. “It was just complete waste,” says Ryan Mongan, TAO Clean’s Founder, “and they were seemingly doing it just to pad the bills.”

The ultimate cost wasn’t just financial; it was a cap on their potential. The fear of logistical failure was forcing them to think smaller. “In the past, we were absolutely held back,” Hatcher admits. “If you don’t have logistics right, it’s going to cost you in customer service, sales, and planning.”

The Solution: Finding a True Partner

TAO Clean knew they needed more than a vendor; they needed a true fulfillment partner who could operate as a seamless extension of their business. Their search led them to ShipMonk.

The difference was clear from the start. They weren’t just sold on features; they were welcomed into a partnership. “When we were first looking at onboarding, we visited the California location,” Hatcher says. “The tour, the transparency… it just felt like an extension of our own business.”

ShipMonk immediately addressed their key pain points by offering:

• 7-Day-a-week operations to eliminate weekend backlogs

• Transparent billing with no surprises

• Proven scalability to handle their massive Q4 spikes.

• Strategic locations that set them up for future international expansion.

“It came down to working seven days a week, quick SLAs, and the promise for transparency in the billing cycle,” Hatcher explains. “It checked all the boxes.”

The Results: The Art of Scale

Since making the switch to ShipMonk, TAO Clean has transformed its logistics from a liability into a competitive advantage. The results speak for themselves:

• 100%+ Business growth since the partnership began.

• Effortlessly scaled from an estimated 2,000 orders/day to handling peaks of over 5,000 orders/day in a 24-hour turnaround.

• 10-20% reduction in shipping costs by utilizing right-sized packaging and eliminating waste.

• Renewed focus on growth by removing logistics as a daily concern.

The most telling moment came during their busiest season. After forecasting a peak of 2,000 orders a day, a successful holiday campaign sent a surge of 5,000 orders in a single day. ShipMonk didn’t flinch. “ShipMonk was able to turn that around in 24 hours,” says an impressed Hatcher. “We blew out our forecast and really put the flexibility to the test.”

This newfound reliability has allowed the TAO team to stop worrying about getting orders out and start focusing on what they do best: building their brand. “Our team’s focus has been on planning, marketing, and how to get more inventory to ShipMonk, because ShipMonk does a great job getting it out,” Mongan says.

The ShipMonk Effect: Trust, Transparency, and Scalability

For TAO Clean, the relationship with ShipMonk has been about more than just logistics—it’s been about trust. “With our previous experience, we felt like we were being gouged and nickel-and-dimed,” Hatcher recalls. “ShipMonk’s transparency was a game-changer. What we agree to upfront is what we get. No surprises, just trust.”

That trust extends to the little things, too. From selecting the perfect box size to ensuring every package is shipped on time, ShipMonk’s attention to detail has made all the difference. “It’s the kind of partnership that lets you sleep at night,” Hatcher says with a smile.

Dreaming Bigger, Scaling Smarter

With logistics no longer a bottleneck, TAO Clean is setting its sights on international markets. Plans are already underway to expand into Canada and Europe within the next 6-12 months, and ShipMonk will be right there with them, ensuring a seamless transition.

“ShipMonk has given us the confidence to dream bigger,” Hatcher says. “I’m able to confidently write a number for double or triple growth for the next two to three years because logistics is not a concern. In the past, we were absolutely held back. If you don’t have logistics right, it impacts customer service, sales, and planning—all aspects of the business.”

When asked to describe the relationship in one sentence, Hatcher doesn’t hesitate:
“A trusted partner we don’t have to worry about.”