Interview with Ben Jones - Head of E-commerce at Osprey London

Hi Ben, You are Head of E-commerce at Osprey London. Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself and your background? And how did you end up at Osprey London?

I’ve been working in E-commerce and retail for over 15 years, but my journey into the industry was somewhat unconventional. It started in 2008 when I was working in the service department of a group of motorbike shops in the UK. I quickly became interested in the tech and retail side of the business, and when I noticed a backlog of unsold stock—gloves, helmets, and accessories—I saw an opportunity. That’s when I set up our first online store using a £10/month platform called ePages, marking my first step into E-commerce.

Despite doing everything the hard way, the experience taught me a huge amount about digital retail, business strategy, and problem-solving, all through hands-on learning. After eight years, I decided it was time for a new challenge and moved into consultancy, aiming to transition into the fashion and lifestyle sector.

In 2017, an opportunity came up at Osprey London, and I was immediately drawn to the brand’s family-owned heritage and the chance to work with beautifully crafted products that aligned with my own interests. The timing was perfect, as Osprey had recently migrated to Magento, and I was excited about the potential to grow and develop the brand’s digital presence. Fast-forward to today, and I’m proud to be leading E-commerce for a brand that blends craftsmanship, heritage, and modern retail in such a unique way.

You’ve recently migrated your tech stack, tell us a bit about your experience? Why you made certain choices? What was the initial vision behind the re-platforming project for Osprey London?

The decision to replatform was driven by the need for unified systems and real-time data. Our previous setup had disparate systems that didn’t integrate well, leading to inefficiencies. The vision was to create a single source of truth and improve data consistency across the business. We started with an ERP replatform and discovered Centra through our point of sale system, Sitoo. Centra’s headless options and fashion focus aligned perfectly with our goals.

What were the primary goals for the e-commerce team with the new platform, and how do they align with Osprey London’s broader business objectives?

The primary goals were to ensure seamless integration of systems, elevate the brands presentation, and unify data across the board. We wanted to ensure all systems could communicate effectively, supporting both online and offline channels. This alignment with broader business objectives allows us to offer a cohesive customer experience and support future growth.

What led you to replatform? What challenges did you have with your old set up?

Our old setup had inconsistent data and poor integrations, which led to operational inefficiencies. There was no single source of truth, and the integrations were flakey, making it difficult to get real-time insights. This lack of cohesion was a major driver for the replatforming project.

How did you ensure that the new platform met both current needs and future scalability for Osprey London?

We focused on flexibility and the ability to integrate with various systems. By choosing a platform like Centra, we ensured that we could adapt to future needs and expand as required. The platform’s composability allows us to introduce new functionalities and scale as needed.

How did you balance the various demands of brand representation, customer experience, brand, and technical functionality?

It was a collaborative effort with Lana, who focused on the brand and front-end representation while I managed the technical backend. We made sure that tech enabled a better customer experience while maintaining the brand's integrity. This balance ensures that both the brand and technical aspects are aligned to deliver a seamless experience.

What were the main factors you considered when selecting the platform for the re-platforming, and how did they support Osprey’s e-commerce needs?

We considered the flexibility, integration capabilities, and the fashion focus of the platform. Centra’s headless options and ability to control the brand story were key factors. We wanted a platform that could support our e-commerce needs while providing the flexibility to adapt to future changes.

How does the new platform architecture support scalability, and what are the benefits for handling peak shopping times?

The architecture allows us to handle increased traffic without lag, especially during peak times. During our last big holiday sale, we experienced a seamless operation with no delays in order processing, which was a significant improvement from our previous setup.

What challenges did you face in optimizing the platform’s speed and performance for a seamless user experience?

We worked on setting up the technical aspects properly, which led to an increase in organic traffic. While there’s always room for improvement, the site is quicker than before. We continue to focus on optimising page speed and performance to ensure a seamless user experience.

How did you approach integrating the new platform with Osprey’s existing systems, such as inventory, CRM, or marketing automation?

We used an integration platform to ensure all systems could communicate effectively, avoiding out-of-the-box point-to-point integrations which often don’t align with business processes. This approach allows us to maintain flexibility and ensure seamless communication between systems.

What were some of the most challenging aspects of the re-platforming from an e-commerce perspective, and how did you address them?

The most challenging aspect was the integration of transactional emails from a technical standpoint. However, we now have beautifully branded emails, enhancing the customer experience. Timings were tight, but managed to launch successfully by focusing on essential features, iterating post-launch and making the right priorities.

If you could go back, is there anything you would have done differently?

We might have started the QA process earlier to mitigate the learning curve post-launch. However, given the timing constraints, we managed well. It’s important to be flexible and adapt to changes as they arise.

With e-commerce becoming increasingly competitive, how does Centra as a platform position Osprey for future growth?

Centra allows us to quickly adapt to changes and implement new functionalities, giving us a competitive edge in design and brand storytelling. The ability to integrate seamlessly with other systems positions us well for future growth and expansion.

I know you have been talking a bit about omni, what are your thoughts and strategy around this? How does the platform support omnichannel strategies, and what benefits does it bring for both online and offline sales alignment?

Our strategy focuses on increasing available inventory in stores and offering a seamless experience across channels. Centra supports order in-store and return in-store functionalities, enhancing customer convenience. We aim to align online and offline sales to provide a cohesive customer experience.

Speaking of strategic questions, I’m curious about how you work with localisation now that you work with Centra who supports this flawlessly? And what’s your strategy around localisation moving forward?

We’re launching a US site with a curated range, content, localised payments and customer service pages. Centra’s flexibility allows us to easily adapt content and payment methods for different regions. Moving forward, we plan to explore other markets and tailor our offerings based on regional needs