Customer Success Story: Bondi Sands

Source: Bondi Sands.

Australian made, globally loved brand from Down Under, Bondi Sands, has seen something of a growth spurt this year.

With teams in Australia, the UK, US, and one just beginning to sprout in New Zealand, they’ve needed to change tack to keep up the pace. 

We sat down with Financial Controller Mark Parsons, based in their Aussie office, to find out the challenges faced by Bondi Sands during this growth and how they’ve overcome them.

The Problem: 3 Days Per Month on Reconciliation

With four Shopify stores and two on Amazon, when it came to accounting, the Bondi Sands teams had a lot of manual work to do. 

Reconciling transactions within the correct timeframes, interpreting fees, accurately recording taxes, and balancing multiple payment gateways were just a few of the plates the teams were juggling. 

Mark estimates that each of the three teams would spend a full day a month just comparing receipts to understand revenue, hoping to get as close as possible to an accurate picture. 

It was a slow, exacting process. And as they grew, so did the workload. 

The teams needed a better way. 

“We’d use reports from Shopify to figure out revenue, but issues with finding the correct ones, particularly for Amazon too, was a real problem.

We might not have recorded transactions in the right period.”

The Solution: Automation with A2X 

“We got a recommendation from DEAR who we use for inventory management to try A2X. After a bit of further research, we booked an introductory call with Amy and she helped us choose the right package for our transaction volumes.

After the free trial, we were onboarded seamlessly.”

With all the Shopify and Amazon accounts for Bondi Sands integrated with their Xero accounts in each respective country, Mark says the teams didn’t backdate data but chose to start anew. 

“One of our biggest concerns was interruptions to our business… but everything went smoothly.”

And that issue with matching transactions to the right settlement?

“This is something A2X is really helpful with, it does this automatically, regardless of when you’re getting the cash.”

The Outcome: Saving Time and Peace of Mind 

Now with A2X generating journal summaries for each settlement automatically, the time that teams spend reconciling has halved.

Not only that, but Mark says the peace of mind knowing the accounts are accurate is a huge advantage too. 

His team and those overseas have far better visibility over their books, able to spot any discrepancies or hidden charges without hours of manual labour. 

“It’s a much more automated and simple process now. We have our transactions categorized and posted daily by A2X into Xero… so it’s really just a few checks to ensure numbers look right.” 

This time saved allows the teams to drive the growth in their business, more deeply analyze product profitability, and make strategic decisions based on accurate accounts. 

As Financial Controller, Mark even has a little more time to get involved in the more creative, commercial side of the business, which he enjoys. 

Final Thoughts…

When we asked Mark whether he would recommend A2X to new or existing ecommerce businesses, he said:

“Definitely give it a try! There are much more important things to be focusing on in your business. Reconciling revenue and receipts isn’t one of them when you’ve got a cost-efficient service such as A2X to do it for you. 

Offering a free trial means you can test it out and see if it’s right for you - you still have ultimate control and can check everything before it’s posted.

There’s really no risk to it!”

Start your free trial of A2X for Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Walmart, or multiple channels today!