Rebuilding eCommerce Order Communications

Chameleon Collective embedded with Smith to map the post-purchase journey. After reviewing global customer needs, returns rules, exclusions, holiday windows, and outbound tracking requirements the evidence was clear that a change was needed. The goal was not just to replace software. It was to build a cleaner operating model.

Smith selected AfterShip Tracking & Returns to sit alongside Shopify Plus. AfterShip natively  integrated with Smith’s tech stack out of the box: Attentive, Klaviyo, and Gladly. It also gave the merchandising team more control, reducing reliance on developers and Shopify admin resources when products launched or retired.

Chameleon helped connect AfterShip to Smith’s backend. AfterShip’s open API enabled a more direct link between Smith’s US and EMEA-based ERPs without rebuilding a tangled OMS integration. We also unified order-based communications through Klaviyo, creating one source of truth for outbound and reverse logistics.

Smith turned a fragmented operations tool into a stronger customer channel. The new system lowered resource demands, spread ownership across teams, and gave business users more speed and control. Customers received clearer updates, while Smith gained better shipment visibility through AfterShip’s dashboard. Transit emails reached open rates above 77% and click rates near 30%. Those clicks brought customers to a branded Shopify page powered by AfterShip, where Smith could inform, cross-sell, and capture interest. Chameleon helped Smith build a post-purchase experience designed to perform.

More Features, Less Cost: When Smith Optics announced their intention to migration to Shopify, their previous provider proposed charging $10k in migration fees — on top of an existing $2k/year fee to connect their CS platform (Gladly). This accelerated the decision to switch entirely rather than migrate in place. AfterShip did not charge a migration fee and had all of Smith’s tech stack integrations built in out-of-the-box.

Positive User & Business Outcomes: Smith recognized more than just cost savings and a better back-end user experience. They also saw gains for their customers.

Average return processing time - the days from return request submitted to refund issued dropped to under 3 days, total.

Exchanges launched for the first time - Smith went from zero exchange capability to a live, automated exchange flow on day one.

The Warehouse team was fully operational with the new system within weeks. Returns were fully automated with scanner-based intake with real-time stats available to the front-of-house business owners and administrators.

Confidence in the solution: Smith launched AfterShip in parallel with Shopify Plus on schedule. This despite two required ERP integrations and an entirely new workflow with advanced exception logic.

Additionally, one of Smith’s original challenges was response time for supporting their tracking and returns application. After moving to AfterShip, this was resolved. One live support query in under 3 minutes, a real contrast to the slow, non-technical support Smith previously encountered.