How fast does Vakre Vene ship orders after implementing Pio?

Orders ship the next day, even during big sales campaigns.

Did Vakre Vene need more staff to handle peaks?

No. They handle the same volume with just 1/3 of the staff.

How quickly did Vakre Vene scale their automation?

They went from one Pio to two systems, taking about three months from planning to going fully live on the second system.

Stories Vakre Vene

Vakre Vene — Campaigns run smoother, growth runs faster

Vakre Vene

Harstad, Norway

Ecommerce

Stories Vakre Vene

It all started with a dream and a small store. Back in 2010, Richard Bendiksen and his wife took a leap of faith with three small kids at home and a big idea. More than a decade later, that small store has grown into one of Norway’s leading lifestyle retailers, with a strong physical store and a thriving online business. But growing fast meant new challenges.

Growth without chaos.

Next-day shipping

Same volume, 1/3 of the staff

Scaled from 1 to 2 Pios

Industry-leading accuracy

Pio cube storage technology powering scalable warehouse automation for high-volume ecommerce, retail, and 3PL fulfillment.

Employee picking ecommerce and retail orders from Pio warehouse automation port, ensuring next-day shipping and high accuracy.

Scalable warehouse automation with two Pio cube storage systems, handling peak ecommerce and 3PL fulfillment without extra staff.

Organized storage bins inside Pio’s cube storage grid, maximizing warehouse space for B2B, ecommerce, and retail order fulfillment.

Vakre Vene’s Arctic Circle warehouse using Pio cube storage automation to deliver world-class retail, B2B, and ecommerce fulfillment.

The Challenge

Vakre Vene did not plan to shift the majority of their business to ecommerce. It happened overnight. When COVID shut down Norway, they had no choice but to take almost everything online.

During one campaign, orders jumped to 1,000, which the team fulfilled with 12 to 14 people. But the orders kept coming. By Friday, another 400 had arrived and the pace was not slowing down. Shipping still took four to five days, far from their goal of sending orders the day after they received them.

On top of that, their stock was spread across multiple buildings, picking was manual, and fulfillment was falling further behind. They knew this way of working could not be sustained, and it was time to look into warehouse automation for ecommerce.

Fulfillment team completing 1,000+ ecommerce and 3PL orders in a single day using Pio warehouse automation technology.

The Solution

Pio changed everything.

Vakre Vene’s first Pio was installed in their physical store to handle online orders. As the business grew, they moved into a dedicated warehouse and added a second Pio for ecommerce fulfillment, switching the first to supply retail backstock. It took just three months from planning the second system to going fully live.

Now they have an automated warehouse solution that fits their space, matches their pace, and can grow with them. It is simple to set up, easy to scale, and ready to keep up with fast-moving ecommerce, all from Harstad, far above the Arctic Circle.

“Before Pio, it could take us four or five days to ship out during big sales campaigns. Now, everything goes out the next day and we’re doing it with just 1/3 of the people. That’s a winner.”

Richard Bendiksen
Owner and CEO of Vakre Vene

Results and Impact

After switching to Pio, Vakre Vene saw immediate improvements:

Higher Throughput
Now able to handle 1,000+ orders in a single day with a small, focused team.
Faster Fulfillment
Orders ship the next day, no matter how big the campaign.
Scalable Peaks
Even at full speed, the team has time to breathe, plan, and get ahead.
Work-Life Balance
With less manual work and no last-minute rush, workdays end on time even during peaks.

Unexpected Benefits

On top of faster fulfillment and smoother operations, Pio gave the team something just as valuable: control and confidence.

Always in Control
Running big sales campaigns doesn’t cause stress anymore. The cube storage system keeps things moving.
Flexibility
Starting with just one Pio, Vakre Vene quickly scaled to two. They now know how easy it is to grow when demand picks up.
Employee Satisfaction
The team is happier, onboarding is faster, and people actually want to work in the warehouse, even during peak season.

“We had 700 orders today, done before noon, and we still had time for everything else. That’s the difference now. Growth doesn’t feel like chaos.”

Richard Bendiksen
Owner and CEO of Vakre Vene

Looking Ahead

Vakre Vene is not slowing down. With two Pio systems already in place and new campaigns always around the corner, they know they can keep scaling without starting from scratch.

What used to feel chaotic now runs smoothly. From their base in Harstad, they are proving you do not need a massive team or a warehouse in a big city to deliver world-class ecommerce fulfillment.

For Vakre Vene, Pio is how they stay fast, focused, and ready for whatever comes next.

"That’s the difference now. Growth doesn’t feel like chaos."

Richard Bendiksen

Owner & CEO, Vakre Vene

The Results

After integrating Pio, Vakre Vene transformed how they fulfill, grow, and work together.

Process 1,000+ orders in a single day. Handling high volume without the stress, Vakre Vene proves that even small teams can deliver big results with Pio.

Maintain next-day shipping, even during peaks. Campaigns no longer slow them down as orders keep flowing, no matter the volume.

Operate with a lean team and zero compromise on quality. With just 1/3 of the original staff, they now ship faster and more accurately than ever.