Challenge
The branding team at a large healthcare organization was facing mounting frustration with their company store. Built on a rigid inventory model, the store had become a source of frequent complaints and inefficiencies. Merchandise was rarely refreshed, resulting in stale product selections and limited engagement. The vendor’s policy required all current inventory to be sold before new items could be added, which meant the store was cluttered with unsold items, while best-sellers were often out of stock. Employees shopped outside of the store, which led to brand compliance issues.
Uniforms posed an even greater issue. The hospital’s departments needed scrubs and lab coats with multiple logo options, but the inventory model couldn’t support the customization required. As a result, departments were forced to source their own solutions, leading to inconsistent branding and decentralized purchasing. This fragmented approach diluted the organization’s brand identity and introduced quality control issues.
Shipping inefficiencies only compounded the problem. Orders were fulfilled individually, resulting in higher shipping costs and longer delivery times. The organization lacked visibility into spending trends and had no streamlined way to control or approve orders before they shipped. Ultimately, the hospital needed a modern, scalable, and flexible solution that would bring uniformity and control to their brand and merchandise programs.
Opportunity
The client saw an opportunity to transform not just their store, but how their entire organization engaged with branded merchandise. They needed a platform that could serve the diverse needs of 15,000 employees, offer product flexibility without managing large inventories, and ensure every item ordered supported the brand. The goal was to centralize purchasing, eliminate inefficiencies, and give departments the tools they needed to be self-sufficient while staying on brand.
By implementing a program that allowed for logo flexibility, order approval controls, and detailed reporting, the branding department could reestablish control over the company’s visual identity and create a much-improved experience for employees and administrators alike.
Solution
The hospital partnered with iCoStore to build a completely custom, on-demand company store tailored to the needs of their organization. iCoStore replaced the inventory-heavy model with a scalable on-demand platform offering a much broader product selection with very little inventory required. Popular apparel, gifts, and uniforms were now decorated on demand, removing the risks of dead stock and allowing for continuous updates based on employee needs and feedback.
iCoStore also introduced multiple logo options within the store, enabling departments to order the branded scrubs and apparel they needed without going off-platform. Authorized buyers were given access to department-specific products and could place orders that were approved in advance, simplifying accounting and ensuring cost center compliance.
A custom shipping program was established to consolidate orders being delivered to the same locations, significantly cutting down on costs and improving delivery speed. And through robust reporting tools, the branding department could finally track usage, spending, and item popularity across departments and locations.
Results
The transformation was immediate and impactful. Employees embraced the new store, now filled with high-quality, relevant, and refreshed merchandise. Departments no longer needed to source items independently, which helped restore brand consistency across the organization. The on-demand model eliminated the inventory constraints and out-of-stock issues that had plagued the previous system.
The client saw major improvements in administrative efficiency. Orders were easier to manage, reporting offered new visibility into trends, and budget controls were clearly defined. Shipping became more affordable and predictable thanks to the consolidated delivery structure. Most importantly, the store became a strategic asset rather than a burden.
Beyond the Launch
Since the successful launch of the main store, iCoStore has worked closely with the client to create 10 additional department-specific stores. These include:
- A dedicated scrub store for Medical Group employees with anniversary redemption functionality.
- A personalized lab coat store for doctors.
- Incentive-based programs for nurse recognition.
- A branded merchandise program to support foundation fundraising efforts.
Each new store solved a unique departmental challenge, and together, they created a cohesive, organization-wide system for brand-aligned, on-demand merchandise. What started as a fix for a failing store became a strategic branding initiative across the healthcare system.
