Zero-Inventory Fulfillment Across Dozens of Vendors

The Challenge

If the data flow between Carewell and a vendor breaks down, the customer doesn’t get their order. By 2020, that model was straining.

Vendor data flows were inconsistent. Purchase order generation was manual and error-prone. Adding a new vendor to the network meant adding more manual work, not less. And their BigCommerce storefront needed a fulfillment backend that could handle the complexity of zero-inventory operations at scale.

Carewell also needed more than a software vendor. They needed a partner who would listen, adapt, and grow with them. Their operations were evolving fast — what worked for five vendors wouldn’t work for fifty.

Why SkuNexus

Multiple engineers recommended Carewell contact SkuNexus based on the platform’s flexibility and out-of-the-box dropshipping capabilities. What sealed the decision was the approach: SkuNexus listened to Carewell’s specific requirements, asked the right questions about their vendor workflows, and demonstrated that the platform could handle the edge cases that a zero-inventory model creates.

The BigCommerce integration was native — no middleware, no third-party connector to maintain. And because SkuNexus provides full access to the source code, Carewell wasn’t locked into a vendor’s roadmap. If their operations needed something custom, they could build it.

The Implementation

Automated Order-to-PO Workflow

When an order enters BigCommerce, it’s automatically imported into SkuNexus. The system identifies the correct vendor for each item and generates a purchase order instantly. No manual data entry. No routing decisions by a human. The PO goes out to the vendor, the vendor ships directly to the customer, and tracking information flows back through the system in real time.

Centralized Vendor Management

Every vendor is managed from a single location within SkuNexus. Each vendor connects to the platform and gets access to manage incoming goods without any compromise of Carewell’s proprietary information. Data flows are standardized, so a vendor added in month six works exactly the same way as a vendor who’s been in the system since day one.

Scalable by Design

The entire architecture was built for Carewell to add vendors without adding complexity. Onboarding a new dropship partner is a configuration task, not a development project. This is what allowed Carewell to scale from their initial vendor base to dozens of suppliers without the system becoming harder to manage.

The Results

Since integrating with SkuNexus in 2020, Carewell has automated their entire zero-inventory fulfillment operation. Purchase orders generate automatically. Vendor communication is centralized. Order accuracy has improved dramatically because every stage of the process is automated.

The operational foundation SkuNexus provided allowed Carewell to focus on what they do best — serving caregivers — while their fulfillment scaled behind the scenes. In the years since implementation, Carewell has achieved milestones that speak for themselves:

#74 on Inc.’s 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America (2021).

#8 on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies for Retail (2021).

#1 on InHerSight’s Best Health, Wellness and Fitness Companies to Work For.

One of Forbes’ 100 Most Customer-Centric Companies (2022).

$30 million in venture capital funding, validating that their operational model works — and that investors see the infrastructure to support continued growth.

“SkuNexus listened to our requests. They were open to ideas and made recommendations to make our vision come to life. They have been a great partner because they are able to quickly adapt. The SkuNexus functionality was crucial to achieving Carewell’s goal of delivering excellent customer service.”

Bianca PadillaCEO, Carewell

The Partnership

What defines the Carewell–SkuNexus relationship is adaptability. Carewell’s vendor network continues to grow. Their product catalog expands. Their operational requirements evolve. And the platform evolves with them, because it was designed to be extended, not replaced.

For a company that holds zero inventory and depends entirely on vendor orchestration, the fulfillment system isn’t a back-office tool. It’s the business.