Heavy, bulky building materials are a nightmare to deliver profitably.
One missed time window on a construction site, one damaged pallet, or one inefficient route across Manchester and the North West can wipe out the entire margin on a £800+ order.
Brick & Beam Supplies, a fast-growing independent e-commerce store based in Greater Manchester, UK, was struggling with exactly that problem in late 2025.
After switching to Wodely (formerly WooDelivery) in February 2024, the results have been remarkable:
- 32% reduction in last-mile delivery costs
- On-time delivery rate to construction sites and trade customers jumped from 68% to 94%
- Average order value increased by 41% (customers loved the reliable scheduling)
- Failed or damaged deliveries dropped by 78%
- Monthly delivery cost savings of £6,200+ while increasing monthly orders from 420 to 680
Here’s the full story.
About Brick & Beam Supplies
Founded in 2022 by brothers Alex and Jamie Patel, Brick & Beam Supplies is an online specialist in timber, bricks, roofing materials, tools, and landscaping products. They serve builders, small contractors, renovation companies, and serious DIYers across the North West of England (Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, and surrounding areas).
Their average order is bulky and heavy (£650–£1,200), often requiring specific 2–4 hour delivery windows to busy construction sites.
The Challenges Before Wodely (2023)
- Manual route planning in spreadsheets and Google Maps → chaotic, high-mileage routes
- Frequent late or missed site deliveries → angry builders and lost repeat business
- Drivers struggling with vehicle capacity and loading order (heavy pallets first)
- No proper proof-of-delivery system → disputes over damaged goods
- Customers constantly calling for updates → 40–50 calls per day
- Rising diesel costs and van maintenance eating 28% of gross margin
Jamie Patel (Operations Director) said they were “losing money on every other delivery” and knew they had to fix it before scaling further.
Why They Chose Wodely
After testing four other UK-focused platforms, they picked Wodely because:
- Extremely affordable pricing that actually scales with growing order volume
- Strong vehicle capacity & load optimisation (perfect for heavy building materials)
- Native Shopify integration + excellent UK support (they were live in just 3 days)
- Built-in extensions for click & collect and vehicle management
How Wodely Transformed Their Delivery Operations
1. Smart AI Route Optimisation for Bulky Loads Wodely automatically factors in vehicle weight/volume capacity, delivery time windows, site access restrictions, and traffic. Routes now load heavy items first and group deliveries by postcode zones efficiently.
2. Real-Time Live Tracking & Site-Friendly Notifications Construction site managers receive branded tracking pages with accurate ETAs and WhatsApp/SMS updates. Drivers can mark “arrived on site” and add photos of safe unloading.
3. Professional Proof of Delivery Every delivery requires photo + signature + barcode scan. All PODs are stored automatically and linked to the order — eliminating 95% of damage disputes.
4. Click & Collect + Scheduled Bookings Customers can now book specific delivery slots or choose free click & collect at their Manchester warehouse — reducing road deliveries by 18%.
5. Seamless Shopify Integration Orders flow automatically from their Shopify store into Wodely. No more double entry.
Results After 10 Weeks with Wodely (March 2026)
| Metric | Before Wodely | After Wodely | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-time delivery rate | 68% | 94% | +26% |
| Last-mile delivery cost per order | £18.40 | £12.50 | -32% |
| Monthly delivery cost | £19,300 | £13,100 | -£6,200 |
| Failed / disputed deliveries | 21 per month | 4–5 per month | -78% |
| Average monthly orders | 420 | 680 | +62% |
| Average order value | £680 | £960 | +41% |
Jamie Patel, Co-Founder & Operations Director: “Wodely has completely changed how we operate. The AI routing understands that we’re carrying 800kg of bricks or 4-metre timber, not small parcels. Our drivers finish earlier, customers are much happier, and we’ve actually increased our average order value because builders now trust us to turn up when we say we will. For a small independent like us, the low price and fast setup made it a no-brainer.”
Key Takeaways for UK Building Materials & Trade E-Commerce Stores
- Bulky goods need route software that truly understands weight, volume, and site constraints — not generic parcel tools.
- Reliable scheduling and real-time tracking turn one-time buyers into loyal trade accounts.
- You don’t need expensive enterprise software to get professional results — Wodely delivers enterprise power at SMB prices.
Ready to Make Your Deliveries Profitable Again in 2026?
If you’re a UK e-commerce store selling building materials, timber, landscaping products, or any bulky goods, Wodely is built exactly for businesses like yours.
Thousands of companies across 60+ countries (including many in the UK) are already using it to cut costs, delight customers, and grow faster.
Start your free 14-day Wodely trial today — no credit card required. Import your Shopify orders and run your first optimised routes in minutes.
Have you got similar delivery challenges with heavy or bulky products? Tell us in the comments, and we’d love to help more UK trade stores succeed.