Inside Dorwest’s eCommerce Success: From Heritage Brand to Shopify Growth Story, with Ben Boughton-White (episode 572)
Ben Boughton-White is the Operations Director at Dorwest, experts in herbal pet care since 1948. Selling globally via wholesale, marketplaces, Crufts! and their own Shopify store, they now do over 50,000 order a year, and were recently named Online Business of the Year at the Pet Industry Federation Awards.
In this episode, Ben reveals how Dorwest combined tradition and innovation to scale their online business. From a smart Shopify migration to process-driven efficiency and trusted partnerships, he shares practical lessons every eCommerce brand can learn from.
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Dive in:
[04:59] “Morning Walks and Business Success”
[09:00] “End-to-End Quality Control”
[10:40] Trusted Partners Shape Our Brand
[13:38] “Focused Loyalty Approach”
[17:25] Evolving Loyalty Rewards Strategy
[20:53] Listen to Ben’s Top Tips!
Take Your Time with Platform Migrations
Rushing a Shopify migration can lead to missed opportunities and unnecessary headaches. Ben and his team took a steady, strategic approach — adding features slowly and focusing on customer experience first. Instead of chasing every new app, they improved core systems one step at a time. This allowed them to spot what truly made a difference for their customers. The result? A smoother launch, stronger performance, and a platform that actually supports growth.
Build Efficiency Through Documentation
Dorwest runs on process, not guesswork. Every task — from packaging to cleaning — is documented, audited, and refined regularly. This level of structure ensures consistent quality and empowers the team to handle any role when needed. It also means they can spot and fix inefficiencies quickly. For eCommerce owners, documenting your workflows is one of the simplest ways to scale without losing control.
Choose Partners Who Share Your Values
Ben stresses the importance of working with partners who “get you.” When Dorwest migrated to Shopify, they didn’t just look for technical skill — they looked for people who understood their brand and way of working. That alignment made collaboration smoother and results stronger. The lesson? Whether it’s your design agency, tech provider, or logistics partner, shared values lead to better outcomes. It’s not just about expertise — it’s about chemistry and communication.
Keep Control of What Matters Most
While many brands outsource fulfillment, Dorwest keeps assembly, packaging, and dispatch in-house. This gives them full visibility from order to delivery, ensuring top-notch customer experience and consistent product quality. By owning the process, they can fix issues quickly and maintain their high standards. Outsourcing can save time, but control builds trust — and trust builds repeat sales. Knowing which parts to keep in-house is key to long-term success.
Strong Communication Builds Stronger Businesses
Running a family business brings its own challenges, but Ben and his wife make it work through constant communication and trust. They’ve learned to use daily routines — like morning dog walks — to discuss ideas and set the tone for the day. Their openness helps them make faster, better decisions and keeps their team aligned. For any eCommerce leader, open communication is the foundation of a healthy, scalable business. When your team feels heard, your business grows stronger.
eCommerce Book Top Tip
- The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington
eCommerce Traffic Top Tip
- Don’t be afraid to ask awkward questions and make big changes with your tech stack—choosing the right platform (like Shopify for them) can significantly boost traffic, sometimes even without spending more on SEO.
Tool Top Tip
Carbon Top Tip
- Reduce plastic use in dispatch by reusing boxes and shredding old cardboard for packaging, and use fully recyclable materials (like water-based adhesive tape and craft paper) so all packaging can be easily recycled by customers.
Interview links
- Check out Dorwest
- Use the code MASTERPLAN to get 10% off your order!
- Ben on LinkedIn
Related Episodes
- Solving your Tech Stack issues by replatforming with Ashley Hubbard from Grenson Shoes (episode 367)
- The Subscription Business Model: Customer Retention Strategies with Grub Club’s Alessandro Di Trapani (episode 447)
- How do you do a great Re-platform? Our 6 Expert guests share their best tips (episode 463)
- Fast-Tracking Growth: Community, Niching Down, and Multi-Channel Strategies from Dood Woof (episode 559)
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