How PlanToys Boosted B2B Dropshipping with Shopify Collective

Background

PlanToys started in 1981 with a simple goal: build wooden toys that are safe for kids and the planet. They use renewable rubberwood, water-based dyes and a process that cuts waste. Over time, their products landed in stores from Tokyo to Toronto. But when it came to selling online via partners, they hit a wall. Each retailer required manual uploads of product details, images and price tags via spreadsheets. Inventory checks meant logging into multiple systems. Fulfilling orders came with a risk of human error and wasted hours.

The Challenge

For PlanToys’ team, dropshipping with ecommerce retailers was critical to reach new customers without stocking extra stock. Yet the mix of different software tools meant no real automation. Every product import, price update or stock sync had to be done by hand. They spent hours copying cells, sending attachments and following up when images were missing. A single typo could block an order or show the wrong price. As a result, partners complained about delays, and PlanToys missed chances to capture sales.

Implementing Shopify Collective

PlanToys moved to Shopify and enabledShopify Collective, a built-in feature that lets brands share digital catalogs directly with retailers on Shopify. From the admin panel theyconnected with Lalo, a baby and toddler retailer already on Shopify. Within minutes, all products, descriptions and images flowed into Lalo’s store. There was no new login to learn, no extra fees and no spreadsheets to email. Live inventory levels and orders synced in real time, so PlanToys could process and ship immediately without a manual import.

Results and Impact

By the time November 2022 came around, Shopify Collective accounted for18% of PlanToys’ ordersfor that month. Revenue generated through the integration added up to4.5% of total sales, all with no extra spending on customer acquisition. The team saved dozens of hours each week by cutting out repetitive tasks in spreadsheets. Order errors dropped sharply because of the live sync, and retail partners saw consistent pricing and complete product data every time.

Scaling Beyond a Single Partner

Once the sync with Lalo proved smooth, PlanToys began inviting other Shopify retailers to connect. Each new partner took minutes to set up. The team spotted low stock alerts before orders piled up, thanks to real-time data flow. This meant fewer cancellations and happier customers. Without adding headcount, they grew their dropshipping network by 200% in under six months.

Next Steps

The team plans to test price rules based on volume and geography, again using Shopify Collective. They want to adjust retail prices automatically for EU partners and apply discounts to bulk orders. All of this will happen without writing code or managing external apps.