Okanui adopts NetSuite as overseas growth accelerates

Okanui has adopted Oracle NetSuite's cloud ERP system to support finance and operations as the Australian swimwear and beach apparel retailer expands in Australia and overseas.

The Sydney-founded business chose the system to unify financials and inventory management as sourcing, warehousing and multichannel sales became more complex. The shift also followed problems with earlier systems, which struggled with demand planning and international operations.

Founded in 1978 on Sydney's Northern Beaches, Okanui now operates 10 stores across Australia and sells through online, retail and wholesale channels. With a growing international customer base, it needed a single system to support its broader footprint.

Inaccurate inventory data and manual adjustments had become a significant operational issue, reducing stock visibility and adding work for staff as volumes increased.

According to the retailer, NetSuite is now used across finance, inventory, warehousing and multichannel sales. The software also integrates with Shopify and supports multicurrency transactions, local tax and reporting requirements, and consolidated financial reporting as Okanui enters new markets.

The changes have coincided with rapid growth. Okanui said the business grew by 80 per cent over the past year and warehouse output increased by more than 300 per cent after the system was implemented.

Operational shift

For finance teams, the system has shortened month-end reporting and improved access to information for management decisions. On the supply side, better demand planning and fulfilment processes have helped Okanui manage inventory more effectively as its sales channels have expanded.

The case reflects a broader pattern among retailers replacing separate legacy tools with integrated software as they add online sales, overseas customers and more complex supply chains. For mid-sized consumer brands, inventory accuracy and faster reporting have become more pressing as costs rise and customer expectations increase.

Okanui's expansion across eCommerce, physical stores and wholesale distribution has increased the amount of data moving between sales platforms, warehouse systems and finance functions. Centralising those processes can reduce duplicate work, but projects of this kind also test whether businesses can maintain service levels while growing.

Simon Kasprowicz, Chief Executive Officer of Okanui, said inventory issues had been a main driver of the change.

“Inaccurate inventory and manual data adjustments were major pain points for us,” he said.

“Since implementing NetSuite, we've centralised inventory, automated integrations with platforms like Shopify, and gained confidence in the accuracy of our data. This has freed our team to focus on growth and customer experience rather than troubleshooting system issues. Our business grew by 80 percent last year, which wouldn't have been possible without NetSuite.”

Retail demand

Software suppliers have increasingly targeted retailers with international ambitions that need tighter control over stock, tax compliance and reporting across markets. The challenge is especially acute for apparel businesses, where seasonal demand, product variation and multiple sales channels can quickly expose weaknesses in older systems.

Oracle NetSuite said the Okanui deployment illustrates the pressures facing Australian retailers trying to align inventory and customer demand across markets. It presented integrated finance and operations software as a way to improve stock planning and delivery performance.

Scott Wiltshire, Vice President and General Manager for Australia and New Zealand at Oracle NetSuite, said: “Aussie retailers with global ambition need to ensure their systems are in sync to be able to anticipate customer demand, optimise inventory, and efficiently deliver against customer expectations.”

He added: “With NetSuite, Okanui has been able to leverage the power of the suite to align and automate finance and operations, expand insights, improve decision-making and deliver exceptional customer experiences.”