David Shallcross on Transforming Supplier-Retailer Partnerships
We spoke with David Shallcross, Collaboration Manager at ASDA House, about his role in helping brands and ASDA work together through ASDA Xpert.
🎥 Highlights Reel (5 mins) below and full video at the bottom of the post (20mins)
Working From Inside ASDA House
David Shallcross has an unusual position. While employed by eStoreBrands, he works from ASDA House, sitting directly with ASDA's e-commerce teams. After 11 years at ASDA, he knows the business inside out - and more importantly, he knows the people.
"I'm sat right next to all of the e-commerce teams," David explains. "I can have conversations fairly quickly. When a particular action comes in, I know who the right person is to talk to, which speeds the whole process up."
This physical presence makes a real difference. When a supplier identifies an opportunity through ASDA Xpert, David can walk over to the relevant team and discuss it immediately. In one case, changes requested in the morning were live on the website within an hour.
What ASDA Xpert Actually Does
ASDA Xpert gives brands access to ASDA's web data - information about how their products perform on ASDA's website and apps that isn't available anywhere else. But as David emphasises, it's not just about having data.
"We bring a collaborative approach," he says. "It's about bringing ASDA and suppliers closer together, putting the right frameworks in place for conversations about taking actions on the website."
David's role has three parts:
- Helping suppliers understand and use the platform
- Taking their recommendations to ASDA teams through weekly forums
- Analysing results afterwards to understand what worked
Real Examples, Real Impact
David shared two examples of how the platform has already helped brands:
The Hidden Bestseller
A grocery product had been declining for 12 months after a pack size change. Nobody had noticed. Using ASDA Xpert, David could see it used to be a category bestseller with high conversion rates when customers found it - it just wasn't visible in search results.
After showing the data to ASDA's team, they moved it from position 50 to position 2 in search. Sales impact: £427,000 annually, with £275,000 in category growth.
The Availability Fix
A floor cleaning brand had poor online availability - customers ordered but products weren't in stores for picking. After identifying the pattern and adjusting supply parameters, availability improved by up to 8.9%. Annual benefit: £16,000.
"When there are loads of products in that situation, the benefits scale up quickly," David notes.
Why Now?
ASDA has just finished a major IT migration project. Their systems are updated, the website has been refreshed, and they're ready to focus on growth.
"Suppliers have been asking ASDA for more detailed web data for years," David explains. "Now's the right time because ASDA is coming out the other side of their transformation."
For brands, this means:
- Access to data that's never been shared before
- A clear process for turning insights into action
- Someone on the inside who can make things happen
How It Works in Practice
The platform itself is straightforward. "Most people can pick it up fairly quickly," says David. Training takes place in the first week, there's a playbook outlining which actions to take for different scenarios, and data updates weekly.
But the real value comes from the collaboration. David holds weekly forums with ASDA's merchandising, activity, and supply teams where supplier requests are discussed. Not every request gets approved, but when there's solid data backing it up, things move fast.
The ASDA teams have been welcoming. As David notes: "Some of the team have said this is the kind of thing they've wanted for a long time."
Looking Forward
"I'm really excited about working closely with suppliers, bringing their ideas into ASDA, and helping both sides have better conversations," David says.
The early results have been encouraging. More suppliers are coming on board, the platform is being refined based on feedback, and the playbook of successful actions is growing.
For David, success is simple: "It's about helping brands and ASDA deliver against their goals. When both sides win, customers get a better shopping experience too."
The Practical Details
Getting started: Onboarding typically happens within a week, with training and platform access
Data updates: Weekly, with daily granularity available
Support: Direct access to David as Collaboration Manager
Results: Early adopters are already seeing measurable sales improvements
Full Video with David Here:
To learn more about ASDA Xpert and how it could help your brand at ASDA, contact our team.
