Ship from store

Ship from store fulfils online orders using stock held in retail stores. It can bring goods closer to customers, but accurate stock records and suitable packing processes are needed to avoid disrupting in-store sales.

Orders may be directed to a store because it is near the customer or has stock unavailable elsewhere. Store teams then perform picking, packing and carrier handover in addition to normal trading. The system needs to allow for displayed, damaged or reserved goods that may appear in stock but are unsuitable for dispatch.

For example, a retailer may ship a coat from a branch rather than its central warehouse to shorten delivery. Order routing decides which location should supply it. Order accuracy and dispatch performance should be monitored because a store's ability to sell an item does not automatically establish its ability to ship it reliably.