Cross-docking Might Just Be What Your Halloween Makeup Store Needs To Thrive

By Daniel Wood


The better informed that consumers become, the more the pressure they put on retailers when it comes to fulfillment. Specifically, the former expect their orders to be delivered quickly, precisely, and for free. Chances are that you've been looking for a way to do this without affecting other areas of your online Utah Halloween makeup store. With that being the case, it's the high time you switched to cross dock operations.

So, what in the world is 'cross-docking' in the first place? It's basically a supply chain model in which inbound goods are shipped directly to customers. Once it's received, inventory is usually unloaded and screened within the same terminal. Products are then sorted based on existing orders and, using pre-selected means of transport, dispatched to their rightful destinations.

Much like every other concept known to man, cross-docking is far from being a universal answer for all supply chain problems. No prizes for guessing that careful planning and effort are mandatory for its successful implementation. Nevertheless, the technique has proved a handy tool for online businesses. So it's only natural that you'll want to take a look at its potential benefits:

Quick Order Turnarounds: Cross-docking can be thought of as a way of linking inbound and outbound ends of a supply chain. Although this doesn't eliminate the need for warehousing, it does give room for faster turnarounds. It's actually commonplace for products to arrive at and depart from a facility in less than 24 hours. This in turn allows orders to be fulfilled quicker, more so when processes are automated.

Increasing Available Space: By speeding up the rate at which inventory is shipped, cross docking will free up room in your warehouse. Of course, there's nothing to keep you from scaling up your product line if other factors allow it. You could also opt to take advantage of the cost savings if you operate from a rented space. Whatever the case, your bottom line will improve significantly.

Less Risk: A cross-dock facility will do away with most of the processes involved in your warehouse setup. This will in turn reduce the amount of handling your inventory experiences, thereby lowering the risk of damage and/or loss. The lean operation will also minimize instances of overstocking as well.

Cost Effective: A cross-docked facility allows shipments headed for a similar end point to be hauled together. This creates fuller loads for each trip, which in turn increases the economy of scale. Each unit product's carbon footprint also shrinks as a result.

Increasing Customer Satisfaction: Who among your customers wouldn't love to have their orders delivered quickly? You don't have to guess, but what's important to note is that adopting cross-docking could make it possible to provide free shipping as well. Although this will require you to sacrifice a fraction of the cost savings, such opportunities are hard to come by.

The biggest concern for any product-dependent business is to match existing demand with supply capacity. Additionally, this is an era where cost-efficiency can be the difference between your success and failure. Cross docking could very well be your ticket out of this catch-22 situation. Of course, proper planning will be key during its implementation.




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