After the order
A confirmed order is a promise. Fulfillment is the work of choosing where stock comes from, picking and packing it, and handing it to a carrier with tracking.
Key decisions
- Sourcing: pick the warehouse that minimizes cost and delivery time while having stock.
- Allocation: commit specific units so two orders do not claim the same shelf item.
- Carrier selection: choose a shipper by price, speed, and destination.
- Tracking: record carrier events and surface them to the buyer.
Failure handling
- A warehouse may be short despite the system count, so allow re sourcing to another location.
- Emit status events so downstream systems and the buyer stay informed.
Key idea
Fulfillment sources stock from the best warehouse, allocates specific units, picks and packs, selects a carrier, and tracks the package, with re sourcing when a location falls short.