Shared inventory can support direct and business orders only when allocation, priority, routing, documents, and integrations are defined by channel.
Use this guide to structure discovery and compare proposed operating terms. Actual product, workflow, system, capacity, facility, carrier, pricing, and service compatibility must be confirmed for your program.
Each channel creates different work
A parcel order, retailer purchase order, wholesale case shipment, and marketplace order may draw from the same inventory while requiring different release timing, labels, documents, packaging, carriers, appointments, and status updates.
Inventory priority must be explicit
Define how stock is allocated, what happens when supply is short, whether inventory can be reserved, who can change channel priority, and how cancellations or retailer changes affect availability.
Questions to bring into discovery
- Channel-specific order and inventory ownership
- Retail routing guides, EDI, labels, documents, and appointments
- Allocation, reservation, priority, and shortage rules
- Channel-level reporting and exception ownership
Treat omnichannel fulfillment as a set of connected but distinct workflows. Confirm each channel instead of assuming one integration and one process cover all orders.
Decision takeaway
Turn the questions into a fulfillment fit review.
Share your products, volume, inventory, channels, systems, packaging, shipping, and returns requirements. We’ll use the details to discuss scope—not make assumptions.