Cross-docking
Also called cross-dock
Reviewed by Dasha ShakovVP Marketing, Proton
Updated
What is cross-docking?
Cross-docking is moving goods from an inbound truck directly to an outbound truck with little or no time in storage. Distributors cross-dock goods that are already sold or already assigned to a branch, such as special orders and branch restocks, to save handling and space.
Cross-docking example
Twenty cartons that arrive at the DC already allocated to customer orders are sorted at the dock and loaded onto that night’s branch trucks instead of being put away.
Related terms
- Distribution center (DC)A distribution center (DC) is a large warehouse where a distributor receives bulk deliveries, stores them and ships orders to customers or its branches.
- Receiving and putawayReceiving and putaway are the warehouse steps that bring a supplier’s delivery into stock and make it available to sell.
- BranchA branch is one of a distributor’s local locations, with a sales counter, a stocked warehouse and delivery trucks, placed close to the customers it serves.
- Special orderA special order is an order for an item the distributor doesn’t keep in stock, bought from the supplier specifically for one customer.
