How do you handle store deliveries with dock restrictions and appointment windows?

How do you handle store deliveries with dock restrictions and appointment windows?

A:For direct-to-store deliveries we work to the receiving constraints on the order: appointment windows, dock height and tail-lift, pallet size, and whether the store takes pallets at all. We confirm these per market before the shipment is booked, because a rejected delivery gets charged twice.

Booking numberOn the carton label
Tail-liftSets pallet height
Cartons onlyCommon in small stores

Four things to confirm before booking

  • Booking-in system — the store reference number has to be on the carton label, not just on the paperwork.
  • Tail-lift or dock leveler — decides pallet height and whether the truck needs a lift.
  • Pallet or carton only — small formats often take cartons but refuse pallets.
  • Access limits — pedestrian zones, mall receiving hours, and curbside restrictions.

Send the store list early

Send receiving hours and access notes with the inquiry. Delivery failures in retail rollouts are almost always an address-and-access problem at the store, not a production problem at the factory.

Shipping stock direct to stores?

See our supply chain capability