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Cross-Docking

Cross-docking is an innovative variety of shipping which cuts costs via tight scheduling of unloading and loading goods. Cross-docking is just one of ShipWizard’s many fulfillment services.
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What is Cross-Docking

Anyone considering opportunities to make their supply chain more efficient should be familiar with cross-docking. A shift from the traditional warehousing model, cross-docking is the process of unloading goods at a location to be directly reloaded onto outbound trucks or rail cars to continue their journey. This means that products heading to the same destination can be consolidated into fewer vehicles, creating a more efficient supply chain.
How Is Cross-Docking Beneficial?

Cross-docking involves two general categories: pre-distribution and post-distribution. Both are beneficial and have their particular advantages.

  • Pre-distribution: in this model, predetermined distribution instructions dictate how goods are unloaded, sorted, and repacked. It is known who the customers are before the goods leave the supplier.
  • Post-distribution: in this model, goods are not sorted until demand dictates which facility and customers they will be sent to. This can increase storage times, but retailers and suppliers can make wiser decisions about how to distribute their goods, based on forecasts, in-store inventory, and consumer trends.

General advantages of utilizing cross-docking services include:

  • Reduced costs of storage, because products are spending less time in the warehouse
  • Less inventory handling, meaning lower labor costs, as well as a lower risk of damaging goods, improving general product quality
  • Faster delivery times, which are beneficial for the retailer

The Difference Between Cross-Docking and Warehousing

Both cross-docking and warehousing have the goal of shipping items from a business to a consumer in a cost-effective manner. Where they differ is that standard warehousing systems distribute stocks of product. In cases where temperature-sensitive materials are being shipped, or when goods are arriving on a container or from multiple vendors, cross-docking can be advantageous. Additionally, if your deliveries consistently occur early or late, cross-docking can reduce labor costs.

These aren’t the only differences, though. Cross-docking requires higher levels of coordination between partners, often using advanced technology to maintain a shipping model often referred to as JIT (just-in-time). In situations where both inbound and outbound trucking docks are available at the same cross-docking facility, a warehouse may eschew long-term storage entirely. In these cases, a cross-docking terminal can move inbound product from receivables to outgoing shipping without the need for long-term storage space. As you might imagine, this expedited material handling method significantly reduces shipping times and costs. It does, however, also require significant levels of coordination and reliability. Any delays or snarls in the supply chain can cause knock-on effects.

Cross-Docking with ShipWizard

ShipWizard offers 3PL cross-docking services as part of our suite of e-commerce fulfillment solutions. Our locations in Fort Lauderdale, FL and Phoenix, AZ are well-positioned to receive and dispatch shipments from major import centers such as Los Angeles-Long Beach and Savannah. Our Fort Lauderdale location is also extremely convenient for other Florida-based ports such as Miami, Jacksonville, and of course its local port, Port Everglades. Our service includes integrations with over 60 eCommerce marketplaces, automated shopping carts, and ERPs. We also provide real-time reporting on all our processes, so you can be certain where your products are.

ShipWizard offers 3PL cross-docking services as part of our suite of fulfillment solutions. To learn how ShipWizard can implement cross-docking for your company and save you money, contact us today.