Crossdocking: from inbound delivery to customer, without interim storage
Afosto links your WMS, stores and webshop together, so inbound stock heads straight in the right direction. No separate tools, no manual lists, no delay.
What is crossdocking?
Crossdocking is a logistics method where inbound goods are not stored, but forwarded straight to their final destination: a customer, store or distribution point. The goods pass through the warehouse or store as a pass-through point, not as a storage spot.
For e-commerce retailers this means, in concrete terms: a webshop order that comes in is matched to stock that already sits in a store or that arrives that same day from a supplier. Without storing it first, without an extra handling step.
How is this different from regular picking?
- With standard picking you take an item from a fixed storage location after receipt.
- With crossdocking you skip that storage step: the item goes straight from receipt to shipment or pickup.
- The result: shorter lead times, lower storage costs, less chance of a miscount.
The model works best if you already have several sales locations or warehouses, and if you want to synchronise inbound deliveries with open orders. Exactly the situation Afosto built crossdocking for.
How does crossdocking work in Afosto?
Afosto handles crossdocking entirely within one platform, so you never need a separate WMS tool, planner or spreadsheet on the side. The system links three things together automatically: open webshop orders, available store stock and scheduled inbound deliveries.
Step 1: automatic delivery requests every morning
Every morning Afosto generates delivery requests based on:
- Open webshop orders that need to be processed today
- Current stock levels per store location
- Expected inbound deliveries from suppliers
The requests appear straight in the ScanApp. No email, no list, no discussion needed.
Step 2: store employee scans and sets aside
The employee in the store sees in the ScanApp exactly which items to set aside. They scan them, confirm the quantity and close the delivery request. By the time the courier or the distribution vehicle comes by, the items are ready.
Step 3: order is processed automatically
As soon as the delivery request is closed, Afosto updates the order statuses: in the webshop, in the WMS and in your reporting. The customer receives an automatic update. No double entry, no manual status change.
Black Friday as an example
Say you expect a peak day. You have 400 open orders and know a delivery is arriving at your main location that morning. Afosto recognises which orders can be filled from that delivery, creates delivery requests per store and makes sure the ScanApp employees are already at work before the truck reaches the door. No planning session, no Excel file.
What sets crossdocking in Afosto apart from separate logistics tools
Automatic delivery requests
Afosto generates delivery requests every morning based on open orders and current store stock. No manual planning, no discussion: the ScanApp directs your employees straight away.
WMS, POS and webshop in one system
In Afosto, crossdocking works as part of the same platform as your point of sale, your webshop and your stock management. Status updates are real time, with no synchronisation problems between separate tools.
Store stock as a fulfilment source
Webshop orders do not necessarily have to come from a central warehouse. Afosto can use store stock as a fulfilment point, handy when you run several locations.
Linked to inbound deliveries
Expecting a delivery from a supplier? Afosto can link inbound goods straight to open orders, so products never sit on a shelf unnecessarily.
Shorter lead time per order
Because the storage step falls away, less time passes between order and shipment. That is noticeable for the customer and for your operational capacity on busy days.
Process bundled orders smartly
Several orders to the same customer or location? Afosto bundles delivery requests automatically, so you do not have to pick or scan separately per order.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about crossdocking in Afosto
Clear answers to what retailers and webshop operators ask most before setting up crossdocking.
Which retailers is crossdocking in Afosto suited to?
Crossdocking in Afosto is most valuable if you have several locations or storage points and want to fulfil webshop orders from those locations, without a central warehouse as an interim step. Typical users are Dutch and Belgian retailers with 2 to 50 stores that also sell online through their own webshop or channels like bol.com.
Do I need a separate WMS alongside Afosto for crossdocking?
No. Afosto has its own WMS built in. Crossdocking is a feature inside it, so no external connection is needed. The ScanApp, the delivery requests, the order statuses and the stock updates all run through the same system. You do not have to buy or connect any extra software.
What is the ScanApp and how do employees use it for crossdocking?
The ScanApp is Afosto's mobile app for warehouse and store employees. With crossdocking, employees see automatically every morning which items to set aside, based on the delivery requests the system has generated. They scan the items, confirm the quantities and close the request. No paper lists, no phone calls to head office.
Can I combine crossdocking with my existing Shopify or Magento webshop?
Yes, Afosto connects with Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento through API. Webshop orders that come in through those channels can be picked up straight away by the crossdocking system in Afosto. You do not have to migrate your existing webshop first to start using crossdocking.
How is crossdocking different from plain Ship from Store?
Ship from Store means store stock is used as a fulfilment source: the order is shipped from the store. Crossdocking goes a step further: goods are not stored in the store, but only pass through the location as a hand-off point. Afosto supports both methods and combines them based on availability and order priority.
What happens to order statuses in the webshop once a crossdock order is processed?
As soon as the delivery request is closed in Afosto, the system updates the order status automatically, including in the connected webshop and in your reporting. The customer receives an automatic update. No manual status change needed.
Link inbound deliveries straight to open orders, without extra tools
Crossdocking in Afosto works with your WMS, ScanApp and webshop from day one. Try the platform for free or book a demo to see how it fits your operation.