What distribution covers, the transport modes available, and what to check before choosing a distribution partner.
A distribution service means collecting goods from the warehouse and delivering them to defined destinations. Simple as that sounds, it contains vehicle planning, route optimisation, document management, delivery recording and returns handling.
Transport modes
- Part-load: loads from different customers share one vehicle and share the cost
- Full truckload: one customer's load fills one vehicle — the fastest and most controlled option
- Inner-city distribution: vans running daily planned routes within the city
- Pallet-based shipping: priced on standard pallet dimensions, common for warehouse-to-warehouse transfers
Choosing a distribution partner
Price alone is not the decision criterion. Ask how delivery performance is measured, what procedure applies to damaged shipments, how shipment status will be reported to you, and how capacity is planned during peak periods. A company with clear answers to those four questions is usually a good partner.
Buying it together with warehousing
Taking warehousing and distribution from the same provider removes the information loss between them. When picking and vehicle planning run in the same system, you know in advance when a shipment will be ready and which vehicle it will travel on. That shortens delivery time and puts accountability in one place.
