Stores today must find faster ways to deliver items to customers. Online shopping keeps growing bigger. By 2027, it will reach $5.5 trillion and make up 20.1% of all store sales. Regular stores must change how they work to keep up with this trend. One way to do this is Ship From Store, which turns local stores into shipping centers.
Ship From Store fulfillment technology has big benefits. It can deliver items up to two days faster. Moreover, they help stores use their items better in-store or online.
But what is Ship From Store? How can stores start using it? And how can they handle any problems while getting the most benefits? Let’s look at everything stores need to know about this new way of selling.
What is Ship From Store?
Ship From Store (Delivery From Store) is a smart retail concept that transforms physical stores into potent fulfillment centers. Instead of relying solely on centralized warehouses, stores can now directly process and ship online orders by using existing in-store inventory.
This approach routes online orders to the nearest store with available inventory, transforming retail locations into strategic fulfillment centers. The employee in the store can immediately pick, pack, and ship the order via a carrier to the customer. As a result, Ship From Store can create a much more efficient system. This dramatically reduces delivery times while allowing for better inventory management.
Benefits of Ship From Store for Retailers:
- Put inventory closer to the customer.
- Offer faster delivery speeds (often same-day or next-day).
- Lower shipping costs.
- Better inventory utilization.
- Support in-store pickup.
- Improve store efficiency and customer satisfaction.
- Increase competitiveness against pure eCommerce players.
Benefits of Buy Online Ship From Store for Customers:
- Quicker product receipt.
- Potentially lower shipping fees.
- More reliable inventory availability.
- Seamless online-offline shopping experience.
✅ Fun fact: Ship From Store is also known as BODFS. It stands for “Buy Online, Deliver From Store.”
How Ship From Store Work?
The Ship From Store process begins with the customer’s location. This location helps determine which nearby store can best serve their order.
Here is how Ship From Store (BODFS) typically works.
Stage 1 – Customer Orders Online
Customers look at products on the store’s website. They identify what they want and place an order.
Stage 2 – System Checks Stock
The order goes into an order management system (OMS). This system checks if the store has all items in stock. If an item is unavailable, the system will look for other options. It then lets customers know about replacements or when items will be returned.
Stage 3 – Store Gets Ready
The order is automatically assigned to the nearest store with sufficient inventory. The store employees begin to pick the products off the shelves at that point. They pack everything tightly to prepare it for transport.
Stage 4 – Delivery Starts
Then a carrier delivers the package to the customer’s address. Customers can get to know where their package is at any time by using a shipment tracking tool.
Stage 5 – Billing
Customers are billed after the items have been shipped. The bill shows that only the items that were sent have been charged. This is done to ensure that billing is clear and correct. Now, all that has been ordered is in placement.
📍Note: No two stores are likely to handle things precisely the same. Some stores send orders to a team for review first. Others ship directly from the store to the customer. This system is flexible so that each store can adjust it to what works best for them.
Comparison of Fulfillment Methods: Ship From Store vs Ship From Warehouse vs BOPIS
On the sidelines: Our team understands that there might be some confusion when it comes to “Order Fulfillment Methods,” so we want to pause a moment to spell out the differences between the three approaches.
Here is a quick overview table among Ship From Store vs Ship From Warehouse vs BOPIS based on different aspects to consider. It will be easier to reference when needed.
| Aspect | Ship From Store (BODFS) | Ship from Warehouse | Buy Online, Pickup In-Store (BOPIS) /Click and collect |
| Definition | Pick and ship online orders from your store inventory | Ship online orders from a central warehouse | Customers purchase items online and pick up their purchases at a store. |
| Inventory Source | Store’s physical inventory | Central warehouse inventory | Store’s physical inventory |
| Shipping Time | Usually, it’s the fastest since the shipping is local. | In general, it’s longer because it could cover greater distances. | Real-time (when something is picked up) |
| Inventory Management | Need strict control to align in-store and online stock | Centralized management of regulatory features allows for easy tracking of large inventories. | Need visibility of inventory availability across locations. |
| Cost Efficiency | If mismanaged, it may lead to higher shipping cost | ||
| Operational Challenges | Require quick order packing, storage from pickups | ||
| Typical Use Cases | Delivery on the same day, local markets | National/international retailers | Urgent purchases, showrooming |
| Flexibility | Fast delivery, local support | Consistent, standard process | Instant gratification, no shipping delay |
| Environmental Impact | A smaller carbon footprint due to shorter transport distance for local deliveries. | Carbon footprint as the distances from warehouses to homes may be further away. | Help mitigate environmental footprint by bundling shipments to local stores instead of individual homes. |
When Should You Use Ship From Store?
The retail industry is getting highly digitized. Online sales are not a phenomenon anymore. Instead, they’ve become the predominant style through which consumers shop.
To meet this trend, modern retail must exist everywhere. Retailers need to sell both online and in physical stores. They must provide a smooth shopping experience that works the same way whether customers shop online or in stores.
Here are the key situations where omnichannel Ship From Store works best.
- Too Much Stock in Many Stores: Many stores in your company may have extra products sitting on shelves. Ship From Store helps you use this extra stock wisely. This method also helps prevent running out of items.
- Stores Close to Shoppers: When your stores are near where customers live, shipping from these stores makes sense. It means packages arrive faster and shipping costs less money.
- Busy Shopping Times: Holiday shopping and big sales can make warehouses very busy. Ship From Store helps handle these busy times better. Stores can quickly send out products based on what customers are buying right now.
Ship From Store: 6 Key Challenges to Watch Out For 2025
The Ship From Store fulfillment management isn’t the best option for most retailers, especially smaller ones. Below are some key disadvantages associated with the ship-from-store strategy.
1. Managing Stock
Inventory control is more complicated with ship-from-store. In such cases, stores need to keep track of items for their in-store customers and online orders. At times, the computer system’s count of items differs from what is actually on the shelves.
2. Store Changes
A store employee has two roles today. He assists in-store customers and also packs orders for online shoppers. The stores need space for packing materials and for getting the orders ready. Usually, they have to change their layout inside the store, too. Workers require training to pack and ship items correctly.
Moreover, they have to pack orders quickly, especially during busy times. But stores are designed for shopping, not shipping, so that is a little difficult.
3. Technology Needs
Stores need special computer systems to process online orders. Such systems should be integrated with cash registers and store inventory management. Stores also need to acquire portable devices and label printers for packing orders.
4. Extra Costs
Shipping from retail stores is usually more expensive than shipping from distribution centers. This is because stores spend more money on labor and training. In addition, they have to carry more inventory. It is also harder to ensure that all stores pack items uniformly. Stores have facilities that are designed differently from warehouses. Consequently, some items are likely to get damaged.
5. Location Issues
Not every shop works as a shipping location. Some shops are too far from the customers, and others are too small to handle shipping. So, in some regions, the service received would not be as good as that obtained from regular distribution centers.
6. Meeting Customer Needs
People expect fast delivery of their orders, just like when they order from Amazon. Any delay could frustrate a customer.
Top 5 Proven-effective Strategies for Ship From Store in 2025
A Ship From Store approach enhances the experience for your customers, fosters loyalty, and contributes to business growth. Here are some considerations for developing a retail ship-from-store strategy:
1. Pick a helpful POS system
A manual or semi-automated ship-from-store operation swiftly results in frustrated workers and customers. With the right systems, processes from the start, and order fulfillment services, you can establish an effective ship-from-store operation instead.
For retailers operating on major eCommerce platforms (like Magento, Shopify, or WooCommerce), an integrated retail Point-of-Sale (POS) system with ship-from-store capabilities is essential. So, if you’re a Magento merchant, then a good Magento POS must unify your offline and online store and inform you in real time every time there is a new order change in your inventory. It should also give you full access to your orders.
For example, Magestore POS has strong inventory management features to streamline your retail operation. Onscreen, the staff can efficiently finish ready-to-ship orders, print packing slips and shipping labels, manage tracking details, and even ship orders directly from the store in real time. Plus much more:
- Collate all supplier and purchasing activity into one common central source for real-time visibility.
- Inventory count and adjustments to make sure you have the right amount to sell.
- Track all inventory movement from purchase to sale.
- Historical sales speed, to set product low-stock threshold and buy from suppliers.
- Simplified pick-pack-ship process for omnichannel fulfillment.
2. Train Your Staff Well
The skill set required for shipping orders is unique to store workers. They deserve to learn above and beyond normal store operations. Managers must train the workers to collect items without interfering with shoppers and pack products safely for shipping. They also must know how to respond to customer inquiries about shipping and check orders for errors. Good training helps staff do their jobs better. Give them review classes often to keep their skills strong.
3. Set Up Your Store Layout
Make your store work well for both shoppers and shipping orders. You should create special areas for processing orders with all needed supplies. Set up clear paths for collecting items and make packing areas away from where customers shop. Put up clear signs showing where packages should be placed for carriers to pick up. A good store layout helps workers collect items faster and make fewer mistakes.
4. Use Smart Shipment Tracking System
When the goods are dispatched and in transit with the carrier, both the store and the customer need real-time visibility of their order status. This is where a shipment tracking system comes into play, providing end-to-end transparency throughout the delivery journey. The system enables customers to monitor their package’s location, estimated arrival time, and any potential delays while allowing stores to ensure smooth delivery operations and proactively address any issues that may arise.
TrackingMore is a comprehensive shipment tracking platform. It integrates with more than 1,300 global carriers, including both express couriers and postal services. Through a centralized dashboard, you can manage all shipments and automatically send real-time delivery notifications to your customers.
5. Keep Making Things Better
Last but not least, merchants should monitor the effectiveness of your shipping and improve it. Track the basics, such as how many orders are correct, how long it takes to pack orders, and how much shipping costs. Monitor customer satisfaction, return rates, and return causes. Use these numbers to identify issues each month. And what you learn can be used to refine your process, refresh training, and optimize store design.
Conclusion
Ship From Store is changing the game for retailers, making it easier to get products into customers’ hands faster and more efficiently. While there are challenges, like managing stock and training your team, the benefits are well worth the effort. With the right approach, stores can improve their order fulfillment process, keep customers happy, and build stronger connections along the way.
The TrackingMore team shares insights on logistics tracking technology, industry trends, and e-commerce logistics solutions to help businesses streamline shipment tracking and enhance customer post-purchase experience.
