Consolidate vs. Split: How Orca Decides Where Your Order Ships From

When an order comes in, Orca makes two decisions: which location should handle the order, and how it should ship. The "how" is called the fulfillment strategy. There are two: consolidate and split.

Consolidate — ship everything together

With consolidation, the entire order ships from a single location as one package. Orca selects the best location under your rules. If that location is missing some items, Orca creates an inventory transfer to bring the missing stock there, places the order on hold while the transfer is in transit, and releases the hold automatically when the stock arrives. The order then ships as a single shipment.

Example: An order contains a jacket, jeans, and a cap. Your downtown store has the jeans and cap; the jacket is only at the warehouse. Orca routes the order to the downtown store, creates a transfer for the jacket, and holds the order until the jacket arrives. The store then ships everything in one box.

Consolidation is the better fit when shipping cost and a single delivery matter more than speed, and a short wait is acceptable.

Split — ship each item from where it already is

With split fulfillment, each item ships from whichever of your locations has it in stock. No transfers are created and no items wait. The order ships immediately, in as many shipments as needed.

The same example: the jacket ships from the warehouse, and the jeans and cap ship from the downtown store. The customer receives two packages, with no waiting on a transfer.

Split is the better fit when delivery speed matters more than the cost of additional shipments.

Choosing a strategy

The strategy is set within your routing rules, so different rules can use different strategies. For example, you might consolidate standard orders to reduce shipping costs, and split high-value or time-sensitive orders for faster delivery.

When an order cannot be fulfilled

If no combination of locations can cover an order, the order is flagged for your review. This is covered in What Happens When Inventory Is Missing.