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- Dark StoreA retail location closed to the public and operated as a local fulfillment site for online orders. Staff pick items from store style shelving or warehouse racking, then pack and stage them for carrier pickup or customer collection. Dark stores receive replenishment, track inventory at the item level, and follow defined slotting and replenishment rules. Many are conversions of former shops, while others are purpose built as compact distribution nodes near demand centers.
- DDP ShippingDelivered Duty Paid is where the seller arranges transport to a named place in the buyer’s country and pays all costs and bears risk until delivery, including export and import clearance, duties, taxes, and final delivery. Risk transfers when the goods are placed at the buyer’s disposal at the named place.
- DDU ShippingDelivery Duty Unpaid is where the seller arranges carriage to a named place in the buyer’s country and bears cost and risk to that point, while the buyer completes import customs clearance and pays duties and taxes. DDU is no longer an official rule and is often interpreted in line with Delivered At Place DAP unless a contract specifies DDU terms.
- Dead StockInventory that records no sales or movement for a defined period and is treated as obsolete for regular sales channels. It remains on hand, occupying storage and tying up cash until cleared through write down, liquidation, donation, or disposal. The period that qualifies items as dead stock varies by product and internal policy.
- Delivery Area SurchargeAn added fee a carrier applies when a shipment goes to an address within a designated delivery area that is costly to reach. It is charged in addition to the base rate and other accessorials, usually per package. Carriers publish the eligible postal codes and the fee amounts, often with separate rates for residential and commercial addresses and a higher charge for extended areas.
- Delivery ManagementThe processes and systems that plan, execute, and monitor the movement of orders from dispatch to receipt. It includes carrier selection and tendering, label creation, load building and routing, delivery scheduling and time windows, real time tracking and exception handling, proof of delivery capture, and after delivery reporting. It spans middle mile and last mile operations and is often supported by a transportation or last mile management platform.
- Demand PlanningA supply chain process that forecasts future customer demand to set purchasing, production, inventory, and distribution plans. It combines statistical forecasting with inputs from sales, marketing, and operations to create a consensus forecast. Outputs include forecast accuracy metrics such as MAPE and bias, and demand signals that feed replenishment and sales and operations planning.
- Demand SurgesA rapid, temporary rise in customer orders that exceeds baseline or forecast levels for a product, channel, or region. Identified by exceptional spikes in orders or units over a defined period and measured against forecast error, standard deviation bands, or capacity thresholds. Effects include stockouts, backorders, and congestion in fulfillment and transportation until supply, labor, or routing are adjusted.
- Demand VariabilityThe degree to which customer demand rises and falls over time compared with its average. Quantified with metrics such as standard deviation, variance, coefficient of variation, and forecast error measured over a defined window. The level of variability informs safety stock, reorder points, capacity planning, and service level targets, and contributes to risks such as stockouts and overstock.
- Digital Freight MatchingTechnology that pairs shipper loads with available carrier capacity using real time data and algorithms. Platforms evaluate lane, equipment type, pickup and delivery windows, location, and price, then surface matches and enable electronic tendering and acceptance through apps or APIs. Common functions include instant rating, tracking updates, document exchange, and payment workflow.
- Dim DivisorA constant used by carriers to convert package volume into dimensional weight for rating. Dimensional weight equals length times width times height divided by the carrier published divisor, using a single unit system. Common divisors include 139 when measurements are in inches and 6000 when in centimeters. The billable weight is the higher of dimensional weight and actual weight.
- Dimensional WeightA billing weight based on package volume. It is calculated as length times width times height divided by a carrier published dim divisor, using one unit system. The billable weight is the greater of dimensional weight and actual weight.
- Direct Inbound FreightShipments moved from the supplier or manufacturer straight to the receiving warehouse or store in one leg, bypassing hubs, cross docks, and pool points. Often used for full truckload or container loads delivered by appointment for immediate receiving.
- Direct ShippingA delivery method in which goods move from the original shipper directly to the final recipient, bypassing distribution centers, cross docks, and hubs. The shipment travels as a single move from origin to consignee with no intermediate storage or consolidation.
- Direct Store Delivery (DSD)A distribution model in which a supplier delivers goods directly to retail stores rather than through a retailer distribution center. The supplier handles transportation to each store and may perform receiving, inventory checks, merchandising, and return pickup, with billing tied to each delivery.
- Direct To Consumer (DTC)A sales and fulfillment model in which a brand sells products directly to end customers without third party retailers or distributors. The brand manages order capture, payment processing, customer service, and shipping from its own warehouse, stores, or drop ship partners to the consumer address. Channels include a brand ecommerce site, mobile app, social commerce, or brand owned stores.
- Distributed InventoryA stock management model where the same items are held at multiple locations such as regional fulfillment centers, retail backrooms, or third party logistics sites. Orders are routed to the location with available stock based on proximity, service level commitments, and operational constraints. The approach relies on network wide visibility, inventory balancing through replenishment or transfers, and clear rules for safety stock and order cutoffs. It contrasts with a single site centralized inventory model.
- Distribution CenterA facility that receives inbound goods, holds inventory for short periods, and prepares outbound orders for stores, wholesalers, or consumers. Core functions include receiving, putaway, slotting, picking, packing, and shipping, supported by a warehouse management system and material handling equipment. Many sites also perform value added services such as labeling, kitting, light assembly, and returns processing. It differs from a warehouse that primarily provides longer term storage.
- Dock SchedulingThe process of planning and managing truck appointments at a facility’s loading docks. It allocates doors and time windows for inbound and outbound loads, records appointments, sequences arrivals and departures, and coordinates check in, door assignment, live unload or drop trailer, and check out. Dock scheduling systems often integrate with warehouse, transportation, and yard management to apply constraints such as door compatibility, dock capacity, equipment availability, load type, service time, and labor schedules, while tracking status from arrival to departure.
- DrayageShort distance ground transport of ocean or intermodal containers between locations such as a port, rail ramp, container yard, warehouse, or distribution center. It includes picking up a loaded container, moving it to a nearby facility, and returning the empty or an export load, as well as terminal transfers between yards or modes. Carriers bill drayage as a separate charge from linehaul and it is often used to connect port or rail arrivals with the next leg of a shipment.
- Drop ShippingDrop shipping is a retail fulfillment method where a seller does not keep the products it sells in stock. Instead, when a customer places an order, the seller forwards the order details to a supplier (such as a manufacturer or wholesaler), who then ships the product directly to the customer. In this arrangement, the retailer acts as an intermediary and does not handle or store the goods. The items bypass the retailer’s warehouse entirely, with order fulfillment handled by the supplier.
- Drop TrailerA trailer left by a motor carrier at a shipper or consignee for loading or unloading without the driver waiting. The tractor disconnects and departs, then the same or another tractor returns to retrieve the trailer when it is ready. Drop trailer programs often use trailer pools and yard management controls and are common in truckload moves. Related term drop and hook refers to picking up a preloaded trailer while leaving an empty.
- Dry VanAn enclosed, non refrigerated box trailer used to transport general freight by road. It shields cargo from weather and road debris and typically loads through rear doors at a dock or with a liftgate. In North America a common length is 53 feet. It is not used for temperature controlled goods, liquids, or oversized loads.
- DunnageProtective materials placed around, between, or under cargo to prevent movement and damage during transport, handling, or storage. It fills voids, braces and cushions loads, and can separate layers or distribute weight. Common forms include inflatable bags, foam, corrugated cardboard, wood blocking, pallets, pads, and edge protectors. Dunnage may be single use or reusable and is selected to match the mode, packaging, and load weight.
- Duty DrawbackA customs program that refunds some or all import duties, taxes, and eligible fees when imported goods are later exported, destroyed under customs control, or used as inputs in products that are exported. Requirements and refund levels vary by jurisdiction and typically require documented linkage between the import and the export.