Cross-Channel Fulfillment

Growth gets messy when channels do not cooperate

Brands do not start out intending to create fulfillment chaos. It just happens. One day the team realizes Shopify orders are flowing well, but Amazon suddenly needs FBA cartons, retailers are demanding full pallets with flawless labels, and marketplaces want their own confirmations. Each sales channel acts as if it is the only one that matters. Without cross-channel fulfillment pulling everything together, the operation feels more like a crowded intersection with no traffic lights than a modern logistics system.

Search trends show the same rising tension. Brands look up phrases like fix multichannel fulfillment conflicts, unify fulfillment workflows, and manage D2C and B2B at the same time. The frustration is universal. When each channel follows its own rules but shares the same inventory, something eventually breaks. Cross-channel fulfillment prevents that collapse by centralizing order flow, synchronizing inventory, and coordinating every movement from receiving to delivery.

Disconnected systems create predictable failures

When fulfillment lives in separate systems, the failures follow the same pattern: overselling during a promotion, short shipping a retailer, misrouting FBA units, or sending D2C packages late because inventory was set aside for a wholesale order that did not actually need it yet. None of these failures are random. They all come from the same root cause: fragmented operations.

Maureen Milligan sees this in nearly every brand that switches from another provider. She said, "Most of the customers who come to us from another 3PL, their challenges have always been access to their data, order accuracy and efficiency, and basically just meeting the committed requirements." Those problems bloom when every channel manages its own data and none of them share a common system.

Cross-channel fulfillment begins with shared visibility

Cross-channel fulfillment only works when every channel pulls from a single source of truth. That means unified inventory, unified order intake, and unified reporting. When one system receives, routes, allocates, and tracks every order, the entire operation becomes calmer. Decisions get easier. Planning becomes smarter. And fulfillment finally feels aligned with the brand’s goals.

Connor Perkins explained why visibility is the foundation. He said, "Our clients get best-in-class visibility and transparency. They can see their daily orders, they can see KPIs, and they can see historical transactions." When all channels share the same data, the brand stops guessing and starts managing.

The WMS becomes the traffic controller

A strong warehouse management system is what makes cross-channel fulfillment possible. Without it, each channel fights for attention, and people spend hours reconciling numbers. With it, the system evaluates orders, applies the rules, and directs the flow. Bryan Wright described the failure mode clearly. "A bad WMS system will not track inventory 100 percent as it should." When the WMS cannot see what is happening, cross-channel fulfillment collapses instantly.

Bryan also explained how G10’s system was designed from the start to support the complexities of B2B. "If they have a Walmart account, we can create the Walmart-specific label, send them Walmart-specific EDI transaction, pick it in a specific way for Walmart." When a WMS can enforce each retailer’s strict requirements while handling D2C at the same time, cross-channel fulfillment works as intended.

Robots support the physical side of cross-channel flow

Cross-channel fulfillment does not live only in software. It needs structured physical workflows that can keep up with the digital logic. Holly Woods described how Zebra robots boost consistency by guiding carts through optimized routes. "The robot is round, it looks like an industrial Roomba," she said, and those predictable routes increase efficiency substantially. Predictable picking and packing keep inventory movements accurate, which keeps the cross-channel engine synchronized.

Coordinating D2C speed with retailer precision

D2C demands speed, accuracy, and tight cutoff windows. Retailers demand compliance, timing, and perfect labels. Most 3PLs force brands to choose which one they want done well. Cross-channel fulfillment eliminates the need to choose by orchestrating both through the same operational backbone. Joel Malmquist explained how orders move through the system. "We are the ones shipping the orders for these brands," he said, describing how tracking and confirmations flow automatically into Shopify or retailer systems. That automation works because the orders all live inside one unified system.

Cross-channel fulfillment under real pressure

The real test of cross-channel fulfillment is not during normal days. It is during spikes, promotions, and last-minute retailer pushes. Joel shared a moment that demonstrates the difference. A merchant asked whether G10 could fulfill ten Target purchase orders with only forty-eight hours’ notice. Joel answered, "Yes we can," because the system could route inventory, allocate labor, and coordinate multiple sites instantly. That is the power of cross-channel alignment.

When inventory, orders, and labor all live inside the same structure, the operation does not panic under pressure. It performs.

Cross-channel reporting gives leaders clarity

Cross-channel fulfillment is only as strong as its reporting. Leaders need to know which channels are pulling hardest, which SKUs are at risk, and how well the operation is performing in real time. Without unified data, they end up staring at conflicting dashboards. With unified data, the brand finally sees what is actually happening.

Maureen described how G10’s upcoming reporting portal will give merchants real-time visibility into "on-time order fulfillment, inventory accuracy, and even inventory levels." That clarity means fewer surprises and smarter decisions.

Cross-channel fulfillment sets the stage for expansion

When cross-channel fulfillment works, brands can expand confidently. New retailers feel less intimidating. New marketplaces feel manageable. D2C growth feels exciting instead of risky. Jen Myers explained why this matters. She said, "You want to make sure your inventory is tracked across those two different systems," especially when Amazon needs pallets while D2C customers place same-day orders. Cross-channel fulfillment keeps those demands from crashing into each other.

A philosophy built for builders

Cross-channel fulfillment works because it reflects the mindset of founders who build quickly and think long-term. Mark Becker expressed this clearly. He said, "At the end of the day, all we are is builders. The two of us love to build." Cross-channel fulfillment gives builders the structure they need to scale without losing control.

The future belongs to brands that align every channel

Cross-channel fulfillment is not a buzzword. It is an operating model. It removes friction between channels, prevents costly mistakes, and keeps the brand’s promises consistent across every platform. If your current fulfillment feels like several disconnected workflows fighting for attention, cross-channel fulfillment can unify them into one calm, coordinated system.

When every channel flows through the same engine, the entire operation becomes more accurate, more scalable, and more resilient. That alignment gives your brand the room it needs to grow without stumbling over its own momentum.