Locations (NearShip) Guide

NearShip is Pack to the Future's retail fulfillment feature that allows you to ship orders from retail stores instead of distribution centers. This guide covers how to manage warehouse and retail store locations.

NearShip Overview

What it is: A feature that routes orders to retail stores with inventory for faster, local fulfillment.

Why it's useful:

Same-day delivery from nearest store
Reduce shipping costs with shorter distances
Utilize retail inventory for online orders
Faster fulfillment times

Subscription requirement: Enterprise plan only

How to access: Click NearShip in the left navigation menu.

Accessing NearShip

How to access:

Click NearShip in the left navigation menu
If not on Enterprise plan, you'll see an upgrade prompt
If on Enterprise, you'll see the locations management interface

What you'll see:

Hero banner explaining NearShip
Key benefits
How it works
Locations table
Add Location button

Subscription Requirement

What it is: NearShip is only available on Enterprise plans.

What you'll see if not on Enterprise:

Hero banner explaining NearShip
"Contact Enterprise Sales" button
Preview of features (greyed out)
All features are locked

How to unlock:

Click Contact Enterprise Sales button
Contact sales team via our Help Center or email support
Discuss Enterprise plan and NearShip setup
Once on Enterprise plan, features will be unlocked

Key Benefits

What NearShip offers:

Same-Day Delivery

What it is: Ship from the store closest to your customer for same-day delivery.

How it works: Orders are routed to the nearest retail store with inventory.

Benefits: Turn delivery time from days into hours.

Zero Wasted Inventory

What it is: Use retail inventory for online orders.

How it works: Online orders can be fulfilled from retail store stock.

Benefits: Reduce dead stock in stores while speeding up fulfillment.

Real-Time Stock Sync

What it is: See exactly what's available at each retail location in real-time.

How it works: Connects to Shopify or your ERP to sync inventory levels.

Benefits: Accurate inventory visibility across all locations.

Flexible Last Mile

What it is: Choose between scheduled courier pickups or instant Uber delivery.

How it works: Book regular courier pickups or use Uber for urgent orders.

Benefits: Flexible delivery options for different order types.

Slash Shipping Costs

What it is: Shorter distances mean lower shipping costs.

How it works: Ship locally instead of cross-country.

Benefits: Save on freight costs with shorter delivery routes.

Eco-Friendly Fulfillment

What it is: Reduce carbon emissions with shorter delivery routes.

How it works: Local fulfillment means shorter distances and less emissions.

Benefits: More sustainable shipping with shorter, lower-emission delivery routes.

How NearShip Works

The NearShip workflow:

Step 1: Intelligent Order Routing

What it is: When an order comes in, NearShip checks which retail stores have stock and routes to the nearest location.

How it works:

Order is placed online
NearShip checks inventory at all retail locations
Routes order to nearest store with stock
Store staff receives alert

What it means: Orders automatically go to the best location for fulfillment.

Step 2: Staff Alert & Pick

What it is: Store employees get an instant alert, pick items from the shelf, and mark them ready for packing.

How it works:

Store staff receives notification
Items are picked from shelf
Marked as ready for packing

What it means: Store staff can fulfill online orders quickly.

Step 3: Pack with Sustainability

What it is: Pack orders using sustainable packaging materials.

How it works:

Use compostable mailers
Use biodegradable fillers
Choose sustainable packaging for your shipments

What it means: Sustainable fulfillment from retail stores.

Step 4: Book Delivery Instantly

What it is: One tap to book a courier pickup or summon an Uber driver for same-day delivery.

How it works:

Pack order in store
Book courier pickup or Uber delivery
Customer gets real-time updates

What it means: Fast, flexible delivery options from retail locations.

Locations Table

What it is: A table showing all your warehouse and retail store locations.

Columns shown:

Location Name: Name of the location
Address: Full address
Status: Active or Pending
Inventory: Number of items in stock
Orders This Month: Number of orders fulfilled this month
Actions: Manage button

How to use:

Review all locations
Check inventory levels
See order fulfillment stats
Manage location settings

Add Location Button

What it does: Adds a new warehouse or retail store location.

How to use:

Click + Add Location button
Location form appears
Enter location details
Save location

What you'll enter:

Location name
Address
Location type (warehouse or retail)
Store hours (if retail)
Inventory sync settings

What happens: New location is added and available for order routing.

Location Types

What they are: Different types of locations you can add.

Types:

Warehouse

What it is: Distribution center or warehouse location.

Use case: Primary fulfillment location for online orders.

Features:

Standard fulfillment
Bulk inventory
Regular courier pickups

Retail Store

What it is: Retail store location that can fulfill online orders.

Use case: Local fulfillment for faster delivery.

Features:

Same-day fulfillment
Local inventory
Flexible delivery (courier or Uber)

Managing Locations

What it is: Editing location settings and configuration.

How to manage:

Find location in the table
Click Manage button
Edit location details
Save changes

What you can configure:

Location name and address
Store hours
Inventory sync settings
Fulfillment rules
Delivery options

Location Status

What it is: Status indicators showing if a location is active.

Statuses:

Active

What it means: Location is active and can fulfill orders.

What you'll see: Green "✓ Active" badge

What it does: Location is available for order routing.

Pending

What it means: Location is being set up or configured.

What you'll see: Yellow "⏳ Pending" badge

What it does: Location is not yet available for order routing.

Inventory Sync

What it is: Syncing inventory levels from Shopify or your ERP.

How it works:

Connects to Shopify inventory
Or connects to ERP/WMS system
Real-time inventory updates
Shows available stock at each location

What it means: Accurate inventory visibility for order routing.

Setup: Configure in Settings → Integrations (ERP/WMS).

Order Routing

What it is: How orders are automatically routed to locations.

How it works:

Order is placed
NearShip checks inventory at all locations
Finds nearest location with stock
Routes order to that location
Store staff receives alert

What it means: Orders automatically go to the best location.

Benefits:

Faster delivery
Lower shipping costs
Better inventory utilization

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need NearShip? A: NearShip is useful if you have retail stores and want to fulfill online orders from them for faster delivery.

Q: Can I use NearShip with just warehouses? A: NearShip is designed for retail fulfillment. For warehouse-only fulfillment, use standard order management.

Q: How do I add a location? A: Click + Add Location button and enter location details. Location will be available after setup.

Q: How does inventory sync work? A: NearShip connects to Shopify or your ERP to sync inventory levels in real-time. Configure in Settings → Integrations.

Q: Can I manually route orders? A: Orders are automatically routed, but you can override routing in the order management interface.

Q: What if a location runs out of stock? A: NearShip will route orders to the next nearest location with stock, or to your warehouse.

Q: How do I set store hours? A: Configure store hours in location settings. This helps with order routing and pickup scheduling.

Q: Can I use Uber delivery from retail stores? A: Yes, NearShip supports both scheduled courier pickups and instant Uber delivery for urgent orders.

Q: How much does NearShip cost? A: NearShip is included with Enterprise plan. Contact sales for Enterprise pricing.

Q: Do I need to be on Enterprise plan? A: Yes, NearShip is exclusively available for Enterprise plan customers.

Q: How do I contact sales about Enterprise? A: Click Contact Enterprise Sales button or use our Help Center or email support to reach the sales team.

Q: Can I disable NearShip for specific locations? A: Yes, you can set location status to "Pending" or disable it in location settings.

Q: How are shipping costs calculated for retail fulfillment? A: Shipping costs are based on distance from retail store to customer, typically lower than warehouse shipping.

Q: Can store staff book shipments? A: Yes, store staff can book shipments using Pack to the Future. They'll see orders routed to their location.

Q: What if I have multiple retail stores? A: Add all retail stores as locations. NearShip will route orders to the nearest store with inventory.