backorder
An order for an item that is out of stock and will be delivered once it becomes available.
Example: The part is on backorder until next month.
B216 words · Upper-intermediate
Supply Chain vocabulary — B2
Supply chain vocabulary for order fulfilment, including a backorder, a freight forwarder, the bill of lading and the safety stock that covers transit time.
16 questions
Words in this set
16fulfilment
The process of receiving, packing and delivering orders to customers.
Example:
The company outsources its fulfilment to a specialist warehouse.
freight forwarder
A company that arranges the shipping of goods on behalf of another business.
Example:
The freight forwarder booked space on three different ships.
customs broker
A specialist who helps businesses move goods across international borders by handling the required import and export paperwork.
Example:
The customs broker cleared the shipment within a day.
bill of lading
A legal document listing the goods being shipped, used as proof of the shipping contract.
Example:
The driver could not collect the goods without the bill of lading.
stock control
The management of how much inventory a business holds, to avoid running out or overordering.
Example:
Better stock control reduced the number of backorders.
reorder point
The stock level at which a business must order more supplies to avoid running out.
Example:
The system automatically orders more stock at the reorder point.
packing slip
A document inside a shipment listing exactly what items are included.
Example:
She checked the packing slip against the boxes that arrived.
safety stock
Extra inventory kept in reserve to avoid running out during unexpected demand.
Example:
The warehouse kept safety stock in case supplier deliveries were delayed.
dead stock
Inventory that has not sold and is unlikely to sell in the future.
Example:
The clearance sale aimed to get rid of old dead stock.
groupage
The combining of small shipments from different customers.
Example:
Groupage halved the cost and doubled the transit time.
transit time
How long goods take to travel from origin to destination.
Example:
Transit time to that port went from nine days to twenty-two.
customs clearance
The official approval needed for goods to cross a border.
Example:
Customs clearance took longer than the sea crossing.
proof of delivery
A signed record showing goods arrived.
Example:
No proof of delivery meant no payment for eleven weeks.
pick and pack
Selecting items from stock and preparing them for despatch.
Example:
The whole pick and pack operation moved to one floor.
dwell time
The time goods spend waiting at a point in the chain.
Example:
Dwell time at the port is the single biggest cost.
