Merge-In-Transit Retailing: A Micro-Business Perspective

Abstract

This paper suggests links between postponement, mass customization and rapid fulfilment in the light of merge-in-transit retailing (MIT). The paper asserts that the value offered by MIT implementation can be exploited only if these operational strategies are well understood. An extension of this concept is explored to critically consider whether MIT is a feasible strategy in the context of micro-businesses (MBs). MBs are usually treated as if they were big corporations that mainly follow economic-based drivers. However, the owners of MBs operate based on additional motivations such as family orientation, heritage, lifestyle, and prestige. So far, limited work has been published on MIT and strategies for operational support in the context of MBs. This paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the logistics of internet retailing, making its impact promising. Its orientation towards MBs provides an original review of a sector that is often neglected. Managers and those in charge of the design and operations of logistics systems supporting internet retailing may find this paper of interest, since the four linked concepts have not previously been discussed together. The paper may be of particular interest to MB owners.