Posted by afn03488 on 02/14/06 01:13

Sam Rouse wrote:
> In article <1139855755.752580.139980@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
> afn03488@afn.org wrote:
>
> > I admit I don't know how NetFlix elected to implement their
> > fulfillment, but I envision restocking as the major obstacle.
> > I wonder what kind of equipment they have for sorting returns?
> > Frankly I wouldn't credit you with a return until I could get
> > it in the appropriate location to be reshipped. I wonder if
> > that is part of the delay being observed.

> As of a couple years ago, restocking was all manual, and may still be. They try
> to minimize it - when a returned disk is scanned in, if there's an unfilled
> order for it in the queue, a mailing label is printed on the spot, it's
> packaged, and added to the "to ship" stack instead of the "to stock" stack.

Makes sense although it would really mess up PC's suggestion for saving
postage. It may also explain why one poster's observation of differing
days of return for items returned in the same envelope [one on the spot
because of instant demand, the other when returned to inventory]. Must
prove interesting developing an algorithm to predict stocking levels
where one's inventory is primarily stored on your customers' premises.

Reminds me of two library moves with which I am familiar; patrons were
requested to check out books from the old building [any old book] and
return it to the new building.

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