How We Automated Multi-Supplier Cross-Dock for an Auto Parts Distributor with 500K SKUs

A Barcelona-based e-commerce distributor specializing in automotive body parts — not mechanical parts, but panels, bumpers, and bodywork components. Their catalog spans 200,000 to 500,000 references, far too many to stock. This means virtually 100% of orders are fulfilled via cross-dock from suppliers. They serve two customer segments: standard B2C customers and garages, plus a premium channel through a major French marketplace.

The Challenge

With hundreds of thousands of SKUs and no inventory, every order triggers a supplier purchase. The same product, such as a black Tesla Model 3 bumper, may come from several suppliers with different prices, stock levels, and delivery times. Supplier data changes several times a day. Premium-channel orders must use certified suppliers, and bulk deliveries often combine several purchase orders. Traditional PO-by-PO receiving could not handle that volume.

The Solution

We designed a comprehensive cross-dock procurement and receiving system tailored to their high-volume, zero-inventory model.

Open receiving system: operators scan all received products without matching to specific POs, then an allocation matrix automatically assigns received items to the oldest waiting purchase orders. The buyer simply validates the proposed allocation.

The Results

The system processes 100% of orders through cross-dock without manual intervention. Single-item orders — where a single product from a single supplier fulfills the entire customer order — follow an extremely short path through the warehouse: receiving, immediate routing to packing, label, and ship. Multi-item orders are restocked and automatically released when all required items arrive. The open receiving system eliminated the biggest bottleneck: matching bulk supplier deliveries to individual purchase orders.