Product Chaining Product chaining is a feature in our system that can automate the product substitution process for client orders.
Products often go through ebbs and flows of reliability. For instance, sometimes a pandemic can hit, and your favorite soda manufacturer is short on their supply of 12 oz cans 😣! Boom - they decide to stop all production of Fresca for an undetermined period of time...
Chaining allows us to proactively solve out-of-stock issues by sending our client(s) a substitute product. Substitute products can resolve the following issues:
- Missed items: preferred products that will not have available inventory in time for a client delivery
- Can’t pick items: preferred products that cannot be successfully picked by the warehouse team because they either did not exist, or were discovered to be undeliverable during the picking process
It makes the client order placement process more efficient by reducing the need for manual adjustments.
There are two different types of product chains: global and local.
Global Chains
A global chain is controlled and managed by Crafty's Procurement Team. Global chains function universally across all client orders that have missed items, and all client orders that have can't pick items.
We use global chains for products where there isn't any brand preference, such as produce items like bananas and some milk products where we may have two brands that are equivalent in price and quality.
Local Chains
A local chain is set and managed within individual client inventory centers, and local chains will override any global chains that may exist.
Crafty's Account Management team will work with our clients to establish the right chains to help automate the substitution process where possible.