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A retailer's order fulfillment operation – in general, the process from completion of an online or telephone sale to the delivery of a product to a customer – should be a well-oiled machine. Delivering the right product to the right person at the right time over and over again is essential for maintaining the loyalty of today's post-Amazon consumers who are always expecting the best service from their retail stores of choice.

When thinking about order fulfillment processes, savvy retailers must focus beyond the basics of shipping a box. Since the warehouse is the last step in preparing a package before it lands in the hands of a consumer, it should be a key place to differentiate your retail brand's messaging. Rather than looking at order fulfillment as a necessary back end process, you should think of it as another opportunity to capitalize on brand awareness. By carefully branding at the point of fulfillment, the final delivery of your product will stand out against your competitors.

Much like a brick-and-mortar storefront clerk takes care in folding your merchandise, perhaps wrapping it in colored tissue paper, or placing it carefully into a branded shopping bag, a direct-to-consumer retailer should also leverage product presentation to make their brand resonate positively with their shopper once the order arrives. Branding should not end when a shopper clicks "Complete Order" on a website or when they hang up from placing a phone order from their favorite catalog. Branding should be carried through to fulfillment, ensuring that the arrival of the products will continue to tell your unique brand story.