Retail

We help you discover the technical terms and acronyms of the Retail industry.

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Labour

Group of people employed in handling operations within Distribution Centres or stores. It is defined as direct when the size of the labour force is directly proportional to the volumes of the goods to be handled

Last mile

The last mile is the route goods take from a logistics hub to their final destination

Last-In First-Out (LIFO)

Warehouse evaluation system. The concept rests on the idea that the latest goods in are the first to go out.

LCL (Less than Container Load)

A container filled at the expense and risk of the carrier. In operational terms, an LCL is considered to be a container in which multiple deliveries or part deliveries are loaded.

Lead Time

The time between an order and its delivery.

Lead Time

Total time between the time the order is placed by the customer and the actual delivery of the goods.

Lead time offset

The date on which a planned order needs to be fulfilled in to meet the planned delivery date

Load

Broken down into three types: full, drop (partial) and groupage (mixed pallets). This can be 1) Full Load; 2) Load Factor; 3) Loading Space; 4) /Payload

Load Unit (of Unit Load Device)

Generic terms to indicate the load modules used for transport. Three levels can be identified: single package (first level), pallet or similar (second level), container, swap body and semi-trailer (third level).

Loading area

Area of the loading deck used for transport. It is expressed in square metres or using the two linear dimensions.

Loading Dock

The dock where loading is carried out.

Loading unit

“Containers or swap bodie”� [UN / ECE] or in other words the containers without rolling axles for the loading of goods in intermodal transport.

Locker

Electric parcel lockers used for the delivery of purchases made online.

Logistics

The global management of both physical and information flows. Physical flows can be of raw materials (supply logistics), semi-finished products (industrial logistics) and finished products (distribution logistics).

Logistics channel

The appropriate resources and structures that enable the physical flow of goods and information from producers to customers and vice versa (the recovery of packaging and end-of-life product and after-sales technical support).

Logistics costs

There are six groups of costs inherent to the logistics activities of a company: costs for order processing and IT systems; staff costs; storage costs; inventory and maintenance costs; costs related to lots; transport and distribution costs.

Logistics Flow

The materials and information exchanged within the Supply Chain, from suppliers through to end customers, via procurement, production and distribution.

Logistics Operator (LO)

The logistics operator or provider is able to propose solutions for the management of the flow of goods from door to door, choose the most suitable forms of storage and combine the means of transport in the right way (see also Third Party Logistics Provider).

Logistics outsourcing

Process by which companies assign the management of one or more logistics functions or activities to external suppliers for a contractually defined period of time. This agreement may provide for an external third-party company (3PL) to collect the goods produced by the customer’s manufacturing units, store them and send them directly to the point of sale or to the end customers indicated by their customer, dealing with all administrative and customs aspects as well as those associated with transport and storage.

Logistics platforms

Specialised infrastructure where advanced logistics services are carried out. Usually located in catchment areas where the demand for logistics services is concentrated, they are intended to meet the needs of operators who offer outsourced logistics services. They can also be used by companies that produce or market goods and carry out these services themselves. They are therefore processing (almost manufacturing) and handling units which can generate high added value to goods.

Logistics Provider

Company that offers a set of services, combining simple transportation with services offering storage and management of physical and IT flows.

Logistics Service Centre

Public or private structure equipped with IT or telematic network tools and technology. They were designed to meet the IT, logistics and training needs for a specific community, company, district or geographical area.

Long combination vehicle

Commercial vehicle with a length that is greater than the norm.

LSA (Logistics Support Analysis)

Interactive analytical process, part of the product engineering process, which leads to the identification and evaluation of its logistical support making it possible to define the optimal support needs and make changes to the engineering.