O retardamento da montagem final de produtos como estratégia de marketing e distribuição

Abstract

The decision to assemble products for shipment to warehouses and retail stores is typically based on a sales forecast. This article advocates that substantial savings in transportation and inventory carrying costs canbe achieved by delaying product assembly until after a customer arder is received. This delay, known as postponement, is also a lasting source of competitive advantage because firms are able to ofter customers a broader assortment of models, package sizes, and colors for its products. The articlefirst distinguishes between four types of postponement and then points to research results which suggest managerial guidelines for the identification and implementation of postponement opportunities. A numerical example isprovided to illustrate the application of the postponement.