Out of the Box

Stories from the warehouse floor about fulfillment, operations, technology, and the people who make it all work.

Operations December 22, 2025 7 min read

Amazon Receiving Can Be Slower Than Expected

Amazon receiving times vary, but in our experience during peak season it's often slower than expected: weeks in queue, unpredictable placement, and inventory that arrives too late to save stockouts.

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Operations April 7, 2025 7 min read Part 1 of 6

The Hidden Tax of Physical Growth

Most growing businesses assume operational friction is normal. It is not. It is a sign that waste is accumulating faster than capability. How to recognize it.

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Operations February 16, 2025 10 min read

When a WMS Makes Things Worse

A Warehouse Management System is not a maturity milestone. It is an operating commitment. Most small and growing brands adopt one years too early-and pay for it in flexibility, time, and hidden costs.

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Our Story December 3, 2024 10 min read

How I Came to Own a Warehouse in West Virginia

Initiative Distribution is a startup business, but we've also been around for more than 20 years. Here's how that works, and why I think it makes us the right partner for brands that need something different.

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