Operations Management Case Study

Zara`s Responsive Order Fulfilment System

OR

Abstract:
Zara (owned by Inditex), a global fast-fashion retailer, operated one of the world’s most responsive order-fulfilment systems. It moved designs from sketch to store in 2–3 weeks (historical benchmark), replenished stores on a fixed cadence of twice a week, produced over 40,000 design proposals annually, and maintained highly integrated logistics hubs in Spain. Zara’s business model depended on speed, short cycles, real-time demand sensing, and tight synchronization across design–production–distribution–retail. The case explores how Zara achieves responsiveness, where responsiveness comes from trade-offs, and future adaptation needs.

Pedagogical Objectives:

This case study would help the students to understand:

• Identify the strategic value of responsiveness in supply chain and order-fulfilment systems
• Analyze how product characteristics, customer demand patterns, production triggers, and fulfilment design jointly shape responsiveness
• Determine how order-fulfilment should evolve in a 50%+ e-commerce environment

Keywords : Responsive Order fulfilment system; Responsiveness; Zara; Apparel retail; Supply chain; Business Model; Speed; logistics; Inditex; product characteristics; customer demand patterns; production triggers; fulfilment design

Contents:

Introduction

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