FLEX. Fulfillment
We provide logistics services to online retailers in Europe: Amazon FBA prep, processing FBA removal orders, forwarding to Fulfillment Centers - both FBA and Vendor shipments.
This guide covers B2B and B2C fulfillment in Europe — the operational differences between them, how to run both from the same inventory at FLEX., routing guides and EDI requirements for B2B retail, multichannel setups including Amazon FBM, SFP, OTTO and Kaufland, returns handling, compliance requirements, and how to get started. Written for brands already operating in the EU who are evaluating or expanding their fulfillment setup.
B2B vs B2C Basics
B2C (business-to-consumer) fulfillment: individual consumer orders fulfilled as single-unit parcels dispatched directly to the customer's address. High order frequency, low quantity per order, carrier parcel delivery, speed and tracking are the primary service metrics. B2B (business-to-business) fulfillment: orders from retail buyers, distributors, or wholesale customers fulfilled as case or pallet quantities delivered to a warehouse, store or distribution centre. Lower order frequency, higher quantity per order, strict routing compliance, documentation and labelling requirements are the primary service metrics. Both can run from the same FLEX. warehouse with the same inventory pool. Ecommerce fulfillment service at FLEX. covers both channels.
Yes — this is one of FLEX.'s most common setups. A single inbound shipment is received at FLEX. and allocated across channels: a portion forwarded to Amazon FBA, a portion in the live B2C pick zone for Shopify and direct orders, and a portion reserved for B2B pallet despatch to retail buyers. The myFLEX WMS manages allocation rules across all channels simultaneously — you set minimum stock reserves per channel and the system applies them automatically. When a B2B pallet order comes in, FLEX. picks from the designated B2B allocation without affecting B2C or FBA stock. B2C and B2B fulfillment in Germany at FLEX. covers the multichannel inventory setup.
B2B Specifics
A routing guide is a retailer's set of specific instructions for how deliveries must be prepared, labelled, and booked — covering carrier selection, delivery window requirements, pallet specification, label formats, advance shipping notice (ASN) requirements, and non-compliance penalty structures. Major EU retailers (Otto, Kaufland, Carrefour, Mediamarkt, and others) all have their own routing guides. Non-compliance results in chargebacks — financial penalties deducted from your invoice — that can be significant: EUR 50 to EUR 500 per non-compliant delivery depending on the retailer and violation type. FLEX. programmes routing guide requirements per retailer in the WMS so that every despatch automatically meets the correct specification.
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is the standardised format for exchanging B2B documents — purchase orders, advance shipping notices (ASNs), invoices — between business systems. Most large EU retailers and distributors require EDI for B2B order processing: they send purchase orders electronically, expect ASNs back before delivery, and issue invoices via EDI. Without EDI capability, many large retail accounts are operationally inaccessible. FLEX. supports EDI integration for clients whose retail customers require it — the integration is set up per trading partner during onboarding. For smaller B2B customers without EDI requirements, FLEX. handles orders via email or portal-based order entry.
Standard B2B pallet delivery labelling for EU retail: GS1-128 carton labels on each inner case (including a unique serial carton number), SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) label on each pallet — a GS1-standard barcode identifying the pallet uniquely for ASN matching, retailer-specific product labels on inner cases where required, and a delivery note matching the retailer's purchase order number exactly. GS1 membership and registered EAN barcodes are prerequisites for generating compliant GS1-128 and SSCC labels. FLEX. generates and applies all required B2B labels as part of the outbound preparation workflow.
B2B typically operates on 30 to 60 day payment terms — meaning you despatch a pallet order to a retailer today and receive payment 30 to 60 days later. From FLEX.'s perspective: fulfillment fees are charged to the seller at despatch regardless of the buyer's payment timing, so your 3PL cost is a cash outflow before the B2B revenue arrives. For sellers running both B2C (typically immediate payment) and B2B (deferred payment) channels, the B2B channel creates a working capital timing gap. Factor this into your cash flow planning when sizing B2B order programmes.
B2C Specifics
Same-day dispatch means orders received before the cut-off time — typically 14:00 to 15:00 local time at FLEX. — are picked, packed, and handed to the carrier the same business day. Requirements: real-time order synchronisation between your platform and FLEX.'s WMS (so orders appear immediately, not in batches), stock available in the pick zone (not in buffer storage requiring pick-and-move), and carrier collection scheduled for the same afternoon. Late cut-off capability is commercially significant: a 15:00 same-day cut-off allows you to advertise next-day Germany delivery on orders placed before early afternoon — a strong conversion signal for German consumers.
Standard packaging: plain brown corrugated boxes in multiple size options, paper or air-pillow void fill, tape, and carrier label. Custom packaging: branded boxes (you supply or FLEX. sources), custom tissue paper, branded inserts or thank-you cards, gift wrapping on request. Custom packaging requires advance stock of your materials held at FLEX. alongside your product inventory. For subscription box or gifting programmes where every order uses the same branded packaging, FLEX. can pre-kit units in branded packaging as part of the inbound prep workflow rather than per-order. Pick and pack fulfillment service at FLEX. covers all packaging configurations.
FLEX. uses zone-based carrier selection — the carrier and service level are chosen automatically based on the destination country, parcel dimensions, and the delivery speed tier you have configured. Germany domestic: DHL Paket or DPD. Cross-border EU parcels: DPD, DHL, GLS or local specialists depending on destination — all 27 EU member states are covered plus the UK, Switzerland and Norway. Delivery time varies by destination: 1 to 2 days to neighbouring countries, 3 to 5 days to more distant EU markets. B2C fulfillment in France at FLEX.'s French location covers the same cross-EU carrier network from a Southern European base.
A tracking number is generated at despatch and pushed automatically to the connected platform — Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon Seller Central — within minutes of the carrier label being printed. If your platform is configured to send a shipping confirmation email to the customer, the tracking number is included in that email automatically. FLEX.'s WMS maintains a full despatch history per order, so you can look up the tracking status of any order from the portal. For lost or damaged parcel claims, FLEX. provides the despatch record and carrier reference needed to open a carrier investigation.
Multichannel: FBM, SFP and Marketplaces
Amazon FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant) means you list on Amazon but fulfil orders from your own warehouse rather than Amazon FBA. FLEX. fulfils Amazon FBM orders from the EU warehouse — the order syncs from Amazon Seller Central to FLEX.'s WMS automatically, FLEX. picks and despatches, and the tracking number is pushed back to Amazon to confirm shipment. FBM is useful for products excluded from FBA (hazmat categories, oversized items), for inventory held at FLEX. during FBA restock limit periods, or as a backup channel when FBA stock runs out. Order fulfillment service for ecommerce brands at FLEX. covers FBM alongside all other B2C channels.
Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) adds the Amazon Prime badge to FBM orders — the same Prime badge customers see on FBA listings. To qualify, you must meet Amazon's strict SLA: next-day delivery to German customers, a dispatch rate above 99%, and the use of Amazon-approved carriers. The commercial benefit is significant — Prime badge conversion rates are materially higher than non-Prime FBM listings. FLEX. supports SFP from its German location, meeting the dispatch cut-off and carrier performance standards Amazon requires. Seller Fulfilled Prime fulfillment service at FLEX. covers SFP setup and ongoing SLA management.
Yes. FLEX.'s WMS integrates with OTTO (Germany), Kaufland (Germany), Allegro (Poland), Cdiscount (France), eBay, TikTok Shop, and others. Marketplace orders sync automatically and follow the same pick-pack-despatch workflow as Shopify or Amazon orders. Each marketplace has its own labelling and carrier requirements — FLEX. configures these per marketplace during onboarding. For German-market sellers, OTTO and Kaufland are commercially significant: OTTO is Germany's second largest online marketplace after Amazon, and Kaufland.de has grown significantly since its marketplace launch. Omnichannel fulfillment service at FLEX. covers all marketplace integrations.
Returns
B2B returns are less frequent but larger in scale — typically full pallet or case quantities returned due to quality failures found at retail inspection, overstock agreements, or end-of-season buy-back arrangements. B2B returns require: a formal return authorisation process, inspection against the retailer's quality standard, and documentation matching the original delivery note and PO. B2C returns are high-frequency, single-unit, and driven by the EU 14-day right of withdrawal — consumers return individual items and expect a refund within 14 days of return receipt. FLEX. handles both return types: B2C returns are processed through the standard grading and disposition workflow; B2B returns are received as pallet-level inbound and processed against the agreed quality specification.
The EU Distance Selling Directive gives consumers the right to return any online purchase within 14 days of delivery without giving a reason. The seller must issue a full refund within 14 days of receiving the returned goods or evidence of return despatch. Return shipping cost: you can require the consumer to pay return shipping if this is clearly stated in your terms and conditions at checkout — but many EU brands offer free returns to remain competitive. Products exempt from the 14-day right include personalised goods, perishables, and digital downloads. For operations in Germany, consumer protection enforcement is particularly active — non-compliant return policies attract legal challenges from consumer protection organisations.
Getting Started
To set up B2B fulfillment, provide: your list of B2B customers (retailers or distributors) with their routing guides and EDI requirements, typical order size and frequency per customer, product specification including pallet patterns and inner case quantities, EAN and GS1 barcodes, and any specific labelling templates required. FLEX. programmes each retailer's routing guide requirements into the WMS so that every outbound pallet for that customer is automatically prepared to their specification. The more complete the routing guide information at onboarding, the faster FLEX. can process the first live B2B order correctly. B2C and B2B fulfillment in Europe covers the full B2B setup.
B2C setup — platform integration and WMS configuration — typically takes 1 to 2 business days. B2B routing guide programming takes 2 to 5 business days per retailer, depending on the complexity of the routing requirements and whether EDI integration is needed. Both can be onboarded in parallel. First stock received: within days of WMS setup completion. First live B2C orders: same day stock is received and confirmed in WMS. First live B2B order: once routing guide is programmed and stock is available. Total time from first contact to first live order for a standard hybrid setup: 1 to 2 weeks. Ecommerce fulfillment service at FLEX. covers the full hybrid onboarding.
Costs and Compliance
B2B is priced per pallet outbound — lower per-unit cost than B2C at case or pallet quantities, reflecting the lower handling effort per unit at bulk pick level. B2B pricing also includes storage, routing compliance labelling (GS1-128, SSCC), and any EDI transaction fees. B2C is priced per order — higher per-unit cost due to individual pick, pack, and parcel carrier handling, but the per-order fee is fixed regardless of how many units the order contains. For brands running both, B2B orders are significantly cheaper per unit to fulfil; B2C orders are more expensive per unit but generate retail-price revenue rather than wholesale. The pricing structures are complementary when both channels run from the same inventory base.
Standard B2B compliance documents: GS1 membership (required to generate GS1-128 carton labels and SSCC pallet codes), product EAN barcodes registered to your brand (not a retailer's barcode), a delivery note matching the retailer's purchase order number exactly, a packing list, and a certificate of origin for certain product categories. For food, cosmetics, and regulated product categories: additional documentation including product safety data, ingredient declarations, and retailer-specific supplier approval documents may be required before your first delivery is accepted. Confirm the full compliance checklist with each retail buyer before your first B2B shipment.
Yes. Amazon Vendor (1P) direct fulfillment means shipping to Amazon's own retail distribution centres on Amazon's purchase order schedule — with Amazon's specific routing, label, and booking requirements. FLEX. has experience with Vendor programme requirements: generating compliant delivery labels, managing Carrier Central booking for Amazon DC appointments, and preparing pallet shipments to Amazon's Vendor inbound specification. Vendor programme deliveries are distinct from FBA inbound in their routing and documentation requirements — FLEX. programmes each Vendor DC's requirements separately. B2C and B2B fulfillment in Germany at FLEX. covers both Vendor and FBA inbound.
Related Services
B2B and B2C fulfillment services across the FLEX. network:
- B2C and B2B fulfillment in Europe — multichannel fulfillment overview across all FLEX. locations
- Omnichannel fulfillment service — B2C, B2B, FBA and FBM from a single inventory pool
- Seller Fulfilled Prime fulfillment service — Amazon Prime badge on seller-fulfilled orders
- Pick and pack fulfillment service — B2C order pick, pack and despatch including custom packaging
- B2C fulfillment in France — FLEX.'s French location for Amazon.fr and Southern EU B2C
Located in the center of Europe, FLEX. Fulfillment provides B2B and B2C fulfillment from Germany, Poland and France — multichannel from a single inventory pool, routing guide compliance for EU retail, and Amazon FBA alongside direct-to-consumer from the same warehouse.
Get in touch for a free fulfillment assessment and quote tailored to your B2B and B2C channel mix.