GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 8, 2026

Trade logistics

Trade logistics serves the purpose of moving merchandise efficiently from manufacturers through intermediate traders to end customers.

Last updated: 8 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://wirtschaftslexikon.gabler.de/Definition/handelslogistik-43608

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Logistics Concept

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Trade logistics serves the purpose of moving merchandise efficiently from manufacturers through intermediate traders to end customers. It encompasses all planning, control, and monitoring tasks across the physical goods flow: procurement, warehousing, transportation, transshipment, and distribution. Unlike production logistics (which focuses on manufacturing processes) or reverse logistics, trade logistics handles finished goods and emphasizes product availability, throughput speed, and cost efficiency in the commercial supply chain. Practitioners in freight forwarding and wholesale continuously optimize inventory levels, storage costs, and transport networks to meet the requirements of retail and wholesale enterprises.

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