First Mile Delivery

What Is First Mile Delivery?

First mile delivery is the initial leg of a shipment's journey, moving goods from the point of origin, a factory, farm, or supplier, to the first point in the logistics network, such as a warehouse, distribution center, or carrier hub.

How Does First Mile Delivery Work?

Goods are picked up from the manufacturer or supplier and transported, often by truck, to a consolidation point or fulfillment center where they enter the broader distribution network. For e-commerce sellers, this often means moving inventory from a factory to a 3PL warehouse or fulfillment center.

Why First Mile Delivery Matters

Delays or errors in the first mile ripple through the entire rest of the supply chain, a late pickup from a factory pushes back every downstream milestone. Because first mile logistics often happen in less digitized environments (small suppliers, factories without integrated systems), it's frequently the hardest leg to get reliable visibility into, even though its timing affects everything after it.