Logistics buffers

Logistics buffers add time around rentals so your team can prepare, deliver, and restock items before they’re available again. The rental period plus the logistics buffers makes up the cycle period, and Supercycle treats the whole cycle period as unavailable. Buffers are set under Logistics and locations. The preparation and delivery buffers make up outbound logistics. The reverse delivery and restock buffers make up reverse logistics.

---

​

How it works

Supercycle calculates the soonest available rental from the current time in the store’s time zone. It adds the preparation time, moves to the next available cutoff time, then adds the delivery time. Customers can only book items that are ready to be fulfilled and restocked.

---

​

Buffer types

Each buffer adds time before or after a rental:

---

​

Delivery methods

Manage which delivery methods are available, and how long each takes, under Delivery on Logistics and locations.

​

Shipping

Set a cutoff time and a delivery time for each day of the week. Orders placed after the cutoff time are processed the next day. See Order cutoff time.

​

Pickup Beta

Offer pickup as a delivery method. Turn Pick up on and set a cutoff schedule for each day customers can collect orders. Pickup has no delivery time, so the rental starts the day the order is fulfilled. See Pickup in store for setup and how the pickup location is set on orders.

​

Running without shipping

You can turn shipping off and operate as pickup only, as long as at least one delivery method stays on. The same applies to returns: shipping returns can be turned off if drop-off is on. Turning off the last method on either side is blocked with At least one delivery method must be enabled, or the equivalent for returns. Turn on the alternative method first, then turn off shipping. When shipping is off, the storefront picker hides the shipping option and preselects the remaining method for new customers.

---

​

Return methods

Manage which return methods are available, and how long each takes, under Return on Logistics and locations.

​

Ship back

Set your reverse delivery time, which is how long an item typically takes to return after a customer sends it back, and your restock time, which is how long it takes to process the item and make it available again. Ship back is on by default and can’t be turned off while it’s the only return method.

​

Drop-off Beta

Offer drop-off as a return method. Turn Drop off on and set a restock time for items returned in person. Drop-off has no reverse delivery time, so the item is received the moment the rental ends. When more than one return method is on, customers see a Return method picker on the product page and the rental’s availability adjusts to their choice. See Drop-off returns. Products can override the store’s restock time. Set a custom restock time during calendar product setup.

---

​

Set up logistics buffers

---

​

Considerations

​

Effects on availability

The whole cycle period, rental plus buffers, is unavailable. An item becomes available for new rentals at the end of the cycle period, or once the restock time has passed after the item’s return, whichever is sooner. Customers always see availability in the store’s time zone.

​

Effects of restocking

When an item is restocked after a return, it’s available for new rentals straight away, even if the original cycle’s buffer period hasn’t ended.

​

Overriding buffer dates on a single cycle

The preparation and restock buffers apply to every new cycle by default. You can override the resulting Prepare from and Restock by dates on an individual cycle when a rental needs more or less turnaround. See Edit restock by and prepare from dates.

---

​

Logistics buffers FAQs