Abstract
Consumers now expect their online orders to arrive fast, ideally the next day. Meeting that expectation is not just a logistics challenge. It requires retailers to rethink where they position their inventory, which facilities they open, and how they design their entire distribution network. The investment is significant. The question is whether it always pays off. In our research, we sought to establish under what conditions building a more responsive omnichannel network creates value, and to develop a framework that jointly optimizes delivery promises and the network structure.