At the Frontier of Retail in the 21st Century: Modern Fulfillment and The Case of FlexiWeight

Founded in 2018 with a mission to revolutionize the way America exercises, FlexiWeight had designed an innovative set of compact, Blue-tooth-enabled adjustable weights suitable for at-home use. The concept was an immediate hit and, perhaps fueled by a rise in at-home exercising during the COVID-19 pandemic, the product quickly grew from a niche product to a must-have accessory for workout buffs across the United States. Demand for the product skyrocketed, and the founders realized the ad-hoc shipping and fulfillment systems they were using would not be able to keep up. This case presents students with a historical perspective on companies' fulfillment challenges and the recent trend to move from a single-channel fulfillment system to a more complex microfulfillment strategy—and asks them to consider the best path forward for Flexiweight.