Supply chains are a mess. Honestly, if you've tried to move product across a border or even between states lately, you know the "just-in-time" dream died a few years ago. Now, everyone is talking about ready go go between setups—that specific middle-ground logistics phase where goods aren't quite at the final destination but are prepped for immediate release. It’s the "buffer" that saves companies from bankruptcy when a port closes or a driver strike hits.
Most people think logistics is just Point A to Point B. It isn't. It’s the messy, stressful stuff in the middle.
The term ready go go between refers to the staging area or the intermediary service that bridges the gap between bulk manufacturing and hyper-local delivery. Think of it as the staging area of a Broadway play. If the actors (your products) are just sitting in the dressing room (the warehouse) without their costumes on, the show can't start. You need them in the wings, ready to go.
The Chaos of the Middle Mile
Why does this matter now? Because the "Middle Mile" is where money goes to die. According to recent logistics data from firms like Geodis and DHL, middle-mile inefficiencies account for nearly 30% of total supply chain costs. That’s huge.
When we talk about a ready go go between strategy, we are looking at cross-docking, micro-fulfillment centers, and "dark stores." It’s about positioning. You aren't just storing stuff; you're prepping it. This might mean kitting—taking three different items and bagging them together—so that the moment an order hits the system, it's out the door in minutes, not days.
Retailers like Target have mastered this. They turned their backrooms into mini-distribution centers. They created a permanent ready go go between state for their inventory. It's why you can order a toaster and pick it up in two hours. They aren't shipping that toaster from a massive hub in Indiana; it’s already sitting in the "between" space of your local store’s storage room.
Why "Wait and See" is Killing Your Margin
If you're waiting for a customer to buy something before you prep it for shipping, you’ve already lost. Speed is the only currency that matters in 2026.
The ready go go between mindset requires a bit of a gamble. You have to predict what's going to sell. This is where AI-driven demand forecasting actually becomes useful for small businesses, not just the giants. If you know that 80% of your customers in the Northeast buy snow shovels in November, you don't keep those shovels in a container in Long Beach. You move them to a "go between" facility in New Jersey in October.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Mentions
Storing goods costs money. Insurance costs money. But do you know what costs more? A "Stock Out."
Losing a sale because you couldn't get the item to the customer fast enough is a double hit. You lose the revenue, and you likely lose the customer for life. Utilizing a ready go go between service—often a Third-Party Logistics (3PL) provider—allows you to distribute your risk. Instead of one big warehouse, you have five smaller "ready" hubs.
It’s about agility.
Real World Example: The 2024 Port Congestion
Remember the backup at the Port of Savannah? Companies that relied on a direct-to-consumer model from the port were stranded. Their stock was stuck on ships for weeks.
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However, the companies that had a ready go go between inventory already sitting in inland "ready" hubs kept selling. They had a three-week buffer. They paid a bit more for the storage, sure, but they captured the entire market share while their competitors were sending out "We're sorry, your order is delayed" emails.
It's basically an insurance policy for your reputation.
How to Set Up a "Ready" System Without Going Broke
You don't need a billion dollars to do this. You just need to be smart about your "Between" points.
- Audit your SKUs: Find the 20% of products that drive 80% of your revenue. These are your "Ready" candidates.
- Locate your heat map: Where are your customers? If they are in Texas, find a 3PL in Dallas. That's your "Go Between."
- Pre-pack: Don't just store items. Store them in shipping-ready boxes. This is the ready go go between golden rule. If a human has to touch the product more than once after the order is placed, your system is broken.
There's a psychological component here, too. Teams that operate in a "ready" state are less stressed. There's no frantic scrambling when a flash sale goes viral. The work was done weeks ago.
The Future of the "Go Between"
We are seeing a rise in "On-Demand" warehousing. Platforms like Flexe or Flowspace allow businesses to rent "ready" space by the pallet, month-to-month. This is the ultimate ready go go between tool. You can scale up for the holidays and scale down in February.
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It’s flexible. It’s fast. It’s what the modern economy demands.
If you're still stuck in the old way of thinking—where you ship everything from one central hub—you're going to get eaten alive by local competitors who can offer same-day or next-day delivery without breaking a sweat.
Actionable Steps to Optimize Your Logistics
- Analyze your "Time to Ship": If it takes more than 4 hours from order placement to "out for delivery," you need a better intermediary stage.
- Negotiate "Staging" Rates: Ask your warehouse for a lower rate on items that are pre-packed and ready for the "go" signal.
- Decentralize: Take 15% of your hottest inventory and move it to a secondary location closer to your densest customer base. This creates your first ready go go between node.
- Test the Buffer: See how long your "between" stock lasts during a minor supply chain hiccup. If you run out in two days, your buffer isn't big enough.
Logistics isn't about moving things; it's about having things in the right place before they need to move. That is the essence of being ready go go between. It’s the difference between a business that survives and a business that thrives in an unpredictable world.
Stop thinking about the destination and start obsessing over the "between." That's where the profit is.