Distribution
Zara have a total of 10 distribution centres in Spain.
Any items that have been created in external factories and are not considered to be "fashion-forward" but more straightforward designs, are sent directly to the distribution centre.  Zara relies on the external factories to do quality-control checks on these items, though spot checks are also done. 
Boxes with newly sewn-together clothing are unpacked from trucks and immediately passed through a sensor machine. The machine is responsible for giving each item its Radio-Frequency Identification tag. The RFID tag allows Zara to have an accurate and sleek way to track inventory levels. The machine will then pick up how many items are in the box and assign each one an digital identity which is stored in the security tag. This is used to track the item from the moment it arrives in the distribution centre until the moment it is purchased by a customer in a Zara store. 
The boxes are then placed on a conveyor belt and packed in groups. They can be stored for several days in the distribution centre before being shipped. Items that are ready for shipment are removed from the boxes and distributed between the specific stores. Information is given on the computer system which allows employees to know exactly how many items should be sent to each store. These amounts are decided in advance using feedback from store managers about what is popular with their customers and sales data. Store managers communicate with the design and commercial teams on a daily basis. 
The completed boxes are then placed on another conveyer belt which is then used to send the boxes out for delivery. All European boxes are delivered by rail. The rest of the world is sent via plane. Within 36 hours, delivery boxes reach the furthest points of Europe. In 48 hours, they reach the rest of the world.