How American Eagle Outfitters Set Up Its New Fulfillment Center

American Eagle takes 1,100 to 1,200 orders per hour and about 10,000 to 20,000 orders per day. “There are seasonal variations, naturally,” Lyman said. “We want to take it to 20,000 to 40,000 orders per day, depending on the season.”

To handle order swings, American Eagle works with companies that provide temporary workers to work with the retailer’s full-time warehouse workforce. The temps come in fairly regularly. “They’re in your shop to begin with,” Lyman said. “You have an integrated relationship with them. But the key is you only use them when you need them and let them go when you don’t.”