Dark Store
Dark Store is a retail-style site closed to shoppers and used only to fulfill online orders.
Why it matters for ecommerce brands
Common in grocery and quick commerce. For brands, the concept overlaps with micro-fulfillment.
Common questions
- What is the difference between a dark store and a micro-fulfillment center?
- A dark store is a retail-style space closed to shoppers and used for online orders, often picked manually. A micro-fulfillment center is a small dedicated fulfillment site that is often automated.
Cite this entry
"Dark Store." Fulfillment Lexicon, last reviewed October 16, 2026. https://fulfillment.wiki/glossary/dark-store/