- A push strategy means producing goods in advance, based on forecasted demand — then pushing them through the supply chain to customer.
- A pull strategy means producing goods only after actual customer demand is known — the demand pulls products through the supply chain.
- Push–Pull Hybrid
Most modern supply chains (like Amazon or Zara) use a hybrid strategy:
The front-end (warehouses, base stock) uses a push approach.
The final assembly or customization uses a pull approach based on real demand.