Physical distribution involves all activities required to transport goods from manufacturers to customers, including transportation, warehousing, packaging, and order fulfillment. The objectives are to deliver customer orders on time and at minimum cost while providing an appropriate level of customer service. Key activities include transportation of goods between facilities, order processing, warehousing and storage of inventory, packaging to contain and protect products, and materials handling within facilities. Channels of distribution refer to the intermediaries involved such as wholesalers or transportation companies. The goals are achieving the right balance between distribution costs and customer service levels.