# Northstar Outfitters - Domain Knowledge (2026)

## Business Summary
Northstar Outfitters is a direct-to-consumer outdoor gear brand operating in the US.
Primary channels: Shopify web store, Amazon marketplace, and wholesale partners.
Primary warehouse: Reno, NV.

## Product Catalog (Top SKUs)

| SKU | Product | Category | Cost (USD) | Price (USD) | Avg Monthly Units |
| --- | --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| NS-HB-20 | Summit Hydration Backpack 20L | Packs | 38.50 | 89.00 | 740 |
| NS-JK-RN | RainShell Pro Jacket | Apparel | 46.20 | 129.00 | 520 |
| NS-TK-2P | Alpine Trekking Poles (Pair) | Hiking | 21.90 | 59.00 | 980 |
| NS-LT-600 | Trail Lantern 600 | Lighting | 14.70 | 39.00 | 1,120 |
| NS-BTL-1L | Insulated Steel Bottle 1L | Hydration | 9.10 | 27.00 | 1,450 |

## Service Level Targets
- Order confirmation email: < 2 minutes after checkout.
- Pick/pack SLA: 95% of paid orders packed within 12 hours.
- Carrier handoff: same business day for orders before 2:00 PM PT.
- First response time (support): < 4 business hours.
- Return processing: refund initiated within 3 business days of item receipt.

## Shipping Policy
- Domestic standard shipping (US): 3-5 business days.
- Domestic expedited: 1-2 business days.
- Free shipping threshold: orders >= $75 before tax.
- Oversize surcharge applies to packages > 20 lb.
- We do not ship lithium battery items internationally.

## Returns and Warranty
- Return window: 30 days from delivery date.
- Condition: unused items with tags and original packaging.
- Return shipping fee: $6.99 deducted from refund unless item is defective.
- Limited warranty:
  - Packs and jackets: 2 years.
  - Hard goods (poles, lanterns): 1 year.
- Exclusions: normal wear, accidental damage, unauthorized repairs.

## Support Taxonomy
- `ORD`: Order status, cancellations, address change.
- `RET`: Returns, exchanges, refund timing.
- `PRD`: Product compatibility, sizing, care instructions.
- `WAR`: Warranty claims and replacement eligibility.
- `B2B`: Wholesale pricing, MOQ, and lead times.

## Operational Workflows
1. Customer creates order in Shopify.
2. OMS validates fraud score and inventory allocation.
3. Warehouse WMS generates pick list and packing label.
4. Carrier scan event updates tracking and sends customer notification.
5. Post-delivery survey triggers after 5 days.

## Data Source Mapping
- `shopify_orders`: order id, customer id, gross sales, discounts, shipping fee.
- `warehouse_events`: picked_at, packed_at, carrier, handed_off_at.
- `support_tickets`: ticket id, category, sentiment, first_response_minutes.
- `returns`: reason code, condition, refund_amount, restockable flag.

## Q1 2026 KPIs
- Revenue: $4.82M
- Gross margin: 54.3%
- Return rate: 6.8%
- On-time handoff: 96.1%
- Support CSAT: 4.6/5

## Common Business Questions
- Which SKUs have rising return rates by channel?
- Which carriers miss delivery promise windows most often?
- Which support categories drive negative sentiment spikes?
- How does free-shipping threshold impact margin by cart value band?