Guide · AutoZone EDI purchase orders
Not every AutoZone 850 purchase order means the same thing. AutoZone routes vendor orders through three distinct programs, DSD, VDP, and STH, and each one changes where the product ships, what data has to travel with the order, and what the vendor sends back. Confusing one for another is how a vendor ends up shipping to the wrong address or missing a required reference on the invoice. This page covers what actually differs between the three, on the wire and in the warehouse.
DSD
DSD sends product straight to an individual AutoZone store, bypassing AutoZone's own distribution centers entirely. AutoZone's 850 EDI map identifies a DSD order with a store-number reference, a REF segment on the purchase order naming the exact store the vendor needs to ship to. That store number is not just for the shipping label: AutoZone expects the vendor to return the same store number on the invoice, so the PO's destination and the invoice's billing reference stay tied together for AutoZone's own reconciliation. A DSD shipment invoiced without that matching store number is the kind of mismatch that turns into a billing dispute later.
VDP
VDP exists for parts AutoZone does not find practical to stock in every store or warehouse, usually because of space constraints on slower-moving or bulkier items. The order itself starts with a customer standing at the counter: when a customer orders a VDP part in-store, AutoZone generates a VDP purchase order over EDI, and the vendor pulls, packs, and ships that part directly to the requesting store from their own inventory, not from an AutoZone facility. Because AutoZone is relying on the vendor's own stock to decide whether a VDP part can even be ordered in the first place, the program depends on the vendor sending daily 846 inventory transmissions, so AutoZone's systems know what is actually available before a customer's order can generate a VDP PO for it.
That daily inventory dependency is the operational difference that matters most: a vendor whose 846 feed lags reality risks AutoZone generating VDP POs for stock that is not really there, which is a fill failure the vendor could have prevented with a tighter feed.
STH
STH is AutoZone's direct-to-consumer delivery option: the vendor ships the item straight to the end customer's home address rather than to any AutoZone store or distribution center. Operationally this is the closest of the three to a standard dropship order, the ship-to on the PO is a residential consumer address instead of a store number, and there is no store-level invoice reference to match the way there is on DSD.
Side by side
| DSD | VDP | STH | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ships to | An individual AutoZone store | An individual AutoZone store | The end consumer's home |
| Order trigger | Standard replenishment ordering, bypassing DCs | An in-store customer order for a part not stocked locally | A direct-to-consumer sale |
| Distinct EDI detail | Store-number REF segment on the 850, returned on the 810 invoice | Depends on daily 846 inventory transmissions from the vendor | Consumer ship-to address on the PO |
| Vendor's inventory role | Standard fulfillment from vendor stock | Vendor's own stock decides whether AutoZone can even generate the PO | Standard fulfillment from vendor stock |
| Invoice requirement | Must return the same store number used on the PO | Standard invoicing against the PO | Standard invoicing against the PO |
AutoZone publishes its exact chargeback amounts, routing requirements, and program rules to approved vendors directly in its vendor compliance manual; confirm current specifics with your AutoZone vendor relations contact.
Automation
InfiPlex reads the store-number reference on DSD orders and carries it through to the invoice automatically, keeps inventory feeding AutoZone daily so VDP orders are only generated against stock that genuinely exists, and routes STH orders to the correct consumer address like any other direct-to-consumer shipment, all from the same order queue as every other channel a vendor supplies. The EDI order lifecycle guide covers how all three flow through acknowledgment, shipment, and invoicing; the program page is AutoZone integration.
Frequently asked
The questions vendors ask when they first see all three AutoZone PO types.
DSD (Direct Store Delivery) ships to an individual AutoZone store, bypassing distribution centers. VDP (Vendor-Direct Parts) also ships to a store, but is generated by an in-store customer order for a part not stocked locally. STH (Ship To Home) ships directly to the end consumer's home address.
A reference on the 850 purchase order identifying the specific AutoZone store the vendor must ship to. AutoZone expects that same store number returned on the 810 invoice so the shipment and the billing reference stay matched.
Because a VDP purchase order is only generated after a customer orders the part in-store, and AutoZone relies on the vendor's own daily 846 inventory feed to know whether that part is actually available to order in the first place.
AutoZone can generate a VDP PO for stock that is not really available, since VDP depends on the vendor's own reported inventory. A lagging 846 feed risks fill failures the vendor could have avoided with a tighter feed.
Largely yes. The ship-to is a residential consumer address rather than a store, and there is no store-level invoice reference to match the way DSD requires.
Yes. A vendor's system needs to recognize which program a given PO belongs to and handle each accordingly, DSD's store reference and matching invoice, VDP's inventory dependency, and STH's consumer shipping, rather than treating every AutoZone PO the same way.
The core documents, 850 purchase order, 856 ASN, 810 invoice, are the same across all three; what differs is the data each program requires within those documents, like the DSD store reference or VDP's dependence on the 846 feed.
Yes. InfiPlex reads and carries through the DSD store reference to invoicing, keeps inventory feeding AutoZone daily to support VDP, and routes STH orders as standard direct-to-consumer shipments, all without manual handling per order.
Resources
Store references carried through to invoicing, daily inventory for VDP, consumer shipping for STH. Live in 1–3 business days.
We connect AutoZone vendors across DSD, VDP, and STH every week. Tell us which programs you run and we will map the setup. Contact us, email info@infiplex.com, or call 888‑770‑0857.
InfiPlex™ is a trademark of InfiPlex. AutoZone is a trademark of AutoZone, Inc. or its affiliates. InfiPlex is an independent integration provider and is not endorsed by or affiliated with AutoZone. Program rules, EDI requirements, and chargeback amounts are set by AutoZone and change; verify current terms in your vendor compliance manual before relying on them. ©2026 InfiPlex. All rights reserved.
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