Tag Archive: inventory management

Inventory Management Best Practices

July 2, 2018  Published by

Inventory that isn’t carefully tracked and managed can create big problems down the road. Excess inventory occupies warehouse space and can tie up your working capital, while stockouts can contribute to a decrease in sales and an increase in dissatisfied customers. To keep the state of your inventory healthy and profitable, you should incorporate the following best practices into your day-to-day inventory management. A.B.C. – Always Be Checking In order to get the most robust picture of your inventory and how it moves, you should keep your data up to date with daily stock checks. Ideally, this should be an…... View Article

Tips for Better Picking Accuracy

May 23, 2018  Published by

In a busy fulfillment center, picking efficiency is a crucial element for shipping orders correctly and in a timely manner. Of course, fulfillment management systems, warehouse technology, and other innovations have done a lot to help pickers and reduce human error. However, there are some simple changes you can make to streamline your picking process even further.  Below are some of our favorite low-tech tips for improving picking accuracy and efficiency. Prominent Inventory IDs Ensure that your entire inventory has clearly marked, easy to find identification (i.e. part numbers, barcodes, etc.) to reduce picking errors and time spent tracking down…... View Article

Tips for Handling Backorders

March 7, 2018  Published by

If you want to implement a backordering system on your ecommerce site, communication is key – not just with your inventory managers but with your customers as well. Before allowing customer to place backorders on your site, you should have a detailed understanding of your inventory management. Keep the lines of communication open and active with your fulfillment team to help determine the volume of backorders you’d be able to manage. Without this foundation, your backorder system could quickly start causing problems. Once you’ve established that basis for working with backordered inventory, you’ll need to focus on the customer experience.…... View Article

3 Tips for Improving Warehouse Efficiency

January 17, 2018  Published by

Efficiency is a crucial element for success in the warehouse or distribution center. Previously, we focused on ways to utilize warehouse space more efficiently. In this blog post, we’ll go over 3 fundamental tips for more efficient fulfillment operations and inventory management processes. Optimized slotting A laissez-faire approach to slotting is detrimental to overall throughput and efficient space utilization. You’ve probably heard of the 80/20 rule: 20% of your SKUs usually account for 80% of your sales. Those top-performing SKUs should be slotted in a layout that 1) reduces the frequency and urgency of replenishment trips by providing sufficient space…... View Article

Tips for Timing your SKU Replenishment Rate

December 27, 2017  Published by

SKU replenishment is a major component in the efficiency of warehouse picking and packing. If a picker goes to a designated pick slot, but finds it empty, multiple people and processes are affected. The picker gets stuck on the current order trying to track down the necessary product. Staffers in charge of replenishing the pick slots stop what they’re currently doing to address the problem. Order filling is delayed until the right item is found and the order completed – or worse, the order ships incomplete and a second shipment is required with shipping costs paid by you.    In combination…... View Article

Is Warehouse Automation Right for you?

December 13, 2017  Published by

In every task for every industry, automation makes life easier. But in ecommerce fulfillment, incorporating automation equipment into your warehouse can be a lengthy and expensive process. It requires considerable expertise to know which types of equipment you need and how it should be laid out for maximum efficiency. Plus, if you want to make changes in the future, it can become very expensive to move, reinstall, or upgrade. Before you invest in warehouse automation, consider the following:     Your current capabilities As your ecommerce business grows by entering new regional markets, adding new SKUs, and fulfilling more complex orders,…... View Article

Should you open more Distribution Centers?

November 29, 2017  Published by

Expanding your ecommerce business by opening more distribution centers (DCs) can be a beneficial strategy for reducing shipping costs and delivery times. However, more isn’t always better. The expenses associated with opening, operating, and integrating additional DCs can easily negate the cost savings and logistical advantages they provide. To figure out if the numbers will work in your favor, you should consider the following variables.     Number of SKUs vs. Order Volume In general, the more SKUs you have, the more it will cost to coordinate with your suppliers to maintain inventory levels across multiple DCs. However, those costs can…... View Article

The Art of Warehouse ‘Tetris’

November 15, 2017  Published by

If you’ve played (or still play) the iconic puzzle video game Tetris, you’ve probably noticed how similar the game is to working in an ecommerce warehouse. The basic goal of the game is to pack a non-stop flow of various geometric pieces into a finite space. Packing the pieces together neatly and efficiently filling empty spaces grants a high score, while the opposite reduces the size of the playing field and limits the options you have for setting new pieces. As the game goes on, the pieces need to be set faster and faster. Once you run out of space,…... View Article

Tips for Choosing Fulfillment Software that’s Omnichannel-Friendly

August 2, 2017  Published by

Most omnichannel retailers take an ad hoc approach to selecting fulfillment management software; opting for solutions designed to suit the needs of each sales channel. For example, you may utilize POS software for brick-and-mortar locations and an ecommerce platform (such as Shopify or Magento) for your ecommerce site.     Ideally, a 3PL provider should have no problem integrating your current technology and software solutions to keep everything working seamlessly. But if your expansion into omnichannel is recent, you may not know what features you need or which vendor to go with. In this post, we’ll go over some tips for…... View Article

Strategies for Success in Inventory Management

February 8, 2017  Published by

Accurate tracking, measuring, and forecasting of inventory is crucial for seamless order fulfillment, financial decision-making, customer satisfaction, brand perception, and other aspects that drive the success of an ecommerce company. That is why even if your sales are through the roof, your success will be short-lived without capable inventory management. These guiding principles can help ensure that your inventory management stays successful and contributes to the growth of your business.     Data Clarity Inventory data is an important consideration when making logistical, purchasing, and fulfillment decisions. Inaccurate or unclear data negatively impacts these areas – so it’s critical to have…... View Article