Inventory Management Checklist

Pull the supplier's ASN (advance ship notice) and compare carton count, SKU breakdown, and lot codes against the open PO in the OMS (Cin7, NetSuite, Linnworks). Flag mismatches before opening cartons — short-shipped POs are easier to dispute when documented at the dock.

Photograph any crushed cartons, broken pallets, or wet damage before signing the BOL. Note shortages on the delivery receipt — carriers will refuse claims filed without notation at delivery. Attach photos for the freight claim file.

Scan UPC/GTIN with the warehouse handheld; the OMS should match each unit against an open PO line. Resolve unknown UPCs at receiving rather than putting away — unscanned stock becomes phantom inventory the moment it leaves the dock.

Post the receipt in the OMS so on-hand updates flow to Shopify and Amazon listings within the next sync cycle. Capture lot/expiry for FIFO categories (consumables, supplements, cosmetics under MoCRA).

Spot-check three high-velocity SKUs across Shopify Admin and Seller Central to confirm the OMS sync ran. Sync lag is the most common cause of overselling — the same last unit sold on two channels means a cancellation hit on Amazon ODR.

Hold back a buffer (typically 5-10 units per fast mover) on Shopify so DTC orders don't cannibalize FBA inbound prep. Adjust buffer up before sale events and down for slow movers heading toward deadstock.

A-class SKUs (top 20% of revenue) get counted weekly; B-class monthly; C-class quarterly. Generate the count sheet from the OMS without on-hand quantities visible — blind counts catch real variance.

Counter records the bin total without seeing system on-hand. Inventory analyst then compares against OMS and flags any SKU with variance over the 2% tolerance for root-cause review.

Walk the bin, recheck adjacent locations for misputs, and review recent receipts and pick activity. Common culprits: unscanned receipt at the dock, pick to wrong order, kit components not deducted on assembly. Document the root cause before adjusting.

Use a 90-day weighted average (more recent weeks weighted heavier) rather than a flat average so trending SKUs aren't under-ordered. Helium 10, Sellerise, or your OMS forecast module will export the velocity table.

Days of supply = on-hand ÷ daily velocity. Compare against (production lead time + transit time + safety buffer). For overseas suppliers, transit alone is 30-45 days ocean; CNY shutdowns add another 4-6 weeks every January-February.

Push flagged SKUs into the PO drafting queue for the buyer. Include preferred supplier, current MOQ, last-paid landed cost, and target arrival date so the buyer can issue the PO without re-pulling the same data.

Total reason-coded shrink for the month should sit under 1% of GMV. Spikes in a single bin or shift point to a process or staffing issue — escalate to the warehouse manager rather than absorbing the loss.

Pull the FBA Inventory Adjustments report and the Inbound Shipments Reconcile report. Look for units shipped but never received, units marked lost in warehouse, and customer returns not put back to sellable. Reimbursement window is 18 months but file as you go.