Inventory Replenishment Checklist

Run the days-of-supply (DOS) report in your inventory tool — Cin7, SkuVault, Linnworks, NetSuite, or Veeqo. Filter to SKUs with DOS at or below 45 days; that's your replenishment shortlist for this cycle.

Anything under 30 days of supply is a priority — given typical 21-30 day ocean transit plus FBA receive time, you're already late on these. Fast movers with under 14 days may need an air-freight backup plan.

Pull the FBA Inventory report from Seller Central. Reserved (customer order, FC transfer, FC processing) is not sellable — don't double-count it against demand. Also flag any unfulfillable units that need removal orders before the next inbound.

Use trailing 90-day units-per-day across all channels (Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Walmart). Adjust for known lifts: upcoming Prime Day, Black Friday window, planned Meta ad spend increases. Save the working forecast as the source of truth for this cycle.

Cross-check the marketing calendar — any SKU with a planned ad push, influencer drop, or email campaign needs a velocity multiplier on top of the baseline forecast. Q4 SKUs should already carry a holiday buffer.

Target quantity = (forecasted demand over lead time + safety stock) − on-hand − in-transit − open POs. Round up to the supplier's case pack or carton multiple. Don't forget Chinese New Year or factory shutdown windows in your lead time.

Decide where each SKU lands: Amazon FBA, your 3PL for DTC and other marketplaces, or split. If any SKU is going to FBA, the FBA Inbound Shipment Prep section applies. If everything is shipping to your 3PL only, that section can be skipped.

Reconfirm MOQ in writing — suppliers sometimes change it without notice. Lead time should reflect production + QC + ocean/air + customs + 3PL receive, not just factory days. Use the latest quoted lead time, not the one in the supplier card.

Pull the open-PO report and any container ETAs. Do not double-order a SKU that has 5,000 units already on the water — common gotcha when running parallel replenishment cycles or switching planners.

Generate the PO from the OMS so quantities, SKUs, and unit costs flow through to landed-cost reporting. Include FNSKU labeling instructions if the supplier ships direct-to-FBA, or carton labeling per your 3PL's receiving spec.

Confirm FOB vs DDP vs EXW — this determines who handles freight, customs, and risk transfer. Net 30 / Net 60 should match the supplier card; T/T deposit terms (typically 30/70) noted on the PO. Flag any term changes for finance.

Get a written ship-by date from the supplier, not just "3-4 weeks." Build in a 5-7 day buffer before your stockout date for QC inspection and pre-ship sampling. Without a hard ship-by, you have no leverage when the factory slips.

Attach the supplier's signed/countersigned PO or proforma invoice. This is your paper trail if quantities, prices, or dates are disputed later — and it's required by most cargo insurance providers in case of loss in transit.

Use Send to Amazon, add the SKUs and case-pack quantities, and accept Amazon's destination FCs (or pay the inventory placement fee for a single-FC ship). Confirm no SKU is gated, hazmat-blocked, or oversize without proper classification.

Each unit must carry its FNSKU (cover the manufacturer UPC if your category requires it). Skipping this is the most common cause of unfulfillable / commingled-stranded inventory at the FC.

Apply poly bag with suffocation warning for soft goods, bubble wrap for fragile, expiration date stickers for consumables, "sold as set" labels for multi-packs. Amazon prep deficiencies trigger per-unit prep fees and can suppress the listing.

Partnered UPS (small parcel) or partnered LTL gives you the discounted rate and pre-applied tracking. Print box ID labels, attach to each carton, and confirm pickup date with the warehouse so cartons are ready at the dock.

At the 3PL or warehouse: photograph any crushed, wet, or visibly damaged cartons before opening. If a carton is short, note it on the BOL before signing — once you sign clean, you've accepted the shipment as-is and lose your carrier claim.

Post the received quantities to the OMS so sellable counts update across Shopify, Amazon, and other channels. A clean receive closes the PO; a discrepancy holds it open until reconciled.

For FBA inbound shorts, file the lost-shipment claim via Seller Central with BOL, packing list, and box-content proof — the 30-day reconciliation window is strict. For non-FBA, file with the carrier (UPS/FedEx/LTL) per their claim deadline (typically 9-15 days for visible damage).

Match invoice line items to the PO and to the actual received quantities. Adjust for shorts, overages, and any agreed price changes. Hand off to AP only after the three-way match is clean — supplier, PO, receipt.

Mark the PO as closed, update the supplier scorecard with actual lead time and on-time/in-full performance, and note any lessons learned for the next cycle's forecast (chronic shorts, slipping ship dates, prep issues).