Inventory Lot Control

What is lot control?

Products are manufactured in batches or tracked by production runs.

Most manufacturers of products use a lot number tied to the production lot it was produced in.

These numbers are useful in inventory lot control or tracking the product and its quality as it makes its way through your supply chain to the end consumer.

How do I use lot numbers in ecommerce?

Lot numbers or batch numbers can be used when customers or your QC team (in a fulfillment facility) catches product defects.
‍
Knowing which lot number the product belongs to enables you to contact your supplier to ask for refunds.
‍
Inventory lot control in a system like Shipedge also lets you trace the product to ensure that there are not bigger issues with the production lot as a whole.

What are lot numbers used for in inventory management?

Manufacturers assign lot numbers to a specific batch or run of a product they produce.

When you are sourcing your products having this data is important for managing the relationship with your suppliers.

If you have product defects at any point you have traceability in an advanced WMS like Shipedge.

This lets you track the product back to a specific production lot, batch, or run and helps you work with your manufacturer to correct production issues or ask for refunds.