Receiving

What Is Receiving?

Receiving is the first step in the warehouse workflow. It covers everything from the truck arriving at the dock to the inventory being recorded in the warehouse management system and ready for putaway.

Good receiving turns a delivery into accurate, sellable inventory. Poor receiving creates errors that follow the product all the way to the customer.

How It Works

The process usually starts with an advance shipping notice that tells the warehouse what is coming. When the shipment arrives, staff unload it, check for visible damage and compare the delivery to the paperwork. They count or scan the cartons and units, record lot numbers and expiration dates when needed, and note any shortages, overages or damage.

Once the counts are confirmed, the inventory is entered into the system and moved to putaway. For example, a delivery of three pallets of skincare is checked against the ASN, each lot and expiration date is logged, one damaged carton is photographed and reported, and the rest is put away.

• Send an ASN before the shipment arrives.
• Label cartons with SKU, quantity and lot.
• Report damage and discrepancies right away.

Why It Matters for Ecommerce Brands

Receiving speed and accuracy affect how quickly you can sell new stock. Inventory that sits unprocessed on a dock is inventory customers cannot buy, which is especially painful during a launch or restock.

Accurate receiving also protects your records. If counts are wrong at the start, the error shows up later as oversells, short shipments or reconciliation headaches. Clear carton labels, consistent case packs and a complete ASN make receiving faster for everyone.