Why the first inbound matters
Your first inbound shipment to a 3PL determines how quickly you can start selling and how accurate your inventory is from day one. A clean inbound is received, counted and put away quickly. A messy one, with mixed cartons, missing labels or no paperwork, can take far longer and often leaves discrepancies that follow you for months.
Most receiving problems are preventable with preparation on the brand and supplier side. This guide walks through what to set up before anything ships, how cartons and pallets should be prepared, and what to expect once your stock reaches the dock.
Step 1: set up your SKUs before anything ships
Your 3PL needs a complete product catalog in its system before your inventory arrives. Each SKU should have a unique identifier, a scannable barcode, a product name, and accurate weight and dimensions for the unit as it ships.
- Confirm every variant, such as each size and color, has its own SKU and barcode
- Note any lot numbers, expiration dates or serial numbers you need tracked
- Flag fragile, high-value, oversized or regulated items
- Identify any items that must be kitted, bundled or bagged on arrival
If your storefront is connected, SKUs often sync automatically, but you should still check that the data is complete and matches what is physically being shipped.
Step 2: label units and cartons correctly
Every sellable unit needs a barcode the warehouse can scan. If your products already carry UPCs, confirm they match the SKUs in the system. If not, label units before they ship, either at the factory or through a prep step your 3PL may offer for a fee.
Each carton should be labeled on the outside with the SKU, quantity and, where relevant, lot or expiry information. Keep one SKU per carton where possible; mixed cartons slow receiving because every unit has to be sorted and counted individually. Ask your 3PL for their carton label requirements and pass them to your supplier well before production finishes.
Step 3: follow pallet and freight requirements
If your shipment arrives on pallets, follow your 3PL's requirements for pallet size, height limits, stacking and wrapping. Pallets that are too tall, unstable or mixed with many SKUs may need to be broken down on arrival, which adds time and cost.
Shipments that arrive as loose cartons via parcel are fine for smaller inbounds, but very large parcel deliveries can be harder to reconcile than palletized freight. Floor-loaded containers usually carry extra unloading charges and need a scheduled appointment. Ask your provider which format they prefer for your volume and whether dock appointments are required.
Step 4: create an advance shipping notice
An advance shipping notice, or ASN, tells the warehouse what is coming and when. It typically lists the SKUs and quantities in the shipment, the number of cartons or pallets, the carrier, tracking or PRO numbers, and the expected arrival date.
Create the ASN in your 3PL's portal before the shipment leaves your supplier. When the shipment arrives, receiving compares what came in against the ASN. Matches are put away quickly, and differences are flagged so you can investigate with your supplier while the details are fresh.
Step 5: what happens at receiving
When your shipment arrives, the warehouse checks it in against the ASN, counts cartons, and then counts or scans units. Damaged cartons, shortages, overages and labeling problems are recorded, usually with photos, and reported to you.
Once counted, inventory is put away to storage locations and becomes available to sell. Ask your 3PL how long receiving typically takes, how you will be notified when stock is live, and how discrepancies are reported. Do not turn on sales for new stock until it shows as available in your inventory, or you risk overselling.
Step 6: run test orders before you go live
Once inventory shows as available, run a few test orders before switching on full fulfillment. Place real orders through your storefront for a mix of SKUs, including a multi-item order, a gift order and anything with special packing rules.
Check that each order imports correctly, is picked and packed the way you specified, ships with the right service, and that tracking writes back to your store and triggers the customer notification. Ask for photos of packed test orders so you can see the unboxing as your customers will. Any issue caught at this stage costs one test order; caught after launch, it can affect hundreds. When the tests pass, turn on live orders and keep a close eye on the first few days of shipments.
Common first-inbound problems and how to avoid them
The same few problems cause most first-inbound delays. Knowing them in advance makes them easy to avoid.
- No ASN, or an ASN with quantities that do not match the shipment
- Missing or unscannable barcodes on units
- Mixed-SKU cartons with no packing list
- Overweight cartons or oversized, unstable pallets
- Supplier substitutions or variants nobody told the warehouse about
Send a short instruction sheet to your supplier, ask for photos of packed cartons and pallets before pickup, and keep a test order ready to run once stock is live. A little coordination before shipping saves days on the other end.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ASN in fulfillment?
An ASN, or advance shipping notice, is a document telling the warehouse what SKUs and quantities are arriving and when. It lets receiving verify the shipment and flag discrepancies quickly.
Do my products need barcodes to use a 3PL?
Yes, each sellable unit should carry a scannable barcode tied to its SKU. If your products lack one, they can be labeled before shipping or through a prep service at the 3PL.
How long does 3PL receiving take?
Receiving time depends on shipment size, format and preparation. Clean, palletized, single-SKU cartons with an accurate ASN are received much faster than mixed or unlabeled freight.