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Supplier Instructions for Packing and Labeling

Working with overseas suppliers requires clear and explicit instructions. If your suppliers can correctly pack and label your inventory it will make receiving it into any warehouse much easier. It is typically more cost effective to label at the point of origin (manufacturer) than at the destination (warehouse).

If your suppliers have asked for guidelines for packing and labeling, a good place to start is just send them the link to this page.

Supplier Introduction to Shipwire:
Shipwire provides merchants access to a global network of warehouses for storage and shipping. Both, direct-to-consumer (b2c) or wholesale (b2b).   To help alleviate receiving headaches and ensure efficiencies we want to outline a few expectations for how merchandise should be packed and labeled so that it can be received by Shipwire.

Terms:

  • B2C: Business to Customer. Shipping out individual units directly to an individual online buyer.   Usually ships one of our parcel shipping options such as UPS or Fedex.
  • B2B: Business to Business. Shipping out a large, bulk amount of units or more likely cartons and master cartons to a business or reseller. Shipwire offers outbound freight options.
  • SKU: A shippable unit that stands for “Stock Keeping Unit“. A SKU can be an individual item, a carton or a master carton.
  • Outbound Shipping:
    • Pick and Pack — A term used to describe a SKU that requires the warehouse to pick 1 or more items that are then placed in a shippable box for outbound shipping.
    • Lick n Stick™ — a term to describe a sku that is already in a shipping package and only requires a label to be placed on it and shipped
  • Master Cartons: Also known as cartons or “cartons of cartons”. These are shippable units (usually wholesale) that contain a set number of individual SKUs. Example of Master Cartons.
  • Advanced Shipping Notice (ASN): Shipwire subscribers create ASNs which tell Shipwire what inventory is coming, when to expect it and how it is packed. Suppliers may get an ASN # and Packing list for an ASN from a Shipwire Subscriber. Another way of looking at this is that the ASN is your confirming packing list to your supplier (could be manufacturer or manufacturer’s agent).
  • Kitting: Bundling together different SKU’s (individual items) into a new SKU (Kit). Example, taking 3 individual DVD SKU’s and creating a 4th SKU that is a 3-pack.
  • Qualified Receiving: An inbound receiving that can be processed within our service level terms because it was scheduled, accurate to the packing list and had clear and obvious labeling.

Packaging:

How inventory is packaged is critically important to the storage and outbound shipping process.   Shipwire recommends using a hierarchical master carton structure to ensure the maximum outbound shipping options (individual or wholesale) at the least cost.

For individual shippable units we recommend:

  • That any item be in a retail box, poly bag, outside enclosure or some type of cardboard box. This will allow for an SKU Label or bar code to be put on the item without having to apply it directly to the product itself.
  • Apparel be in a poly bag or an envelope that can be labeled. Polybags also protect your apparel from dust so they arrive at the buyer clean.
  • Each individual shippable item should be labeled. More on labels below.
  • Individual units should generally be packaged in cartons and master cartons. Shipping a carton or master carton counts as an item shipment. The same an individual item out of the warehouse. So if you are shipping wholesale it is much cheaper to ship cartons than individual items.

If you need hang-tags or packaging done by the warehouse, please attach a special project to your ASN inbound receiving notification.

Kitting is typically more cost effectively done at your supplier. Shipwire does offer Kitting services at the time of receiving.

Labeling

Any individual unit that enters the warehouse for receiving must be labeled with the SKU. Before adding products or sending inventory to Shipwire, read about SKUs (what they are, how to create them and manage them).

If you use a barcode your barcode should be the SKU ID with no additional characters.

If you need items labeled, we offer this service as an hourly special project at the time of receiving. It is typically more cost effective to have label placed on inventory at the time of manufacture.

  • Every individual SKU must be labeled
  • Every bulk SKU (master carton or carton) must be labeled. There should never be an item, whether a single item or case/carton/bulk item that does not have a clear SKU label on it.
  • Labels should be placed on the packaging of the item, not the actual item itself (see packaging above)
  • The SKU on the label must match the Product SKU as defined in the Shipwire System.
  • Labels should be placed in an obvious and consistent easy to find place on the outer packaging.
  • Make sure your labels use a good adhesive and don’t come off easily. If labels come off the packaging, the products will not be identifiable and inventory discrepancies may result.

Note, that most cross shipping is caused by confusing labels or labels not being in a clear and consistent place on the package. You should make it easy to find and legible. If your products come in with labeling errors or labels can’t be easily found we will ask you to run a special project to clean up the labels before we receive inventory.

Packing with Packing Lists and ASN’s

Organizing your inbound product and packing in an organized fashion with clear an obvious master carton hierarchy will result in the fastest receiving and minimize any errors.

  • Your packing list should be crystal clear and show exactly how many boxes, carton, containers are coming to Shipwire and the contents of each box.
  • Supplier packing list should be confirmed against the ASN submitted.
  • You can print an expected packing list when you create an ASN by going through the Send-to-Shipwire interface.
  • Proper ASN Label
    • “Shipwire Distribution” appears as the Recipient. Sorry, “Your Company Name” cannot be used.
    • The ASN #, or Advanced Shipping Notice number, must appear either below the Recipient name, or clearly defined elsewhere on the documentation.
    • The warehouse address must be for the proper warehouse location. Please do not reuse warehouse address information previously provided, as it may change.
    • All this information is provided in the printed ASN confirmation and packing list for your ASN.

Other Relevant Topics:

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