How To Minimize Misplaced Stock in Your Warehouse

It can be difficult to shelve products in an organized manner, especially in warehouses with many unique items. There are many solutions for keeping track of your products, boosting productivity in your workplace, and improving your relationship with distributors. Find out how to minimize misplaced stock in your warehouse using an efficient and reliable inventory system.

Conduct Regular Stock Audits

Routine stock audits identify misplaced or missing inventory in large warehouses. Schedule regular counts to match your physical inventory with your records. For example, if certain items are consistently lost or placed in undesignated areas, it may highlight workflow inefficiencies or areas of confusion in warehouse organization.

Implement a Barcode or RFID System

Labeling products with barcodes or RFID tags allows real-time inventory tracking. These systems reduce the chance of human error during key processes like picking, packing, and restocking. By scanning items at each stage, you can pinpoint product locations.

Optimize Your Shelving Layout

An inefficient shelving system could leave products stranded on the shelf. For clarification in your warehouse, categorize products by size, frequency of access, or product type. If you’re a beginner at managing inventory control, start with clear labels and signage on storage racks. This small change will help your team identify and return misplaced items quickly.

Train Employees on Correct Procedures

Your inventory system is only as reliable as the team implementing it. Provide comprehensive training on stock organization protocols, scanning processes, and handling practices.

For example, teach employees to follow standard routes when shelving or retrieving products. This approach prevents warehouse injuries caused by unnecessary rushing or searching.

Leverage Inventory Management Software

Modern inventory management software integrates real-time updates with detailed data insights. These platforms can send alerts about low stock levels, overstocked items, and discrepancies in inventory counts. To minimize misplaced stock in your warehouse, using such tools simplifies tracking and boosts performance across your warehouse operations.

Prioritize a Dedicated Receiving Area

Create a dedicated space for receiving shipments to properly check, label, and log products into inventory before shelving them. This reduces the likelihood of workers leaving items stranded in receiving areas. A streamlined receiving process leads to fewer errors between shipments and distributors for a reliable and regulated system.

Once you’re ready to implement a new inventory system into your warehouse operations, be sure to teach your employees the new protocol. Your team can locate stray products and adjust the system when they notice something out of place. As you receive and distribute products, you’ll be able to label and organize your stock with ease.