When setting up products for Elevate Fulfillment to receive, store, and ship there are a few factors to consider. Ideally products should be listed in Units of Measurement (UOM) that will be consistent with how they will move through your purchasing and sales process.
Elevate typically tracks products in multiple UOM’s including: Loose Units, Inner Cartons, Master Cartons, and Skids. These UOM’s ensure that negotiated pricing is properly applied to your fulfillment invoices.
If you purchase merchandise in bulk, typically from overseas, it is very important that you pay attention to how it is packaged for shipment to you. Please consider the following when setting up your products and organizing shipments to Elevate.
What is your basic selling unit? This will be your Loose Unit in Elevate’s WMS
Will you have Inner Cartons? How many Loose Units are in an Inner Carton?
How many Inner Cartons are in a Master Carton?
What is a shippable carton/package and what must be “pick and packed” prior to shipping?
Loose Unit
A Loose Unit is the smallest level you intend to sell your item. Normally this is at the individual level of a particular product. Your Loose Unit can be Pre-packaged and ready-to-ship or loose items to be packed in our standard packaging.
Every Loose Unit must be barcoded according to Elevate’s Labeling Guidelines or service level guarantees will not apply for activities completed by our Team.
Elevate’s Onboarding and Operations Teams will work with you to properly configure your products. During this process you will want to communicate any special instructions relating to receiving, storage, packaging and shipping.
Inner Carton or Master Carton
Inner Cartons or Master Cartons describes container products in which other products are packaged (i.e. a case of 60 bottles). Inner Cartons or Master Cartons can be used to simplify your shipping and help you save on order handling and shipping spend.
Master Cartons can contain Inner Cartons or Loose Units, but Inner Cartons can only can contain Loose Units
Please note that when placing orders you should always use the Loose Unit quantity that was configured for your product. Elevate’s system will automatically calculate the number of Inner Cartons or Master Cartons and apply discounts.
If you will always ship in Master Carton quantities then your Loose Unit should be a Master Carton.
Skid
Elevate can track products in Skid quantities to further simplify shipping and apply negotiated pricing during order processing.
Skid prices are only applicable to full, non-mixed SKU pallet quantities. If Skid quantities are not met then Master Carton or Inner Carton prices may apply.
