Elevate Fulfillment provides efficient and transparent order fulfillment services so that your operations run smoothly. The result is a mutually-beneficial partnership that will last for years to come. To ensure this, we have developed receiving best practices that get your product to the available-to-ship stage in quick, reliable, and cost-effective manner.
By following these Best Practices, you can eliminate receiving delays at the warehouse and allow Elevate to provide expedited service levels. Our goal is to get every product available for sale with no errors and in the least amount of time. By doing your part you can reduce the time it takes for us to process your inbound receiving, and avoid unnecessary charges, errors, and delays.
Item Labels
Every item that is received by Elevate must be clearly labeled with a printed, barcoded label with the unique identifier (either UPC or SKU). The following requirements must be met for the item label.
White Label
Minimum size of 1” x .5”
Human Readable Text must be 9 pt or larger
Barcodes must be UPC-A or Code 128 format
SKU, UPC, and Description MUST match values entered into Elevate's WMS
Carton Sizes
Elevate has dynamic shelving that can accommodate various carton sizes. However, for the most economical storage rates items that will be picked regularly should come in cartons with a maximum dimension of 18”x10"x10". This size recommendation can be used for either the Inner Carton or the Master Carton depending on your need and product weight to ensure maximum protection and economy.
A Label should be placed on at least two sides, and preferably on all sides. A minimum of one label on the the short side of the box and one label on the long side of the box for easy visibility regardless of direction. (See Red X’s)
Inner Cartons
When using Inner Cartons packed inside a Master Carton, use a cardboard that is sturdy enough to allow for normal handling in the warehouse. Inner Cartons should not easily tear, or break apart.
Specifications are difficult to define since each product has a different weight and size, but you should use good judgement for packaging your products. If there are any concerns about the ability of the Inner Carton to sufficiently protect the product, run a drop test or contact us.
Sealing tape must be at least 2 inches wide and used on all open sides to properly seal cartons. Do not use tape or band two cartons together to make an Inner or Master Carton. All Inner Cartons should be in their own individual cartons.
Inner Carton Labeling Requirements
The product label should be affixed to the Inner Carton and clearly indicate what is included inside the Inner Carton. All Inner Carton labels must meet the following criteria:
UPC or SKU in either UPC-A or Code-128 Format
Label must be white
Minimum font size must be 12pt
Minimum label size must be 1” x 1” (2.5cm x 2.5cm)
Minimum 1/16” (0.2cm) white space around border
Barcode is required to be scannable
Additional information to be considered for inclusion on the Inner Carton label might be:
Style Number
Description
Color
Size
Master Carton
Cases and other packaging must sufficiently protect your product from damage during inbound transit and receiving by Elevate.
Master Cartons may not weigh in excess of 50 lbs. (31.75kg) unless they contain a single selling unit.
Master Cartons with contents <50 lbs. (31.75kg) must use double-wall corrugate.
Master Cartons with contents >50 lbs. (31.75kg) must use triple-wall corrugate.
Cartons must score a minimum of 200 lb. on the bursting strength test and 32 ECT on the edge crush test.
Cartons and packaging used for parcel shipping (non-freight) should be designed to protect their contents from a 4 ft (1.2 m) fall.
A Master Carton should not arrive with mixed products inside. If mixing is necessary, one Master Carton should not have a mixture of more than 4 different products because it will delay the receiving time and possibly incur additional receiving costs depending on complexity.
Any carton of 2 or more mixed individual products should include a packing list for that specific carton.
Labeling Requirements
All Master Cartons received by Elevate must comply with the following labeling guidelines:
To: The address of the intended warehouse. Your company name must be listed as recipient.
PO Number. This is the Number Elevate will use to match up shipments with documentation we have received from you.
Case contents: Include the STYLE, COLOR, SIZE, QUANTITY
Barcodes: Either the SKU (Code128 format) or UPC (UPC-A) format, must be printed on the label. Ideally the quantity would also be in Code128 barcode format for quicker and more accurate receiving.
Additional Labeling Requirements
Required on all Master Cartons received by the warehouse:
Carton markings must be printed on the carton or label. No hand-writing is allowed
Barcodes must be scannable
Labels must be white
Minimum font size must be 12pt
Minimum label size must be 4” x 6” (10cm x 15cm)
Mixed Master Carton Labels
If you are sending a case containing mixed units place multiple Master Carton labels on the same carton, one for each of the SKU’s contained. Also mark the carton with a separate “MIXED CARTON” label. See example.
