An order arrives, but nobody can find the item. The problem may be a missing link between the physical stock, its description and its sales status. Two second-hand pieces with the same brand and size can have different wear or accessories. Start with an identity for each physical item and a record that follows it through the operation. A spreadsheet can be enough for this first step.
1. Keep the item ID stable when the location changes
Assign a unique reference such as CV-2609-001. Keep it through cleaning, photography, moves and returns. Record the location separately: A-02-03 might mean rack, shelf and container. Using a location as the item identity creates unnecessary changes every time stock moves.
Use one row per physical item and link its photographs and purchase batch to the same reference. Record the currency of each cost; when comparing currencies, retain the conversion date and rate. Share only the fields a handling partner needs to complete the task.
- Identity: item ID, batch reference and source documents.
- Description: category, brand, size, measurements, condition, defects and accessories.
- Operations: current location, status, owner and last update.
- Trading: allocated purchase cost, preparation cost, intake and listing dates, channel and order references.
2. Allocate only stock that has passed its checks
Separate awaiting inspection, preparation, available, reserved, handed over, returned awaiting inspection and withdrawn. Photographed does not mean accepted; sold does not mean received by a carrier. Record the time, operator and order whenever status changes.
For illustration, a container holds 24 items: four need cleaning and two are reserved. Only the remaining 18, once accepted, are available for allocation. This is a worked example, not an industry ratio. With several sales channels, use a master record and update availability elsewhere as soon as an item sells. Adopt automatic synchronisation only after confirming the integration and the platform permissions.
3. Measure both stock age and the wait before listing
Days since intake show how long cash has been tied up; days since listing show how long the item has been offered for sale. A large gap points to inspection, preparation or photography queues. Investigate that delay before changing the selling price. Review groups such as 0–30, 31–60, 61–90 and over 90 days are starting points to adjust for category and season.
Each week, sample frequently picked locations and check returned items and stale records. Compare identity, condition and location. Suspend allocation when a discrepancy appears, investigate the movement history and then correct the record with a reason. Deleting an unmatched entry hides the problem.
- Missing stock: was a move, reservation or handover omitted?
- Slow stock: is preparation, information, pricing or channel fit the bottleneck?
- Repeat rework: should purchasing acceptance criteria change?
4. Price the extra cost per order before adding storage
Separate rent, travel, materials, stock counts, picking, exception handling and eventual relocation. A storage unit may provide space without item inspection, fulfilment or returns handling. Establish who performs each task, how it is charged and how stock will be reconciled when the arrangement ends.
Illustration: an extra €180 monthly fixed cost and €1.20 handling per order add €4.20 per order at 60 monthly orders, or €2.20 at 180 orders. Taxes and other variable expenses are not included. Compare this with measured time savings and error costs rather than using a universal inventory threshold.
5. Use the same references across China and Europe
Before a cross-border handover, produce a batch manifest showing which IDs are in each carton, which items failed acceptance and which documents are missing. The recipient confirms carton quantities and performs the agreed item checks. Give shortages, mismatches and incomplete records a separate exception owner.
A ColisVinted enquiry can start with your current inventory sheet, sample photographs and one real picking workflow. Together these define the item documentation and handover work. Storage, counting frequency, picking and returns need individual agreement; this guide does not imply a ready-made warehouse system or automatic integration.
Put it into practice
Connect item identity, location, status and order before deciding whether you need more space, people or software.
Discuss item records and stock handovers
References and checks
Topics were prompted by PhotoGlowPro, linked below. ColisVinted independently developed these guides for professional resale and China–Europe supply chains; they are not translations. Calculations are illustrative. Use the relevant official guidance and actual order for platform and shipping requirements. Sources accessed and checked: 8 September 2026.