October 23, 2025
Many fast-growing eCommerce brands struggle with communication breakdowns and limited expertise from their 3PL. By improving inventory visibility and adopting proactive account management, operations leaders can reduce losses, protect cashflow, and build the foundation for scalable fulfilment.
Stock control issues are among the costliest challenges in eCommerce. According toRetail Systems Research, 43% of retailers experience stock-outs every month, and 37% deal with overstocking (RSR, 2024). Together, these inefficiencies contribute to $1.9 trillion in lost sales and surplus inventory globally each year (IHL Group, 2023).
These losses are rarely caused by warehouse capacity, they stem from a lack of communication, transparency, and proactive planning between retailers and their logistics partners.
When brands can’t see accurate stock data, they can’t make smart replenishment or purchasing decisions. The result? Missed sales, wasted storage, and unnecessary stress.
In modern eCommerce, visibility is the new competitive advantage. The ability to view, forecast, and manage inventory in real time is what separates scalable operations from those constantly playing catch-up.
1. Identify where communication breaks down
Start by mapping where information slows or stops; daily stock reports, inbound confirmations, or order issue tracking. These are usually the points where visibility gaps cause losses.
2. Connect your data sources
Centralise stock visibility across all channels and marketplaces. Whether via ERP, OMS, or a dedicated inventory dashboard, ensure everyone in the business is working from the same live data.
3. Focus on loss prevention, not correction
The most common causes of loss are
Early detection through analytics prevents small errors from becoming costly write-offs.
4. Treat your 3PL as an extension of your ops team
Open communication should go both ways. Regular forecasting reviews and data sharing build mutual accountability and help align fulfilment with business goals.
5. Build scalability into your fulfilment model
The best 3PL partnerships evolve with you. As your SKU count, order volume, or sales channels grow, your inventory processes should scale seamlessly, not strain under pressure.
A UK lifestyle brand operating on Shopify and Amazon struggled with repeated stock-outs caused by delayed warehouse updates. After centralising its stock visibility and establishing weekly CX reviews, it reduced inventory losses by 18% within three months simply by spotting discrepancies faster and replenishing key SKUs earlier.
Strong inventory management isn’t about more spreadsheets or warehouse staff, it’s about
Tools like Zendportal help achieve this visibility, but the mindset shift is equally important, moving from reactive fulfilment to data-informed prevention.
Audit communication and escalation processes with your fulfilment partner
Review stock accuracy weekly, not monthly
Set reorder alerts for fast-moving SKUs
Track inbound stock accuracy and resolution speed
Combine data from all sales channels into one view
Schedule quarterly reviews focused on forecasting and process efficiency
1. Why is inventory visibility so critical in eCommerce?
Because it links directly to cashflow and customer experience, poor visibility leads to overspending on stock or losing sales through stock-outs.
2. How can I prevent inventory loss before it happens?
Use analytics and reporting to detect shrinkage, slow-moving stock, or unlogged returns early. Prevention is always cheaper than correction.
3. What’s the best communication rhythm with a 3PL?
Set up regular forecasting and performance reviews; weekly for fast-moving brands, monthly for stable SKU sets.
4. How do I know if my 3PL can support my growth?
Ask how they handle multi-channel data and whether they offer proactive recommendations or only react to issues.
5. What KPIs should I track for inventory health?
Key metrics include inventory turnover ratio, order accuracy rate, stockout frequency, and days-on-hand.
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