Inventory Management File Specification for Dropship Partners

Overview

This document details the inventory management file format for daily stock updates. The inventory file provides real-time product stock details to help dropship partners manage customer expectations and avoid selling out-of-stock items.

Inventory File Fields

Stock Status Values

• In Stock: Quantity > Reorder Point
• Out of Stock: Quantity = 0

Important Notes

Frequency

Inventory files are generated daily and available for download by 2:00 AM UTC each day.

Accuracy

Stock counts reflect real-time inventory levels including:

• Available for shipment
• Allocated to pending orders
• Reserved for quality control
• Damaged/returned items awaiting processing

Integration Recommendations

1. Update your store's inventory levels at least once daily
2. Consider implementing low-stock warnings for popular items
3. Disable purchasing for out-of-stock items or show expected restock date
4. Use the SKU field to match with your Product Feed File records

File Format Requirements

• Delimiter: Comma (CSV) or Tab (TSV)
• Encoding: UTF-8
• First row: Header field names (as listed above)
• Subsequent rows: Inventory data sorted by SKU
• No special characters in field names
• All fields required for each product

Usage Instructions

1. Download the inventory file from your partner portal each morning
2. Compare against your store's current inventory levels
3. Update product availability status in your storefront
4. Adjust marketing/promotions for low-stock items
5. Communicate expected restock dates to customers for out-of-stock products
6. Archive previous day's file for trend analysis if needed

Stock Management Best Practices

• Set up automated alerts for items reaching "Low Stock" status
• Consider safety stock calculations based on sales velocity
• Use expected restock dates to manage customer expectations
• Monitor items that frequently go out of stock for potential supply chain issues
• Coordinate with marketing team to pause promotions on low-stock/high-demand items

Support

For questions about the inventory file format or stock management assistance, contact our partner support team with your store details and specific inquiries.