<aside> 📓 Description

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We have setup a workaround for batch tracking: there is one new SKU for each batch and one Parent SKU. The Parent SKU is defined as a bundle with one bundle item. The bundle item is the batch SKU that should currently be used. The handling (creation of a new SKU for each new batch and bundle definition updates) are handled by the merchant.

Limits

• relatively low number of SKUs
• relatively low number of batches per SKU
• merchant needs to manage it
• there might be fulfillment delays when the bundle does not get updated to a new batch SKU
• there is no total inventory view per SKU, but the merchant needs to sum up the inventory of all batches manually
• multi-FC setup with distributed inventory is not supported (because batch SKU could run out in one location while still being on stock in another one → Bundle definition would need to be updated on FC level)

<aside> 🥛 Example of Unmilk

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Situation

Unmilk’s products have due dates. They are only allowed to send products with a time between the fulfillment date and the due date that is longer than 5 months for B2B orders. For B2C orders the due date does not matter (but it should, of course, not be over the date).

Current workaround is the following: The merchant sets up separate SKUs for each of the batches (which have different due dates) of each of their SKUs. These separate SKUs have “MHD” and the due date of the batch is in the SKU name.

Then the merchant sets up bundles for each of the SKUs for which the due date needs to be tracked. In these bundles, the “Bundle SKU” is the actual SKU that a final customer would order, and the included SKU is the “MHD SKU”. We give the merchants the responsibility to keep track of the MHD SKUs and to redefine the bundles when one batch runs out.

Screenshots of the current setup for Unmilk:

There is one SKU per MHD and one Bundle SKU per product.

The MHD SKU that should be used is configured as a bundle item of the actual product.

Whenever the MHD SKU runs out of stock, it needs to be replaced manually with the next batch SKU. This way, there is full transparency about all stock levels of all batches and the manual effort is minimized.