1. Prepare one clear product list
Give each product and variant a recognisable reference. Include your SKU, product name, size or colour, barcode where used, unit dimensions and weight. Explain whether the warehouse will receive individual units, cartons or pallets, and how many units each carton contains.
If a product needs special handling, flag it before the move. Ask the provider to confirm suitability for fragile goods, date-controlled products or any other requirement relevant to your range.
Keep internal SKUs and product identifiers clearly labelled. If you use GS1 GTINs, different product variants such as sizes and colours need their own identifiers. See GS1’s guidance on product and variant identification.
2. Agree what the stock count includes
Prepare a dated stock list and distinguish saleable units from damaged goods, incomplete sets, samples and stock already allocated to orders. Include goods in transit separately so neither operation assumes they have arrived.
Agree when the outgoing count will be taken, how the receiving warehouse will check quantities and who will investigate differences. Ask when received stock can become available for orders; do not assume that unloading a delivery makes every unit ready to pick.
Keep the physical count, condition and order allocation separate. For example, if 120 units arrive and 8 are damaged, 112 are saleable. If 15 of those saleable units are reserved for existing orders, only 97 are unallocated. The numbers are illustrative. Agree how each balance will be recorded before anyone releases stock for new orders.
Your warehousing and inventory requirements should include the checks needed when stock arrives, not just the space it will occupy.
3. Write down the packing instructions
Provide a clear example of a correctly packed order. State which packaging to use, any protective material, inserts or labels, and what should happen when an item cannot be packed as instructed.
Separate standard orders from exceptions. A single-item parcel, a gift set and a wholesale carton may involve different work. For B2B fulfilment, provide the receiving customer’s current instructions for labels, packing and delivery bookings.
Confirm who supplies packaging and what happens if it runs low. Include these details when discussing pick and pack fulfilment so the quotation reflects the work you need.
4. Check the stock and order data
Use the product references in your handover list to check how an order will reach the right warehouse. Agree which system controls the stock available for sale and how stock, dispatch and tracking updates will reach the systems that need them.
Ask the provider to demonstrate an ordinary order and a relevant exception before the changeover. Include a cancellation or address change, and check what happens if a product code is missing or stock is unavailable. Record who resolves a failed or incomplete update rather than assuming every connection works the same way at every location.
5. Decide which operation handles each order
Choose a clear point at which responsibility changes. Agree who handles existing orders, new orders, cancellations and changes during the transfer. If stock moves in stages, specify which products remain available from each location.
Discuss a fallback before the transfer: what happens if the vehicle is delayed, the count differs or a product is not ready to ship? Confirm what customers will be told if their expected dispatch changes.
Record a changeover time, not just a moving date. An order received before the changeover may still be awaiting stock or approval. Keep a shared list of unresolved orders, note which operation owns each one and name a person who can decide if something does not match the plan. Reconcile the list before releasing orders for dispatch, so nothing is overlooked or sent twice.
6. Include returns in the handover
Customers may return goods sold before the move. Decide which address they should use and how parcels arriving at the previous location will be handled.
Write down the inspection rules. What can return to saleable stock? What needs approval, rework or separate storage? Agree who makes refund decisions and how inspection findings will reach that person. Your returns and rework instructions should cover these exceptions.
7. Compare the quotation with the handover plan
Ask the provider to explain charges for receiving, storage, picking, packaging, dispatch and returns, plus any setup or additional handling relevant to your operation. Include transport and any charges from your outgoing provider in your moving budget.
Check the assumptions behind the quote: monthly volume, units per order, product sizes and expected peaks. Our pricing page explains what to prepare for that discussion. A quote based on a different order mix will not give you a useful comparison.
What to record on your handover sheet
Create one shared handover sheet with these fields. Fill in the names and agreed decisions before the first delivery is booked.
- Stock snapshot
- Count date and time, SKU, physical quantity, condition, units allocated to existing orders and goods still in transit.
- Receiving plan
- Delivery reference, booked arrival, pallet or carton quantities, the person checking receipt and the contact who resolves differences.
- Order ownership
- Changeover time, unresolved order references, the operation responsible for each order and the person authorising changes.
- Packing reference
- Approved example, packaging and inserts, who supplies them and instructions for exceptions.
- Returns routing
- Customer-facing return address, treatment of parcels sent to the old address, inspection rules and the decision owner.
- Release decision
- The checks required before the warehouse starts fulfilling orders, outstanding exceptions and who can approve the start.
Check readiness before the changeover
- A product list covering SKUs, variants, identifiers and handling requirements.
- A dated stock count separating saleable goods, exceptions and allocated stock.
- A delivery booking and an agreed receiving and discrepancy process.
- Packing examples, packaging responsibilities and customer-specific instructions.
- Checked product references, order routing and stock updates, with a contact for failed updates.
- A clear changeover point for orders, with named contacts and a fallback.
- Returns addresses and inspection rules for goods sold before and after the move.
- A quotation checked against your actual order mix and required work.
Test a small sample first
Before the full changeover, ask whether a small agreed sample of stock and orders can be used to check receipt, picking, packing and dispatch. Include an ordinary order and a relevant exception, such as a mixed-product order or a trade shipment with different labels.
Compare the received count, picked items, finished packaging and dispatch record against your brief. Record any differences and agree how they will be resolved. Start the wider changeover only when the responsible people have accepted the results and any remaining exceptions. A successful sample does not guarantee every later order, but it gives you a concrete basis for the start decision.