Reducing stock losses: breakage, theft and expired goods
In a shop, every lost product is profit that disappears. Breakage, expiry, theft, mistakes: you cannot remove them all, but you can see them, measure them and reduce them.
Where losses come from
- Products that expire or get damaged before being sold.
- Theft by customers or staff.
- Errors in change or weighing.
- Sales that were not recorded.
- Overstock that ties up money and ages.
Apply first in, first out
Put the oldest products at the front and sell them first. Show the expiry date on sensitive products and check it every week.
Order just enough
Set an alert threshold per item: when stock falls below it, you reorder. The threshold depends on how fast it sells and your supplier’s delivery time. Avoid ordering “just in case”: overstock is expensive.
Control without policing
Give each seller their own access with a PIN. Every sale, discount and cancellation is then tied to a person, with a reason. Keep discounts and stock corrections for the manager or trusted people.
Measure with frequent counts
A weekly rolling count of expensive items spots a problem in days instead of months. Kaislo keeps the history of movements and discrepancies, and flags items out of stock or about to run out.
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Reducing stock losses: breakage, theft and expired goods
How do you reduce expired products?
Sell the oldest first, check dates every week and order quantities that match how fast you sell.
How do you spot theft?
Regularly compare expected and counted stock, and tie every sale and cancellation to an identified seller.