Every dismantling yard knows the moment: an order comes in, the system says „in stock“, and nobody finds the part. The transaction ends in a cancellation, an apology and at worst a review. The cause is almost never the staff and almost always the system.
Why fixed locations per product group fail
The obvious layout — „alternators here, doors there“ — works while stock is small. It fails on two points: product groups grow at different rates, and the point where a group ends keeps moving. After a year the alternators sit in three places and none of them is written down anywhere.
The way out is random storage with fixed location codes: every location has a number, every part gets a location, and the system remembers the assignment. Where something sits is then not a matter of logic but a lookup.
How a location code is built
| Level | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Area | H2 | Hall, yard, container |
| Rack or row | R14 | Sequential, not by product group |
| Shelf | 03 | From the bottom or the left, but always the same |
| Location | H2-R14-03 | The code that goes on the label |
All that matters is that the scheme is unambiguous, short and meaningless. A code that says something about the content has to be changed when the content changes — and that happens constantly.
The label
A usable part label carries four things, and it needs no more:
- The internal part number — the link to the record.
- The donor vehicle's VIN or the vehicle file's reference, see VIN: Reading, checking and using the vehicle identification number.
- The storage location.
- A barcode or QR code, so the assignment need not be typed.
What does not belong on the label is the description. It lives in the system and changes; the label only points the way there. A label crowded with text gets abbreviated when written — and then the number is what goes missing.
Putting away and picking
- Putting away means booking. A part that goes on a shelf without a booking is lost, even while visibly lying there.
- Picking means booking out. The most expensive error in online trading is a sold part still on offer.
- Reserve rather than hope. As soon as an order arrives the location is blocked, not first at packing time.
- Book returns back in immediately — with an updated condition statement if anything changed.
Stocktaking without shutting down
A full stocktake halts the business and is inaccurate again a week later. More workable is a rolling count: one area per week, on a fixed rotation. Two side effects pay for the effort — you find parts nobody had in the system, and you spot product groups that sit too long.
The connection to capture
A storage system can only manage what was recorded. If a part is put away without an OE number and without a vehicle reference, the location is the only information — and that helps only someone who already knows the part exists. So the order is: record first, then store. See Part identification: from removed component to sellable record.
Frequently asked
Fixed locations or random storage?
Random with fixed location codes. Fixed locations per product group move with the stock and stop matching after a year.
What belongs on the part label?
Internal part number, VIN or vehicle file reference, storage location and a machine-readable code. The description belongs in the system, not on the label.
How often should stock be counted?
Rolling rather than once a year. One area per week on a fixed rotation keeps stock current without halting operations.
How do I prevent double sales across platforms?
By keeping stock in one place only and serving the channels from it. Two separately maintained lists diverge within weeks.