Commodity SKU is the basis of warehousing management, and SKU management of cross-border e-commerce is carried out throughout, including a series of operational processes such as product selection, sales, packaging, customs clearance, transportation, and inventory. Each product corresponds to a unique SKU code, that is, the smallest inventory unit of a single product. When attributes such as brand, model, configuration, grade, color, packaging, price, origin, etc. are different from other products, they can be defined as single products.
SKU is directly related to the complexity of warehouse management, which is why clothing and auto parts are the two most difficult business types to manage. Since overseas warehouses have multiple cargo owners, this greatly increases the diversity of SKUs. Even for the same product, different sellers will define exclusive SKUs. From the perspective of the warehousing system, SKU coding and accurate product information determine its storage conditions, picking methods, packaging units and shipping conditions.
Standardizing SKUs requires sellers to provide complete product definitions to ensure subsequent processes such as Chinese and English customs declaration and accurate picking. For this reason, most overseas warehouses require quantitative packaging and minimum packaging labeling. Bulk without packaging is only suitable for renting fixed storage spaces. For cross-border e-commerce that operates in multiple categories, if it only has purchasing and sales capabilities, it is taboo to blindly expand SKUs. How many SKUs need to be put on the shelves requires a concept of trial and error. It is necessary to regularly cut down SKUs, deal with slow-moving products, and improve refined operations.