At any given time, cumulative inventory is a few thousand pieces.
Balancing Act
If we only had a few different products, hundreds of each could be maintained. Since we list hundreds of different anatomy posters, an inventory of 10 to 20 each is more common. With two different finishes, hygienic lamination is prioritized over heavy paper.
New merchandise arrives several times during the month so inventory is constantly adjusted based on dynamic demand. Sometimes backordered items are fulfilled on the same day a customer order is received. Other times it may take up to a month.
| Circumstance | Turnaround |
|---|---|
| On-Location Inventory Transfer | Same Day |
| Off-Location Transfer In Transit | 1 to 5 Days |
| Pending Off-Location Transfer (common) | 5 to 10 Days |
| Insufficient Volume For Transfer | 10 to 30 Days |
| Manufacturer Backorder | Indefinite |
Minimums: Some of our vendors require minimums. At least 100 posters might be required for internal orders. If your customer order is 10 posters short, they go into a queue with others. More products are unavailable until at least 90 or more posters can be ordered.
Delays: Occasionally, damaged items are received from vendors. This necessitates documenting the claim and reordering, which extends delivery. Sometimes vendors temporarily are out of stock. Restocking is then indefinite.
Inventory management system can display estimated stock arrival date, when available.
Lead Time
To buffer behind-the-scenes inventory management, a limited supply of most poster titles is kept in stock. Some gicleé products are printed in-house. Others are printed in a nearby plant. On average, posters leave within 2 days. Models ship within about 3 days.
Stocking Just Enough
Backordered anatomy posters can be a blessing in disguise. There are good reasons for limiting stock on hand. Any title is subject to discontinuation without notice. We try to prevent accumulating outdated merchandise. What is in stock must be maintained in pristine condition. Too many posters in storage can be damaged over time. Liability of damage from humidity or wear and tear increases at higher volumes. Concise quantities provide a buffer to quickly fill simple requests.
Backordered anatomy posters can be a blessing in disguise.
Depending on the size of the order, customer shipments may be split when backordered items are not expected within a reasonable timeframe. When you require 1000 or more copies of one title, you may order in bulk or consider having a custom anatomy poster designed. If this has not answered all your questions about backordered items, reach out to us using the contact form.
