Managing Warehouse Overflow Due to COVID-19

In addition to the usual issues of managing overflow in your warehouse, like stock left over at the end of peak seasons, there are many new, unexpected problems with warehouse overflow due to COVID-19.

You may be facing issues with overflow like lower demand, and supply chain and transportation disruption, that you had no way of anticipating. 

3 Ways to Manage Warehouse Overflow During COVID-19

Overflow inventory is nothing new. You may already have overflow solutions in place to manage inventory overflows. But, if the sudden onset of the COVID-19 crisis has pushed the limits of your inventory plan for overflow problems, here are just a few ways to manage it.

1. Put Your Inventory Control Systems into Overdrive – Most warehouses run with some excess capacity because it’s the best way to handle the everyday inventory fluctuations. Unfortunately,  the luxury of excess space can lead to some complacency around fully utilizing your inventory management systems (IMS). But now’s the time to take full advantage of them.
2. Do an Inventory Audit – Even if you use your inventory tracking methods, as a rule, they may not accurately reflect the current capacity of your storage areas. An inventory audit may reveal spaces to store your overflow products that your IMS doesn’t report.
3. Consider Third-Party Warehousing and Fulfillment Services – You may have considered 3PLs before for warehousing services, or maybe you already use them for certain services. But, in light of COVID’s relentless assault on doing business as we know it, and the uncertainty of market demands tomorrow, next week or next month, there may be no better solution to your inventory overflow problems than to outsource a solution. And, if demand spikes suddenly, you can simply scale back on the 3PL services to suit.

Of course, none of what we talk about here includes the personal issues we all face during this crisis. Above all else, we hope you, your coworkers, family and friends are managing to get through it all safely and in good health.  

If you found this article helpful, check out our post “How Expedite Services Help in Medical Emergencies”.