Inventory glossary
What is Quarantined inventory?
Quarantined inventory is stock that is held apart from sellable inventory because it needs inspection, has a suspected quality problem, or is waiting on a return decision before it can be put back on the shelf.
For a small Shopify store, quarantined inventory usually shows up as returned items you have not checked yet, or a supplier shipment that arrived damaged or wrong. If you count it as normal stock, your available quantity looks higher than it really is, and you risk selling something you cannot actually ship.
The simple way to use this idea is to keep quarantined units out of your sellable count until someone has actually inspected them. Once checked, move them back into regular stock or write them off, but do not let them sit in limbo counted as available.
Example
A candle store gets a return of 10 units of a scented candle. The owner sets all 10 aside as quarantined because two customers reported cracked jars. After checking, 7 are fine and go back into sellable stock, 3 are cracked and get written off. Sellable inventory increases by 7, not 10.
Common mistakes
- Counting quarantined units as sellable stock, which leads to overselling.
- Leaving items in quarantine for weeks without a decision, tying up space and capital.
- Not tracking why something was quarantined, which hides repeat quality issues with a supplier.
Quarantined inventory and SteadyShelf
SteadyShelf forecasts and reorder suggestions work best when quarantined units are excluded from on-hand counts, since it keeps order timing based on stock you can actually sell.
SteadyShelf is launching on the Shopify App Store. Join early access to get the install link first.
Related terms
Sellable inventory · Damaged inventory · Reserved inventory · Return to vendor · Inventory adjustment
FAQ
Does quarantined inventory count as available stock?
No. It should be excluded from available to sell until it passes inspection or is resolved.
What usually causes inventory to be quarantined?
Common causes are customer returns awaiting inspection, damaged shipments from a supplier, or suspected defects that need review before resale.
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