Non-Flavor UPC
UPC Non-Flavor level inventories are generally used by the retailer to gain proper departmentalization/categorization and/or price capturing. This is dependent on what the retailer can provide the inventory service with on the validation file provided to complete the inventory. Any detail provided on the validation file can be extracted by the PICS program with a scan of the UPC or Shelf Label along with keying of the proper quantity. In a non-flavor level inventory one UPC is scanned for like product along with keying or extracting price and entering the proper quantity. As long as the price is the same, only one like item is scanned.
For example 2 liter bottles of Coke, Diet Coke, Cherry Coke, etc. all marked $1.29. In this example, the scanned UPC data would be used to extract department/category and even price for the 2 Liter Coke products. But we would not have UPC detail by flavor…..Coke, Diet Coke, Cherry, etc. Thus, the non-flavored UPC level inventory is not used by retailers that wish to use the UPC data for replenishment. As a note, the inventory will move along more rapidly when the inventory service is allowed to scan your shelf tags vs. picking up each product.
Full Flavored UPC
Full Flavor UPC inventories can be used for product replenishment; computer assisted ordering, variance reporting and back door receiving. Each unique item is scanned in a Full Flavor Inventory, thus providing the retailer with detailed UPC information. In our prior example, the PICS Auditor will make a minimum of 3 scans, one for each flavor. The benefits include more accurate costing, and preventing out of stocks.