Beauty retail compliance is where wholesale margin is won or lost. We build retail orders to each retailer's vendor and routing guide, with EDI and labeling that match what is physically in the carton.
Why retail compliance is different for beauty
Retail compliance for beauty brands goes beyond a correct label. Specialty beauty and mass retailers typically publish detailed vendor manuals covering how purchase orders are received, how cartons are packed and labeled, how advance ship notices are transmitted, how shipments are routed and how appointments are booked. Deviations commonly trigger chargebacks, and repeated problems can affect your standing as a vendor.
Beauty adds its own layers. Retailers may require minimum remaining shelf life at receipt, batch codes visible on units, tester and display requirements, and specific inner-pack quantities for shades and sizes. A generic 3PL that treats retail as a large DTC order tends to miss these details.
We configure each retail account from the retailer's current guide, document every requirement, and build checks into the workflow, so compliance does not depend on someone remembering a PDF.
EDI that matches the physical shipment
EDI is how most large retailers communicate, and accuracy is everything. We work with the standard documents beauty vendors exchange with retail partners: the 850 purchase order, the 855 acknowledgment where required, the 856 advance ship notice, and the 810 invoice, connected through your EDI provider or ours.
The 856 is where most chargebacks start. It must describe exactly what is on each pallet and in each carton, down to item and quantity, tied to the GS1-128 serial shipping container code on the carton label. We generate the ASN from the actual scan data captured during packing, rather than from the purchase order, so the document reflects reality.
If a PO cannot be filled completely, we flag it before the ship window, so your team can decide whether to short-ship, substitute or request a change instead of discovering the gap in a compliance report.
Carton, pallet and labeling standards
Physical compliance is the second half of retail readiness. We build cartons to the required case packs and inner packs, place GS1-128 labels where the retailer specifies, and build pallets to the height, weight, wrapping and labeling rules in the routing guide.
For beauty, carton content often includes mixed shades or sizes, so pack lists and labels must be precise. Where retailers require unit-level labels, price tickets or security tags, those are applied as part of the work order and verified before sealing.
Our team can also assemble tester kits, display units and gondola-ready packs when a launch or reset calls for them, with each component tracked as inventory. Photos of completed pallets and cartons can be captured before pickup, giving you documentation if a chargeback is disputed.
Shelf-life rules and lot reporting for retail
Retail buyers expect fresh product, and many specify a minimum remaining shelf life at receipt. Our system applies that rule automatically: when a retail order is allocated, only lots that meet the retailer's threshold are eligible, and short-dated stock is kept for channels that accept it.
Every retail shipment records which lots went to which purchase order, distribution center and carton. If a retailer asks about a specific batch, or if you need to initiate a recall, you can see exactly where that lot was shipped.
Replenishment reporting helps planning teams see days of supply by lot and expiry, so they can avoid sending stock that will age out before the retailer sells it. The result is fewer rejections, fewer markdowns and cleaner conversations with buyers.
What's included
- EDI 850, 855, 856 and 810 support
- GS1-128 carton labels from scan data
- Routing guide configuration per retailer
- Minimum remaining shelf-life enforcement
- Tester, display and launch kit assembly
- Lot-to-PO traceability reporting
- Pre-pickup photo documentation
Frequently asked questions
Can you ship to Ulta, Sephora and Target distribution centers?
Yes. We prepare shipments to the published vendor and routing requirements of specialty beauty and mass retailers, including those retailers. Requirements change, so we configure from your current vendor guide. We are not affiliated with any retailer.
What EDI documents do you support?
We support the common retail set: 850 purchase orders, 855 acknowledgments, 856 advance ship notices and 810 invoices, plus others your retailer may require, through your EDI provider or ours.
How do you reduce retail chargebacks?
We build each requirement into the workflow, generate ASNs from actual pack scans, verify labels before sealing and photograph shipments before pickup, which addresses the most common causes of compliance fines.
Can you enforce a retailer's minimum shelf-life requirement?
Yes. Each retail account can carry a minimum remaining shelf-life rule, and only lots that meet it are allocated to that retailer's orders.