Dock-to-Stock Time
Dock-to-stock time is the time between a shipment arriving at the warehouse dock and its inventory becoming available to sell.
Why it matters for ecommerce brands
Dock-to-stock time decides how fast new inventory can start earning money. Stock that has arrived but is not yet received is invisible to your storefront, so a slow dock looks like a stockout to customers. It matters most for launches, restocks of best sellers, and peak season, when 3PL receiving queues grow. For example, a SKU selling 200 units a day can miss up to 400 units of sales if it is out of stock while its shipment waits three days instead of one. Put a dock-to-stock target in the 3PL contract.
Formula and calculator
Dock-to-stock time = timestamp available to sell − timestamp of arrival at dock
Many 3PL contracts target 24 to 72 hours.
Common questions
- What is a typical dock-to-stock time for a 3PL?
- Many 3PL contracts target 24 to 72 hours from arrival to sellable inventory, with longer allowances during peak season. Check whether the clock starts at arrival or at appointment time and whether it counts business days.
- How do you calculate dock-to-stock time?
- Subtract the arrival time from the time the units became available to sell. A shipment that arrives at 8 a.m. on Monday and is sellable at 2 p.m. on Tuesday has a dock-to-stock time of 30 hours.
- How can a brand shorten dock-to-stock time?
- Send an ASN before every shipment, label cartons with SKU and quantity, and pack one SKU per carton where possible. Book receiving appointments early before peak, when docks fill up.