Fulfilling Orders with Ulta’s Retail Calendar
In this article, learn about:
· Ulta’s unique calendar structure
· How to ensure on time orders
· Ulta’s inbound delivery violation types
· Timing best practices
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Like many retailers, Ulta uses a calendar that plays a vital role in its business and financial operations. Ulta Beauty’s fiscal year aligns with this calendar, providing a framework for financial planning, annual performance reviews, and projections for 2025. However, Ulta uses an additional metric called periods to measure performance tiers. Read on to learn how Ulta’s retail calendar operates and how staying aware of delivery dates and deadlines can significantly impact the bottom line.
A quick note on terminology: If you’re a regular SupplierWiki reader, you might recognize differences in how things are named. Ulta’s on-time metrics are measured using “inbound delivery” instead of “on-time performance,” or OTIF. Ulta uses “brand partner” and “vendor” instead of supplier. For clarity throughout, we’ll use Ulta’s terminology: inbound delivery and brand partner.
Understanding the Ulta Calendar Structure
Like many other retailers, Ulta Beauty operates on a 52-week retail calendar split into fiscal quarters. This calendar also shows when Ulta’s retail periods end, which is crucial to understanding how Ulta’s brand partners are measured and assessed.
Quarters v. Periods
Similar to other retailers, Ulta Beauty’s fiscal calendar operates on a 4-5-4 calendar structure, allowing a balanced quarter system. Additionally, Ulta’s retail calendar notes period ending dates. These periods are 4 or 5 weeks long, depending on the month.
Ulta’s retail periods are critical for brand partners to be aware of, as Ulta Beauty uses this retail calendar to assign a new performance tier at each period’s closing date. At the end of each period, Ulta assesses several core metrics (including on-time ordering for inbound delivery) to determine each brand partner’s tier.
Check out an example of Ulta Beauty’s 2025 retail calendar below:
For a complete calendar, head to Ulta’s brand partner portal and refer to page 61 of the supply chain guide.
Ordering On Time from Ulta
Ulta Beauty brand partners must use this calendar to stay current on essential time windows, periods, and blackout dates. On-time performance is one of the core metrics used to determine your overall compliance level. Analyzing delivery data helps brand partners identify trends and improve compliance with Ulta’s requirements. The more mistakes you make getting orders to Ulta on time, the more expensive chargebacks become.
Ulta’s brand partner guide explicitly states that the on-time percentage is the percentage of purchase orders (POs) received on time per PO requirements. This percentage varies depending on the freight terms of the shipment and each brand partner agreement.
The first week of each quarter has blackout dates when inbound delivery is unavailable, depending on whether it’s prepaid or collect.
Related Reading: Ulta's Chargeback Program Explained
Collect (CC) Shipments
Collect (CC) shipments refer to shipments for which Ulta Beauty is responsible for the freight charges. Every third period, the last Thursdays and Fridays are blacked out as unavailable for pickup. Ensuring that the requested ship date is not scheduled on those days is essential.
Prepaid (PP) Shipments
Prepaid (PP) shipments refer to shipments where the brand partner pays the freight charges. Immediately following the blackout dates for collect shipments, the first five days of each quarter are unavailable for delivery.
Late Order Impacts on Ulta’s Performance Tiers
Ulta Beauty reviews a brand partner’s compliance with four core key metrics at the close of each calendar period, determining its performance tier. Ulta uses the tiering system to accurately align chargeback fees for brands that don’t follow the regulations outlined in Ulta’s Supply Chain Guide.
The four core key metrics are identified as follows:
- ASN Received
- Revised Fill Rate
- On Time Performance
- GS1-128
The key metric to be aware of for inbound delivery is on-time performance. When the on-time percentage of inbound delivery drops below 98%, Ulta Beauty assesses chargebacks, starting at $100 per PO and up to $400 per PO.
A high on-time performance score means that deliveries are consistently arriving as scheduled, which is crucial for supply chain efficiency and customer satisfaction, as it minimizes disruptions and ensures products are available when needed. A perfect or high on-time performance score for Ulta means that the supply chain is operating at optimal efficiency, resulting in maximum customer satisfaction and minimal risk of out-of-stock situations.
Performance tier metrics are measured on a three-month basis, utilizing a rolled-up average of the percentages mentioned above. The more consistently a brand has late orders, the worse performance tier they move into. The lowest performance tiers are charged the most per PO.
Maintaining high-performance tiers requires coordinated efforts from brand partners and Ulta, including process integration and ongoing collaboration, to achieve compliance and avoid chargebacks consistently. To learn more about Ulta’s performance tiers, visit their brand partner portal and refer to page 50 of the supply chain guide.
Inbound Delivery Violation Types
Ulta takes time to explain the two different inbound delivery violation types. Brand partners should be aware of the differences and note timing that’s too early or too late. For prepaid shipments, a PO is considered on time if received no more than four days earlier and no less than 1 day later than the Requested Delivery Date listed on the PO. The Planned Ship Date should equal the Requested Delivery Date, as any shipment received a day after results in a chargeback.
Collect shipments are considered on time if the planned ship date entered into Ulta’s Transport Management System (TMS) is on or within four days of the Requested Ship Date on the PO. The requirement states that the Planned Ship Date must equal the Requested Ship Date. A chargeback will be assessed if the ship date entered in TMS is after the Requested Ship Date. However, uncertainties in the supply chain, such as unexpected delays or disruptions, can impact the ability to meet these timing requirements and affect overall delivery performance.
Timing Best Practices
Ulta Beauty lays out specific requirements for timing and accuracy.
Prepaid shipments must be delivered to the Ulta Beauty distribution center on the requested date. This is calculated by adding transit time to your ship date in calendar days, excluding weekends and holidays. Sometimes, Ulta might send you a PO that doesn’t allow for adequate processing days or transit time to meet the delivery date. If this happens, email your Ulta Beauty Inventory Analyst and copy SupplierOps@Ulta.com.
Working with Ulta Beauty for collect shipping has a slightly more robust list of timing requirements to be aware of.
· All PO details must be entered into the TMS (Transportation Management System) 48 hours before the Requested Ship Date.
· If details are entered within 48 hours, it’s at risk for on-time pickup.
· The shipment must be ready on the Requested Ship Date (the submission date with pick/pack/ship calendar days).
For example, if Ulta submits POs without adequate timing to meet the ship date for prepaid shipping, email your Ulta Beauty Inventory Analyst and copy SupplierOps@Ulta.com.
SupplyPike Can Help
It can be challenging to stay aware of Ulta’s retail calendar and how to fulfill orders promptly, but the SupplierWiki team is here for you! Check out our other articles on Ulta here, and sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on essential topics for retail suppliers.