See the Knowledge Center in Vendor Gateway for detailed information on Lowe’s Packaging and Shipping guidelines, specifically their Supply Chain Packaging Guide (Vendor Gateway > Knowledge Center > Packaging & Shipping > Supply Chain Guide) for details about preferred packaging methods.
Distribution Flow Types
Orders will flow through Lowe's RDC's in one of three ways:
- Stock
- 100% Cross-Dock
- Vendor Prepared Cross-Dock
Store Direct Flow
Alternatively, some shipments may qualify for Lowe's "Store Direct Flow".
In this scenario, all orders will ship directly from the vendor to a Lowe's store. The supplier/vendor’s Lowe's Inventory Planner can help determine which distribution flow is suited for the program.
General Palletization/Packaging Guidelines for All Distribution Types
Carton Containment Requirements:
All Inner Packs and Master Cartons must be sealed with glue or tape. For conveyable
items, banding is discouraged. However, if required, banding should be made of plastic and tightly secured, without damaging sellable units.
Metal banding is not allowed on any packaging due to safety concerns. Additionally, certain product categories require a small desiccant pack to be placed in each individual product carton. Categories include:
- Electrical/Electronics
- Fabric materials
- Metal
- Wood Products
Labeling and Barcodes:
Item number digits and master carton quantity should be printed as large as possible to enable easy identification by Lowe’s DC and Store Associates. Information should be printed directly on the master carton on all visible carton panels (four sides and top).
If Master Carton Quantity is greater than 1, Master Carton must be labeled with a valid I2of5 (ITF-14) barcode that represents the total number of sellable units in the Master Carton. If the Master Carton quantity is equal to one (MC = 1), there must be a UPC Barcode and Vendor Model Number.
Unitization and Palletization:
For Distribution Center POs, Lowe's will order in multiples of the Master Carton, Tier (layer of pallet), or Pallet quantities.
For Direct to Store orders, Lowe's can order in multiples of the Inner Pack, Master Carton, or pallet quantity.
In order to optimize receiving at the DC level, it is beneficial to place cartons of the same item together on the pallet by the quantity ordered, grouping each item together in a tier (layer) on the pallet, not mixing the same item on the same PO across pallets if applicable.
Additionally, if multiple pallets contain the same item, they should be grouped together in the trailer to optimize efficiency when receiving at the DC.
Conveyable vs. Non-Conveyable:
If item dimensions meet the Lowe's Conveyable Guidelines, then the following must be true:
- The ship unit from the DC to the store must be a multiple of the Master Carton Quantity
- Items must be packaged so that the product will not shift or hinder the carton as it moves along the conveyor belt.
Items that do not qualify to be conveyable will be individually picked for stores and delivered to the outbound trailer. Items will be moved via mobile equipment and will be hand-scanned and loaded rather than being conveyed.
Other Ship Method Requirements:
If an item ships into the DC in full pallet quantities and the Ship Unit from RDC to Store equals the pallet quantity, pallets will be delivered to the outbound trailer via forklift, and require two labels on the pallet, including a valid I2of5 for pallet quantity if the quantity is greater than one.
The same labeling applies to Mini-Pallets (Stock or 1XD). Mini-pallets must be approved by Lowe's.
Oversized items can be shipped via "Bulk Storage" or "Stack Rack/Long-Length Storage." Bulk Storage is used for items greater than 7 cubic feet in volume and 70 pounds and can be handled using a squeeze clamp. Stack Racks are used for oversized, high-volume items stored on metal racks (91.5” L X 41.5” W). Stack Rack items must be capable of stacking 60” high in racks without damage to cartons and/or sellable product.
Vendor Prepared Cross-Dock (VPXD) Shipments
VPXD shipments, in Lowe’s, are direct store POs that are aggregated into truckload shipments for Lowe’s DCs. For example, a VPXD shipment to a store in Mooresville, NC may be first shipped and cross-docked for a regional DC in Statesville, NC.
Upon arrival at the RDC, items are immediately cross-docked and directed for shipment to the specific store identified on the Purchase Order. The vendor must label the pallets with the VPXD Placard to help the RDC identify which store to direct the shipment to.
The Purchase Order is not received into inventory at the RDC; it is received upon arrival at the final store destination. Vendor-prepared pallets are shipped fully intact through the RDC and arrive at the store in the same configuration as shipped from the vendor.
Liability for Damages on VPXD Shipments
If the Lowe’s RDC notes vendor damage upon receipt, the RDC is still required to ship the product to stores. The RDC will then complete a Cross-Dock damages form to alert stores that damage was noted upon arrival at RDC.
The store will have the option to file a claim against the vendor. Concealed damage is always the responsibility of the vendor.
VPXD Shipping Requirements:
To ship VPXD, Lowe’s requires that vendors do the following:
- The vendor must submit one Master Bill of Lading per trailer. Individual Bills of
Lading for each Purchase Order will not be accepted. - Suppliers should not split Purchase Orders containing multiple pallets/units across
multiple trailers. All units ordered under a given Purchase Order must be contained on the same trailer. - Each order will be assigned a Truckload Reference Number. All Purchase Orders with the same Truckload Reference Number MUST be grouped for shipment together on the same trailer.
- If you find that you are unable to fit all Purchase Orders with the same Truckload Reference Number on the trailer, contact the Lowe’s Replenishment Specialist to cancel the overflow orders and re-issue under a new Truckload Reference Number grouping.
VPXD ASN Requirements:
To ship VPXD, Lowe’s requires that vendors do the following regarding their ASNs:
- ASN for Regular VPXD must include the Truckload Reference Number that groups together all the Purchase Orders on that trailer.
- ASN for SOS VPXD will not contain a Truckload Reference Number since the vendor
arranges the truckload grouping as a Freight Prepaid program (vendor pays the freight). - ASNs must be complete and accurate – the RDCs use the ASN information to land the Purchase Orders.
- The ASN must match what is actually shipped on the trailer.
- Repeated instances of incorrect ASNs may result in the RDC assessing labor charges against the vendor for the extra labor required to process the cross-dock shipments.
BOL / Packing List Requirements:
To ship VPXD at Lowe’s, you are required to do the following regarding BOLs and Packing Lists:
- Lowe's will not accept individual BOL's for multiple VPXD PO's on the same trailer. Instead, suppliers must list all POs on one Master BOL.
- Each store Purchase Order must have a packing slip that is highly visible and firmly
attached to the carton. - Lowe's cannot receive any product without a packing slip.
- The packing slip should be placed under the last layer of shrink wrap to ensure it stays attached to the product during transit.