What is an ASN (Advance Shipping Notice) in fashion?
Advance Shipping Notice: an electronic message telling a retailer what is being shipped, in which cartons, and when it will arrive.
In short
An ASN, or Advance Shipping Notice, is an electronic message telling a retailer what is being shipped, in which cartons and when it will arrive. It is sent before the goods arrive so the receiving warehouse can plan and check deliveries quickly.
How does it work in practice?
When a brand packs an order, its warehouse system records which items and quantities go into each carton and labels each carton with a unique barcode. The brand then sends the ASN, usually by EDI, listing the order reference, cartons, contents identified by GTIN, and expected arrival. At the retailer's warehouse, staff scan each carton label and the system matches its contents against the ASN, instead of counting every item by hand.
Why does it matter?
ASNs speed up receiving, reduce labour and get stock onto the shop floor faster, which matters most at the start of a season or delivery window. They also improve inventory accuracy and help retailers plan warehouse capacity. Because retailers rely on them so heavily, inaccurate ASNs can lead to chargebacks, delayed payments or rejected deliveries, making ASN quality a key measure of supplier performance.
How is AI changing it?
AI improves ASN accuracy by checking packing data against orders and flagging mismatches before shipment. Computer vision can verify carton contents at packing stations. At the receiving end, AI combines ASNs with transport data to predict arrival times more precisely, helping warehouses schedule staff and dock slots.
Common pitfalls
- Sending the ASN after the goods have already arrived.
- Carton contents that do not match the ASN, causing chargebacks.
- Wrong or missing barcodes on carton labels.
- Not testing ASN formats with each retailer before go-live.
Frequently asked questions
What information does an ASN contain?
An ASN typically includes the order reference, shipment details, carton identifiers, the items and quantities in each carton, and the expected delivery date.
What happens if an ASN is wrong?
The retailer may have to count goods manually, and many retailers charge suppliers for the extra work or reject the delivery.