How do manage Spare Parts in eCommerce?

Hello all.

I am a Newbie here and hope you can help me.

We´re selling a diverse range of small/medium sized Machines. The Machines are manufactured in China and shipped to European Customers via one Distribution Center in Europe.

Customers often ask for Spare Parts (e.g. within the warranty period) and we don´t have found yet an effective process to manage that. We don´t have and cannot have all Parts of all Machines on stock. Therefore, we´re sometimes taking it from another machine, but this is obviously also not the best way to handle it.

Do you have any insights how other (best case medium sized) eCommerce Businesses do manage Spare Parts? Are there any best practices?

I would be glad for any recommendation, any contact or source of knowledge. Thank you.

 

Every person who has some experience in after-sales service knows that not all spare parts for an equipment are needed every time. It would be sufficient if only those parts that are needed regularly are kept in stock. Other parts which are not essential can be procured as and when required. In this manner, inventory of spares can be trimmed down to minimum level instead of maintaining a complete stock of all spares. Even the stock of essential spares can be maintained on weekly basis according to service jobs handled instead of carrying for a full month.