10 Checkpoints for Reliable Inventory Results

Inventory as a Management Tool

According to the EHI study “Inventory Discrepancies 2026,” inventory discrepancies in the German retail sector amounted to €5.11 billion in 2025. About €780 million of this amount does not represent actual losses, but rather errors in recording, posting, and valuation—that is, process and data issues that can be resolved.

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Who is this checklist intended for?

The inventory count itself takes place on the store floor—but whether the results are reliable, comparable, and actionable is determined at the level of process ownership. That is why this checklist is intended for everyone who is responsible for inventory results or who makes decisions based on them:

Retail Operations / COO Organization
Finance / Controlling – Loss Prevention / Audit
Store Management / Regional Management
Project Managers for Store Projects

Making Inventory Management Manageable Again—Instead of Just “Counting and Checking Off”

A physical inventory is more than just a mandatory task: It serves as the data foundation for decisions in the areas of prevention, human resources, and processes. With the help of this checklist—which translates the findings of the EHI study “Inventory Discrepancies 2026” into ten specific checkpoints—you can make your inventory results comparable, reliable, and actionable.

Why This Is Important

Inventory as a Measurement Tool Rather Than a Mandatory Task

Makes inventory results comparable across stores and regions and reduces “inventory noise” caused by process and data errors.

What You'll Get

10 Points to Check: A Ready-to-Use Checklist

"Yes/Partially/No" ratings with note fields—for Operations, Finance, and Loss Prevention, ready for use directly in stores and regions.

The result

Move more quickly toward clear actions rather than assumptions

Identifies weaknesses in the process (e.g., standards, recount logic, transparency) and prioritizes measures in a data-driven and targeted manner.

A quick reality check: If youanswer “No” to 3 or more of the 10 checkpoints, it’s highly likely that you have “inventory noise” in your system—variances that aren’t due to actual losses, but rather to process and data issues. The checklist shows you exactly where.

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Inventory as a Management Tool

A reliable inventory lays the foundation for meaningful inventory data and well-informed decisions. Based on the findings of the EHI study “Inventory Discrepancies 2026,” this free PDF checklist helps you make inventory results comparable, detect process and data errors, and systematically identify opportunities for improvement.

Simply fill out the form—the PDF checklist “10 Checkpoints for Reliable Inventory Results in Retail” will then be available for you to download for free.

Sebastian Warnsmann – Ihr Ansprechpartner bei OMS Retail für Inventur- und ESL-Dienstleistungen

Can you briefly explain the inventory process?

If you'd like, we can go through the 10 checkpoints together—with no obligation, and in about 15 minutes.

Email: info@oms-retail.com
Phone: +49 (0)511 / 515 283-0