A checklist version of the physical inventory audit process — the full reasoning behind each step is in the companion audit article; this is the list to actually follow while you're walking the space.
Reseller inventory audit checklist (.csv)
Opens in Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers, or print it to carry while walking your inventory.
Download reseller-inventory-audit-checklist.csvInventory audit checklist
| Step | Action | Done |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Export current active, unsold inventory from your records | |
| 2 | Walk the physical space zone by zone, in the same order every time | |
| 3 | Check off each item found against the exported list | |
| 4 | Note any item found that isn't on the list (phantom item) | |
| 5 | Search likely alternate locations for any item on the list not found | |
| 6 | Mark genuinely missing items as returned/archived with a note, not silently deleted | |
| 7 | Correct the location field for anything found in the wrong spot | |
| 8 | Update condition/notes for anything that's changed since intake | |
| 9 | Reconcile sold/missing items against active platform listings and remove stale ones |
Step 9 is easy to skip because it happens after the physical walk is already done and feels like a separate task — but a phantom or missing item found during the audit is exactly the kind of thing that leaves a stale listing live if this last step is dropped. See the reconciliation guide for that step in more detail.