ASN Accuracy for Health & Beauty Vendors: Why Small Errors Lead to Big Chargebacks

For Health & Beauty vendors, ASN accuracy is one of the least visible and most expensive operational risks on Amazon.

Most chargebacks linked to ASNs are not caused by dramatic failures. They are caused by small mismatches. A quantity that does not quite line up. An expiry date that differs from the physical stock. A carton count that was adjusted late in the process but never fully reconciled.

On their own, these errors feel minor. At scale, they compound quickly.

Why ASNs Matter More in Health & Beauty

Amazon treats Health & Beauty inventory as higher risk than many other categories. That risk profile changes how enforcement works.

ASNs are not just a notification of what is being shipped. They are the reference point Amazon uses to validate what arrives, what is received, and what is paid for. If the ASN is wrong, everything downstream is already compromised.

This matters more in Health & Beauty because:

• Expiry dates and lot codes are tied to ASN data
• Shortages and overages trigger faster investigations
• Reconciliation tolerances are tighter

In simple terms, Amazon assumes the ASN is correct until proven otherwise. If it is not, the cost sits with the vendor.

The Most Common ASN Errors in Health & Beauty

The same patterns appear again and again across Health & Beauty vendors.

Quantity mismatches
Cartons are short shipped, over packed, or partially adjusted, but the ASN is not updated accurately. Even a single unit discrepancy can trigger a shortage claim.

Expiry data misalignment
The physical stock is correct, but expiry dates captured in the ASN do not match what Amazon receives. This often happens when expiry is managed manually or copied between systems.

Late changes that never fully reconcile
Orders are amended close to dispatch. Cartons are split or reconfigured. The ASN reflects the original plan, not the final reality.

Mixed data sources
Warehouse systems, ERPs, and ASN tools are not fully aligned. Data is stitched together rather than flowing cleanly from one source of truth.

Why Small Errors Trigger Large Chargebacks

Amazon does not investigate ASN discrepancies manually at first. The process is automated.

If what arrives does not match what the ASN says should arrive, Amazon assumes:

• Stock is missing
• Stock is mislabelled
• Stock is not compliant

That assumption triggers deductions, not questions.

By the time a vendor reviews the chargeback, the shipment is already closed. Reconstructing what actually happened often means pulling data from multiple systems and warehouse logs, sometimes weeks later.

In Health & Beauty, where margins are already under pressure, this is how chargebacks quietly accumulate.

“ Chargebacks not only increase operational costs but also frequently lead to additional shortage claims, which further erode profit margins. This makes it all the more important to monitor chargebacks closely.

A dispute can be filed only within 30 days of the chargeback notification and requires precise, comprehensive documentation. Success rates are generally low, the process is time‑consuming, and it ties up significant internal resources.

For these reasons, it is advisable to regularly review and optimise internal processes to prevent chargebacks from occurring in the first place.

— Maximilian Späth 
Chief Sales Officer
Baros Solutions

Where ASN Accuracy Usually Breaks Down

ASN issues rarely originate in the ASN itself. They usually begin earlier.

Common weak points include:

• Manual picking adjustments not flowing back into ASN data
• Expiry or lot information handled outside core systems
• Last minute packing changes without a validation step
• Pressure to confirm shipments quickly to hit delivery windows

The ASN becomes the messenger, not the cause.

What Accurate ASN Processes Actually Look Like

High performing Health & Beauty vendors approach ASNs as a control point, not a formality.

They typically:

• Validate quantities, expiry, and lot data before ASN confirmation
• Prevent ASNs from being sent if required data is incomplete
• Align warehouse activity directly with ASN creation
• Reduce manual edits wherever possible

Accuracy is achieved earlier, not fixed later.

Why Manual ASN Handling Stops Working at Scale

At lower volumes, manual ASN handling can appear manageable. Teams spot errors, make adjustments, and move on.

As order volume increases, this approach fails quietly.

Manual ASN processes struggle with:

• Multiple SKUs with different expiry dates
• High frequency replenishments
• Distributed warehouse operations
• Time pressure close to dispatch

The result is a steady increase in deductions that are difficult to challenge.

Making ASN Accuracy Predictable, Not Painful

The goal is not to eliminate every error. It is to reduce the number of places errors can enter.

Strong Health & Beauty operations focus on:

• A single source of truth for shipment data
• Early validation of expiry and lot information
• Clear handoffs between warehouse and ASN creation
• Audits that happen before dispatch, not after chargebacks appear

KhooCommerce Final Thoughts

Amazon’s systems are unforgiving, but they are consistent and Health & Beauty vendors lose money because small inconsistencies are amplified by scale and enforcement.

Vendors who align their ASN processes with that reality gain control, reduce deductions, and spend far less time chasing historical errors.

Accuracy upstream is always cheaper than reconciliation downstream.