Nearly half of all samples never leave the showroom and when items do circulate, they take an average of 16 days to return. This creates long windows where physical stock and digital records fall out of sync.
Part of this drift comes from how samples are produced and used. Accessories account for 36.8% of output while clothing drives most send-outs, creating a gap between what teams create and what they actually use.
When movement outpaces tracking, accuracy slips until someone checks what is truly on hand. It’s why we’ve released the updated Inventory Audits, giving teams a faster way to confirm what’s present, what’s missing and what needs attention.
What are Inventory Audits?
Inventory Audits Manager is a reporting feature that helps teams compare what is recorded in Launchmetrics Samples with what teams physically hold at that moment. By leveraging this new feature, PR teams can see which items are where they should be and which are missing, misplaced or assigned to the wrong department. With samples moving across showrooms, regions and couriers at speed, Inventory Audits restores a clear view of availability so every team has the most up-to-date information at their fingertips.
Using Inventory Audits, you can:
- Identify missing or misplaced samples
- Resolve discrepancies directly in the platform
- Archive collections accurately for re-edits, legal traceability and future brand use
How Inventory Audits Work
Audits help brands follow a streamlined flow that keeps verification and correction in one place. It starts by creating a session, inputting information, selecting the department and any filters needed, then scanning items on desktop or mobile. The system records everything physically present and prepares a clean comparison against what is already stored in Launchmetrics Samples.
Once scanning is complete, reports can be run on the desktop to indicate which items match, what items are missing and what appears under another department or remains out on loan. This gives a precise view of the gaps that need attention and immediate action. From there, the new Action Queue enables users to correct multiple discrepancies in one move—whether it’s updating locations, marking returns or cleaning outdated statuses. When done, the session is finished and the report can be exported for teams who need visibility for collaboration.
Ultimately, this update removes manual back-and-forth and makes the audit cycle faster from start to finish.
Use Cases
1. Seasonal Closeouts
During seasonal closeouts, the showroom team scans everything in the space and runs the report to see what is present, what is missing and what is still marked out on loan. This helps them correct discrepancies before the collection is archived and ensures all items are accounted for. If they need to share the results with logistics, regional teams or anyone outside the showroom, they can export the report to give a clear summary of what has been returned, what is outstanding and what needs follow-up.
2. Cross-Region Coordination and Post-Event Returns
When samples move between regions or return from an event, the receiving team scans the shipment and runs the report to see what has arrived, what is still missing and what appears under another department or market. From there, the audit can be exported to share a clear summary with the team and also highlight excess pieces. This helps teams to spot items that were not meant to be part of that transfer and redirect them quickly so they move back to the right location.
Want to See How Inventory Audits Work?
Explore the Launchmetrics Samples platform in a personalized demo with our team and understand how Inventory Audits can support your workflow.
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By Pawandeep Kaur
