What is Order Accuracy Rate?

Order accuracy rate measures the percentage of orders that are fulfilled without any errors—the correct products, in the correct quantities, shipped to the correct address, with the correct documentation. It is one of the most fundamental quality metrics in fulfillment operations. An order accuracy rate of 99.5% means that out of every 1,000 orders, 995 are perfect and 5 contain some type of error.

Why It Matters

Every inaccurate order generates downstream costs: return shipping, replacement product, customer service time, potential customer loss, and negative reviews. Industry benchmarks show that the cost of correcting a wrong shipment is 5–10 times the cost of shipping it correctly the first time. Beyond direct costs, accuracy failures erode customer trust and brand reputation in ways that are difficult to quantify but significant over time.

How It Works

• Calculation: Order Accuracy Rate = (Total Orders Shipped Without Errors ÷ Total Orders Shipped) × 100. Track this daily, weekly, and monthly.
• Error Categories: Classify errors by type—wrong item, wrong quantity, wrong address, missing items, damaged packaging—to identify root causes and focus improvement efforts.
• Verification Steps: Implement pick verification (barcode scanning), pack verification (weight checks), and address validation to catch errors before shipment.
• Root Cause Analysis: When errors occur, trace them back to the source: picking error, inventory count error, listing error, or shipping label error. Fix the system, not just the symptom.

How Nventory Helps

Nventory tracks order accuracy across all channels and warehouses, categorizing errors by type and source. The system supports barcode-verified picking and packing workflows that catch errors before they leave the warehouse, and provides analytics dashboards that highlight accuracy trends and the root causes of recurring issues.