ASN Transmission Accuracy That Keeps Retailers From Flagging Your Shipments

ASN transmission accuracy sounds like a technical detail until a retailer flags your shipment, delays receiving, or issues a deduction because a single line item did not match. Search trends show operators asking why do my ASNs keep getting rejected or how do I fix ASN errors, usually after retailers send deductions that feel both painful and avoidable.

If you have ever double-checked an ASN only to find out the retailer rejected it anyway, you already know how high the stakes are.

Why ASN accuracy matters in wholesale

The ASN is the retailer’s first impression of your shipment. It tells them exactly what is coming, how it is packed, and how it should scan. When the ASN does not match reality, retailers assume your operation is unreliable. Delays, rejections, or penalties follow immediately.

Joel Malmquist, VP of Customer Experience at G10, put it clearly. "If you do not do it right, you get those massive chargebacks." ASN errors create instant financial pain.

Where ASN transmissions usually break

ASN problems rarely originate in the ASN itself. They begin with upstream issues: mispicks, incorrect cartonization, wrong pallet builds, missing labels, or mismatched inventory counts. When physical freight does not match digital freight, the retailer sees it first.

Connor Perkins, Director of Fulfillment, sees this pattern constantly. "One of the pain points our clients have experienced with previous 3PLs is inventory accuracy. Maybe their previous 3PL was not great at picking the orders accurately. So they were losing money by shipping wrong items or wrong quantities of items." Bad inventory equals bad ASNs.

Why D2C-first 3PLs fail at ASN accuracy

D2C workflows do not require ASN precision. Parcel carriers do not expect carton-level or pallet-level data structures, so D2C-first platforms only validate the basics. Wholesale requires detailed carton hierarchies, item-level breakdowns, and multi-PO integrity. When D2C-first 3PLs try to transmit ASNs, they often rely on manual workarounds that fail under pressure.

Bryan Wright, CTO and COO, explained the root issue. "A bad WMS will not track inventory 100 percent. A good WMS tracks inventory through the warehouse at every point you touch it." ASN accuracy requires that level of traceability.

How communication delays make ASN problems worse

ASN accuracy depends on fast clarification. Retailers change their requirements often. If a 3PL answers questions slowly, brands may ship using outdated rules or incomplete logic. Many 3PLs respond to ASN questions days later, long after the shipment has gone out incorrectly.

Joel sees it constantly. "At some 3PLs you get thrown into a ticketed queue, and you get different people replying every time. It can take days, if not weeks, to get a resolution." ASN accuracy dies in that environment.

G10 takes a different approach. "You call one person. That is it. And things get done," Joel said.

What strong ASN transmission accuracy looks like

Accurate ASNs follow a strict sequence: clean picks, validated cartons, compliant pallet builds, accurate scan data, and system-generated ASNs that pull from real movements instead of assumptions. Every detail must match exactly or retailers will flag it immediately.

Connor emphasized that accuracy begins before the first ASN ever goes out. "When we onboard a client who sells into places like Amazon or Walmart, the process changes depending on where they are selling. We work through all of their routing guide requirements and make sure the warehouse is ready before the first order ever drops." The ASN succeeds because the operation is aligned.

ASN accuracy under pressure at G10

The toughest ASN environments appear during rushed shipments, late inbound arrivals, or time-sensitive retailer windows. Weak systems break. Strong systems hold.

Joel remembered one Target shipment that required urgent overnight work. "Our supervisor, warehouse manager, and several employees worked the entire day into the night, then came back at 5 a.m. to make sure we had the routing completed." ASN accuracy held even during chaos.

Another moment came during a viral D2C surge. "The client asked, Can you help us? And we said, Yeah, we gotcha. Then we sent a truck to the carrier at midnight." ASNs remained correct because the system was built for stability.

The bottom line for wholesale brands

ASN transmission accuracy is not a small detail. It determines whether your shipments arrive smoothly or spiral into deductions and delays. When ASNs match your freight perfectly, retailers trust you. When they do not, every shipment becomes a risk.

If you want ASN accuracy that protects your shipments and your margins, reach out to G10. You will get clean data, disciplined processes, and ASNs that retailers accept without hesitation.