Storekeepers operate under the supervision of a manager or team leader and are primarily responsible for receiving, sorting, storing, taking inventory, keeping records and organizing for the shipping of merchandise stored in the store. The personnel are also responsible for operating automated equipment such as forklifts, conveyor belts, rail cars and high stackers.
Receiving Goods
Storekeepers receive goods delivered for storage. They unload the merchandise from the trucks and check to ensure that they match with the delivery documents such as the bill of lading, shipping invoice or delivery note. They also verify that the goods are intact and report any defects.
Operate Equipment
Storekeepers are required to operate the automated equipment that is required to move heavy cargo. New workers get training on the efficient use of these machines before being allowed to handle them on their own.
Sorting Merchandise
Stores have a wide range of products and it is up to the storekeepers to sort the deliveries out and group the same type of products together. Sorting the deliveries also facilitates record keeping and filling of orders when the time comes to ship the merchandise to end-users.
Taking Inventory
Taking inventory is a significant responsibility for the storekeepers. On receipt of the merchandise, he should count and record the number of stock items and to do the same when it is being released. In discharging this responsibility, the worker ensures that the store‘s manager and the merchandise owner are updated on the availability of stock.
Prepare Documentation
Where necessary, storekeepers have the responsibility of preparing storage receipts for customers who store their merchandise in the warehouse. The storage receipts are necessary for demonstrating compliance with the law and are also useful to the customer who can secure financing loans with them. Storekeepers also maintain records of damage to stock and disposal
of defective goods.
Store Merchandise
It is the duty of the storekeeper to tag, mark or label stock items and to implement the best method and location for storage in the store depending on the nature of the goods. The storekeeper stores the goods according to the designated system of storage in the storeroom.
Fill Orders
A storekeeper is also responsible for filling orders. He retrieves the items for dispatch from their various storage locations and assembles them before verifying that they are in good condition and may be shipped to the customer. The storekeeper then prepares the merchandise for shipping through boxing, wrapping or labeling and delivers them to the shipping room where they are sent on to the customer.
