Services Wholesale and Retail

Stock Holding Procedures for Wholesale and Retail Training

SAQA US 255497 | NQF 5 | Credits 6 | Duration 3 Days
From $967 per delegate

Description

This course equips learners with the skills to manage stock holding procedures effectively in wholesale and retail environments. It covers stock control systems, inventory management, and compliance with organizational policies to minimize losses and optimize stock levels.

Learning Outcomes

  • Implement stock holding procedures to maintain optimal inventory levels.
  • Apply stock control systems to track and manage stock movements.
  • Analyze stock reports to identify discrepancies and take corrective action.
  • Evaluate stock holding procedures to ensure compliance with organizational policies.
  • Demonstrate effective communication with suppliers and internal teams regarding stock issues.
  • Implement stocktaking procedures to verify stock accuracy.

Target Audience

This course is designed for store managers, stock controllers, and retail supervisors responsible for managing inventory in wholesale or retail units.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment.

Course Outline

Day 1: Foundations of Stock Holding

Objectives:
• Understand the legislative and regulatory framework for stock holding in wholesale and retail.
• Identify the principles of stock control and inventory management.
• Explain the roles and responsibilities of stock handlers.
• Describe the documentation required for stock receipt and dispatch.
• Recognise the importance of stock accuracy and security.

Topics:
• Overview of the wholesale and retail sector in South Africa.
• Relevant legislation: Consumer Protection Act, National Credit Act, and industry codes.
• Stock holding principles: FIFO, LIFO, and FEFO.
• Documentation: delivery notes, invoices, stock sheets, and bin cards.
• Roles: receiving clerk, storeman, and stock controller.
• Stock security: access control, CCTV, and stockroom layout.
• Introduction to stock counting methods: periodic and perpetual.
• Ethics and professionalism in stock handling.

Day 2: Stock Receiving, Storage, and Dispatch Procedures

Objectives:
• Execute stock receiving procedures accurately.
• Apply correct storage techniques for different product categories.
• Perform stock dispatch procedures following company policies.
• Complete relevant documentation for stock movements.
• Identify and report discrepancies in stock quantities or quality.

Topics:
• Receiving process: checking delivery against order, inspecting for damage, and signing off.
• Storage principles: zoning, shelving, palletising, and temperature control.
• Hazardous goods handling and storage requirements.
• Picking and packing for dispatch.
• Dispatch documentation: waybills, packing slips, and proof of delivery.
• Handling returns and exchanges.
• Use of technology: barcode scanners, inventory management software.
• Reporting discrepancies: overages, shortages, and damages.

Day 3: Stock Control, Auditing, and Optimisation

Objectives:
• Conduct stock counts and reconciliations.
• Analyse stock reports to identify slow-moving and fast-moving items.
• Implement corrective actions for stock discrepancies.
• Apply stock optimisation techniques to reduce waste and costs.
• Demonstrate understanding of continuous improvement in stock holding.

Topics:
• Types of stock counts: cycle counting, full inventory, and spot checks.
• Reconciling stock counts with system records.
• Analysing stock turnover ratios and ABC analysis.
• Identifying and managing obsolete, expired, or damaged stock.
• Stock optimisation: reorder points, safety stock, and economic order quantity (EOQ).
• Loss prevention: shrinkage, theft, and administrative errors.
• Reporting and dashboards for management.
• Continuous improvement: Kaizen, 5S, and best practices.

Practicals

9 hours of practicals To be conducted online or on-campus or in-house
Overview

Hands-on practical sessions allow learners to apply stock holding procedures in a simulated warehouse environment. Learners will practice receiving, storing, picking, dispatching, and counting stock, reinforcing the theoretical concepts covered in class.

Practical Activities
  • Stock Receiving and Inspection — Learners receive a delivery, inspect goods for damage, match quantities to delivery note, and complete receiving documentation. (2h)
  • Storage and Picking Exercise — Learners place received stock in designated storage locations using FIFO principles, then pick items for a sample order. (2h)
  • Dispatch and Documentation — Learners pack and label a dispatch order, prepare waybill and packing slip, and simulate handover to a driver. (2h)
  • Stock Count and Reconciliation — Learners conduct a cycle count of a designated area, compare physical counts to system records, and investigate discrepancies. (3h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored) 100% 30%
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 50%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Practicals 30% + Daily Average 20% + Final Test 50%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Tue 08 Sep 2026 Thu 10 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $967 Register
Mon 28 Sep 2026 Wed 30 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $967 Register
Wed 21 Oct 2026 Fri 23 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $967 Register
Tue 08 Dec 2026 Thu 10 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $967 Register
Mon 11 Jan 2027 Wed 13 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $967 Register
Wed 17 Feb 2027 Fri 19 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $967 Register
Tue 02 Mar 2027 Thu 04 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $967 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Wed 10 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $967 Register
Wed 17 Mar 2027 Fri 19 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $967 Register
Tue 08 Jun 2027 Thu 10 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $967 Register
Mon 28 Jun 2027 Wed 30 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $967 Register
Wed 21 Jul 2027 Fri 23 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $967 Register
Tue 07 Sep 2027 Thu 09 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $967 Register
Mon 27 Sep 2027 Wed 29 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $967 Register
Wed 20 Oct 2027 Fri 22 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $967 Register
Tue 07 Dec 2027 Thu 09 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $967 Register
Mon 27 Dec 2027 Wed 29 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $967 Register
Wed 19 Jan 2028 Fri 21 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $967 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 492 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Wed 12 Aug 2026 Pretoria, South Africa Winter 2026 $1,447 Register
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Wed 12 Aug 2026 Mauritius Winter 2026 $3,148 Register
Tue 11 Aug 2026 Thu 13 Aug 2026 Abu Dhabi, UAE Winter 2026 $4,552 Register
Tue 11 Aug 2026 Thu 13 Aug 2026 Cape Town, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,392 Register
Wed 12 Aug 2026 Fri 14 Aug 2026 Durban, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,230 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Wed 16 Sep 2026 Fri 18 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,258 Register
Tue 06 Oct 2026 Thu 08 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,258 Register
Mon 26 Oct 2026 Wed 28 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,258 Register
Wed 16 Dec 2026 Fri 18 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,258 Register
Tue 19 Jan 2027 Thu 21 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,258 Register
Mon 22 Feb 2027 Wed 24 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,258 Register
Wed 10 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 16 Mar 2027 Thu 18 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 22 Mar 2027 Wed 24 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 16 Jun 2027 Fri 18 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 06 Jul 2027 Thu 08 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 26 Jul 2027 Wed 28 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 15 Sep 2027 Fri 17 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 05 Oct 2027 Thu 07 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 25 Oct 2027 Wed 27 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 15 Dec 2027 Fri 17 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 04 Jan 2028 Thu 06 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 24 Jan 2028 Wed 26 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,258 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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