Lowe's Vendor Compliance

EDI Requirements

Lowe's requires full EDI capability before issuing live purchase orders. The core transaction set is 850 (Purchase Order), 997 (Functional Acknowledgment), 856 (Advance Ship Notice), and 810 (Invoice).

The 997 acknowledgment must be returned promptly on receipt of each 850 — delays signal EDI issues that can trigger follow-up from the Lowe's compliance team. The 856 ASN must be transmitted within 24 hours of carrier pickup and must include carton-level detail: each carton's SSCC-18, contents by SKU and quantity, and the PO number being fulfilled.

The SSCC-18 values in the ASN must exactly match the labels on the physical cartons. Any mismatch — whether from a labeling error or an ASN generated before the final ship quantity was confirmed — creates a receiving discrepancy at the DC that triggers a compliance deduction.

EDI setup for Lowe's runs through their approved trading partner network. Lowe's requires successful test transaction cycles before live POs are issued. Starting EDI setup before receiving the first PO is essential — the testing process typically takes 3–5 weeks with an established EDI provider, and delays push your first ship date past its MABD.

GS1-128 Label Requirements

Every carton shipped to Lowe's must carry a GS1-128 label with a unique SSCC-18 number. The label format is 4×6 inches, printed with thermal transfer technology. Direct thermal printing does not meet Lowe's durability requirements — labels fade during transit and fail to scan at the DC, triggering labeling compliance deductions.

Required label fields

• SSCC-18 (Application Identifier 00) — unique per carton, never reused
• Vendor number — your Lowe's supplier ID
• PO number — the purchase order being fulfilled
• Item number (SKU) — Lowe's SKU identifier
• Quantity — unit count in the carton
• Ship-to DC — destination distribution center

Labels must be placed on the short side of the carton. Print quality must meet ANSI Grade C or better — verify with a barcode verifier before shipping, not just visual inspection. Scan failures at the DC are a common source of labeling chargebacks and are rarely caught until the shipment has already arrived.

Routing Guide Compliance

Lowe's uses a collect freight model for most domestic suppliers. All collect shipments must be routed through Lowe's Transportation Management System, accessible via the Vendor Portal. Using any other carrier — even if the shipment arrives on time and in full — triggers a routing non-compliance deduction.

To request routing, submit a routing request through the TMS with an accurate ready date — the date the freight is physically packaged, palletized, and available for pickup. Submitting a ready date before freight is actually ready causes carrier scheduling failures and can result in missed MABDs if the carrier arrives and can't pick up.

Once a carrier is assigned, the Bill of Lading must reference the carrier-assigned shipment identifier. BOL mismatches are a common, preventable source of routing compliance failures. Build a pre-shipment checklist that confirms carrier assignment, BOL accuracy, and label SSCC-18 match before releasing freight.

MABD — Must Arrive By Date

Every Lowe's PO includes a Must Arrive By Date. Shipments arriving at the DC after the MABD are subject to on-time delivery compliance deductions regardless of cause.

On collect shipments, Lowe's controls carrier selection and scheduling — but vendors control when freight is ready. Work backwards from the MABD: identify transit time from your facility to the destination DC using the carrier Lowe's is likely to assign for that lane, then set a ship date that provides 1–2 days of buffer.

MABD failures are most common at the start of a new vendor relationship (when transit assumptions haven't been validated against real lane performance) and during peak season (when carrier capacity is tighter and transit times extend). Build extra buffer into Q4 scheduling to maintain on-time scores during peak.

Pallet Standards

Lowe's requires GMA standard pallets (48"×40") for bulk DC shipments. Cartons must not overhang the pallet edge. Pallets must be stretch-wrapped starting from 6 inches off the floor through the top of the load — under-wrapped pallets that shift in transit create receiving issues and can result in damaged product claims against the vendor.

Pallet height limits and stacking requirements vary by product category and destination DC. Confirm the requirements for your destination in the routing guide before building pallets. Mixed-SKU pallets require authorization — confirm with your buyer whether mixed palletizing is permitted before shipping.

Lowe's Vendor Portal

All vendor compliance activities run through the Lowe's Vendor Portal at vendorservices.lowes.com. This is where you access your routing guide, routing requests, compliance scorecards, chargeback notices, and EDI setup documentation.

New vendor registration must be completed in the portal before EDI setup or routing requests can be submitted. The portal also contains the current version of the routing guide, label specification templates, and EDI testing documentation. The routing guide is updated periodically — monitor the portal for changes rather than relying on a saved copy.

Compliance chargeback notices are issued through the portal. Dispute windows are time-limited — review chargeback notices promptly and file disputes within the specified window. Late dispute filings are typically not accepted regardless of merit.

Frequently Asked Questions