What is an Item and What is a Product?

Kaplan Product Types

1. Core Definitions

A. Item

Definition:
An item is the most basic physical or digital component in our system.

Key Characteristics

• May or may not be sold on its own
• Often used as a component of another product
• Stored, picked, or tracked independently

Examples

• A piece of string used inside a kit
• Table legs
• A tabletop
• A single book
• Item #31476 (Terry Washcloths, set of 6)
• A chair
• A shipping box
• Item #302961-BL (Soft basket Nesting Set of 3)

Training Emphasis

• Not everything that exists in inventory is sold to customers
• Items are the “building blocks” of products sold
• Items can be a product as well

B. Product

Definition:
A product is anything we sell to a customer and is what appears on the invoice.

Key Characteristics

• Always customer-facing
• Has a sellable SKU
• Appears on invoices and order confirmations
• Can be the same number reference as the item in inventory

 *Important Rule

If it shows on the invoice, it is a product — regardless of how it’s built, picked, or shipped.

2. Physical Product Types

A. Standard (Single-Item) Product

Definition:
A product that consists of one item and is sold as-is.

Examples

• A book sold individually
• A chair
• A book “set” (when bought as a set/kit by Kaplan)

Operational Notes

• One SKU = one item
• Picked and shipped directly
• Simplest fulfillment model

B. Purchasing Kits (Pre-Assembled Kits)

Definition:
A product made up of multiple items that are assembled together and stored in a container or brown box before order fulfillment. We inventory and sell the complete assembled kit.

Key Characteristics

• Assembled in advance
• Stored and picked as a single unit
• One SKU on the invoice

Example

• 35303 – Literacy Learning Kit

Operational Flow

1. Individual items are sourced
2. Items are assembled into a kit
3. Kit is stored as one unit
4. Warehouse picks one box containing multiple “things” when ordered

Training Emphasis

• Components are not picked separately at order time
• Assembly happens first

C. Product Kits / Sets (Picked at Order Time)

Definition:
A product where 2 or more items are picked independently during shipping, but the invoice reflects one complete product name.

Product Kits or Product Sets are used interchangeably to represent the same concept.

1. Product Kits (Example: Tables)

Example

• 301753-ST Half Table (product)

Structure

• Tabletop (item)
• Table legs (item)

Operational Notes

• Items stored in different warehouse locations
• Picked separately
• Shipped together (may not ship in same box)
• Invoiced as one product

Training Emphasis

• Warehouse complexity ≠ customer complexity
• Customer sees one product
• When replacements are needed, you can only replace specific SKU with issue (i.e., if tabletop is damaged, replace only the tabletop and not the legs)

2. Multi-Unit Product Sets (Repacked Quantities)

Definition:
Products sold in a larger quantity than how they are purchased.

 Example

• 31477 – Terry Washcloths, Set of 18
  • Shipped as:
    • 3 × item #31476
• 31349 – Sports Ball Set w/Bag (5)
  • Shipped as:
    • 1 x 0861, 1 x 15856, 1 x 2045, 1 x 2068, 1 x 2069, 1 x 2104

 

Operational Notes

• Warehouse picks multiple units of the same item or different items
• Very Similar to tables, but components are stand-alone items as well
• System groups them into one product line on invoice

Training Emphasis

• Purchasing quantity ≠ selling quantity
• Sets can be of endless items/quantities
• Sets are not physically assembled kits in ONE container

D. Furniture Products with Assembly

Definition:
Furniture products made up of materials that are assembled internally by Kaplan before shipping.

Example

• 28750 – Carolina 30 In 5 Compartment Storage
  • Listed in the system as:
    • 28750             Product that is sold
    • 28750N           New style (and number used in inventory/warehouse)
    • 28750UN        Unassembled New style

Key Characteristics

• Arrive unassembled from manufacturer on pallets (typically from overseas/container)
• Assembled in Kaplan’s assembly department
• Sold as finished furniture

SKU Indicators (these letters may be found at the end of the item #)

• U = Unassembled
• N = New design
• NN = Newer design

Operational Flow

1. Parts received (items)
2. Assembly completed internally
3. Finished product shipped to customer

Training Emphasis

• Assembly status impacts lead time
• SKU suffixes provide critical operational clues
• View inventory of unassembled units can help identify potential for “instock” date of assembled items (if we don’t have unassembled units, we have to wait until they arrive and THEN get assembled which means a longer lead time than just needing to go through assembly process)

3. Fulfillment-Specific Product Types

A. Direct Ship / Drop Ship Products

Definition:
Products that ship directly from the manufacturer, not from a Kaplan warehouse.

Key Characteristics

• Kaplan sells the product
• Vendor fulfills the shipment
• Appears on Kaplan invoice

Example

• 11057 – Bye Bye Buggy

Operational Notes

• No physical inventory of item(s) at Kaplan
• Different shipping timelines and tracking processes – generally 2-6 weeks
• Requires a different process to view ESD/tracking

Training Emphasis

• Still a Kaplan product, even though we don’t ship it
• Customer experience must account for vendor handling

4. Digital & Non-Physical Products

A. Electronic / Digital Products

Definition:
Non-physical products delivered through MyKaplan account access or codes.

Examples

• eBooks
• Online training
• Digital curricula

Delivery Method

• Account access
• Download or login credentials

Training Emphasis

• No warehouse involvement
• Fulfillment = access enablement

B. Gift Cards

Definition:
A product that provides store credit or access rather than a tangible item.

Key Characteristics

• Sold like a product
• Redeemed later
• No physical inventory movement
• Considered a “dropship” item, even though the “manufacturer” is Kaplan
• Processed through Accounts Payable

5. Summary Framework

A. Key Questions to Identify Product Type
1. Does it appear on the invoice?
→ If yes, it’s a product

2. Is it “assembled” or “put together” before or after the order? Kaplan Kits or Kaplan Assembly
3. Is it shipped by Kaplan or the manufacturer?

4. Is it physical or digital?

B. High-Level Product Taxonomy (Quick Reference)

• Item → Building block (may or may not be sold)
• Product → Anything sold to the customer
  • Single-item product
  • Purchasing kit (pre-assembled)
  • Product kit/set (picked separately)
  • Furniture product (assembled internally)
  • Direct ship / drop ship product
  • Digital product
  • Gift card
• Purchasing Kit → Containerized product, typically multiple pieces/items supporting a theme.
  • Kaplan Kits
  • Cardboard box or plastic tub / lid or backpack
• Product Kit/Set → Needs +1 item (same or different) to make it a complete “product”
  • Tables
  • Sheets
  • Dough
  • NOT a generic “set” used in many names of items:
    • 32248 Grow It! Garden Set
    • 300573 Traditional International Homes Set

Insight

Customers experience one product, while Kaplan manages many fulfillment paths behind the scenes.

 

When customers report items as missing or damaged or defective, consider the options of WHAT can or needs to be replaced. The goal is to replace the fewest amount of ITEMs with an issue.

Examples

• A book bag in a purchasing kit has a damaged zipper:         
  • replace the bookbag only, not the contents
• A ball is missing from item 31349:                                    
  • replace the missing ball only
• A table is missing the legs:                                                    
  • replace the legs only