Van sales
Quick answer
Van sales is the model where the agent carries goods in a vehicle and sells and delivers them in the same visit, issuing the document on the spot.
Key takeaways
- Morning loading based on the route's sales history
- Route visits, with selling and delivery from the vehicle
- Document issued on the spot and payment collected or deferred
- Return of unsold stock and handover of documents at the warehouse
- Reconciliation: stock loaded, sold, returned and cash
What van sales is
Van sales (mobile or vehicle selling) means the agent-driver loads goods from the warehouse in the morning, drives the route and sells the stock in the vehicle. Order, delivery and document happen at the same moment. It is widely used for fast-moving goods: bread, drinks, dairy, snacks.
How a van sales day works
- Morning loading based on the route's sales history
- Route visits, with selling and delivery from the vehicle
- Document issued on the spot and payment collected or deferred
- Return of unsold stock and handover of documents at the warehouse
- Reconciliation: stock loaded, sold, returned and cash
How it is measured
Sales per route = value sold per vehicle per day. Load sell-through = goods sold / goods loaded × 100. Reconciliation variance = theoretical stock − physical stock returned.
Common mistakes
1. Loading too much or too little. Too much stock means returns and losses, too little means missed sales.
2. Late reconciliation. Stock and cash differences become hard to explain if not checked the same day.
3. No visibility of stock in the vehicle. The office does not know what the agent holds and cannot promise stock to other customers.
How it shows up in a CRM and operations platform
For route activity, CRMconnect's Sales Agent Management records visits, quotes and opportunities and reports them per agent. The stock management module keeps stock per item and warehouse, with movements updated in real time.
Real-world example
A vehicle leaves with 6,000 RON of goods and returns with 1,200 RON: load sell-through is (6,000 − 1,200) / 6,000 × 100 = 80%. If 4,700 RON is collected on the route, the remaining 100 RON must be explained at reconciliation.
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Frequently asked
What does van sales mean?+
Van sales means selling from a vehicle: the agent takes goods on the route, sells and delivers them immediately with the document issued at the customer, then reconciles stock and collections at the warehouse.
What is the difference between van sales and preseller?+
In van sales, selling and delivery happen at the same moment, from the goods in the vehicle. With a preseller, the agent only takes the order and delivery happens separately, later.
Which products suit van sales?+
Fast-moving products with short shelf life or unpredictable demand, where customers order little and often. It does not suit a very wide range that does not fit in a vehicle.
What is reconciled at the end of the day?+
Goods loaded, sold and returned, plus cash collected and documents issued. Any difference is explained the same day, before the next loading.
Where CRMconnect fits
Where CRMconnect helps
Sales Agent Management records each agent's calls, visits, quotes and opportunities and aggregates them into reports per agent, team or area.
Related terms
Preseller
A preseller is an agent who visits customers and takes the order on the spot, while goods are delivered separately, usually next day, by another driver.
B2B commerceDSD (direct store delivery)
DSD (direct store delivery) means the supplier delivers goods straight to the store, without passing through the retailer's central warehouse.
SalesRoutes and visit frequency
Planning visits by potential and geography so each customer is visited at the right interval with minimum time lost in traffic.
OperationsSFA (Sales Force Automation)
The mobile app for the field agent - planned visits, catalogue ordering, collection, daily report.