Definition
What is a godown?
A godown is a warehouse or bulk storage location where inventory is held before it is sent to retail shops. In East African retail, the godown is often separate from the shop floor — stock moves from godown to shop through a formal dispatch or transfer process rather than being sold directly from the warehouse.
Why it matters
- Many Tanzanian wholesalers and supermarket chains keep bulk stock in a godown and display stock in shops
- Without separating godown and shop inventory, it is hard to know what is available to dispatch vs what is on shelves
- Dispatch approvals prevent shops from receiving stock they did not order or cannot sell
How Intelyflow handles godown
- Godown admins manage warehouse stock, purchases, and outbound dispatches
- Shop admins accept or reject incoming dispatches with a full audit trail
- Consolidated reporting shows godown and shop levels from one dashboard
Related terms
Go deeper: read our guide on intelyflow.com/docs