Thrive allows you to set expiration dates for each inventory lot to help you manage perishable products. Expiration tracking is configured on a per-variant basis and is disabled by default.
This feature helps you prevent selling expired products, reduce waste, and track inventory loss from spoilage.
How to Enable and Set Expiration Tracking
From the Product Details Page
Go to the Product Details Page
Navigate to the Inventory section
Find the Shelf Life (days) column
Click to edit the Shelf Life field for your product
Enter the default shelf life in days
Click Save
If you don't see the Shelf Life (days) column, click the Manage Columns icon to add it! Going forward, inventory received will be assigned an expiration date based on the Shelf Life configured.
Viewing and Editing Expiration Dates
From the Bin Details Page
To find expiration dates for received inventory:
Go to the Bins View of your catalog
Click on a product to open its Bin Details Page
View or edit expiration dates for all lots of that variant
Each lot displays its expiration date based on when it was received and the configured shelf life.
Important: Expiration tracking must be enabled in the product details page first. Once enabled with a shelf life set, all future lots automatically receive expiration dates.
There is no way to bulk edit expiration dates at this time.
Reporting
For information on what's included in the Expiring Inventory Report, please click here:
Inventory Settings and Behavior
Thrive uses your inventory settings to determine which lots are deducted first when products sell.
Lots without an expiration date will always be deducted first, followed by lots with an expiration date. In your account settings, Inventory Settings / “Inventory behavior” dictates protocol for the former set, and “Inventory with expiration dates behavior” controls the latter.
Our recommended default is pictured above: “First in, first out” and “First expiring, first out”.
Inventory with expiration dates behavior
First expiring, first out
Whichever lot is going to expire soonest, gets deducted first.
Last expiring, first out
Whichever lot is going to expire last, gets deducted first.
First in, first out
Whichever lot was received first, gets deducted first.
Expiration date is not considered.
Last in, first out
Whichever lot was received last, gets deducted first.
Expiration date is not considered.
Tracking waste, loss, or spoilage
If you have to dispose of a lot that has expired or spoiled, you have a few options which are outlined in this article:
Best Practices for Expiration Date Management
Enable expiration for all perishable products: Don't wait until you have waste issues! Configure expiration tracking from the start for any products with limited shelf life.
Use realistic shelf life periods: Set conservative shelf life days that account for both manufacturer dates and your own quality standards.
Run Expiring Inventory Reports regularly: Check weekly or bi-weekly to identify products nearing expiration so you can take action (markdowns, donations, etc.).
Use FEFO for perishable items: Set your inventory behavior to "First expiring, first out" to automatically prioritize selling products closest to expiration.
Edit dates when needed: If a specific shipment arrives with a different expiration than your default, manually adjust the lot's expiration date.
Track waste consistently: Always record expired or spoiled inventory properly so your reports accurately reflect true inventory loss.