Claims Prevention Packing Shipping

Most claims we see do not come from bad product. They come from a mismatch between what the buyer assumed was included and what the order actually specified.

The five assumptions that cause most claims

• Who pays for the carton when the pack format changes. Carton artwork is usually free; the minimum carton quantity is usually not. Agree this before the artwork is signed off.
• Where risk transfers. Under FOB the risk passes at the port of loading. Under CIF it still passes at the port of loading — a common misunderstanding. If the buyer expects to be covered until their warehouse, the terms need to say so.
• How moisture is handled. Bedding shipped in a humid season without desiccant arrives with a smell. This is a specification decision, not a defect, and it should be in writing.
• Colour tolerance. A batch that is two shades off the approved swatch is not automatically a defect. Specify the acceptable tolerance, or specify that the swatch is the standard.
• What the inspection actually covers. If the agreed inspection is a visual check at the packing gate, it will not catch a dimensional error. Say what you want measured.

What to put in the order, not the argument

• The exact quantity tolerance. Plus or minus five percent is normal; anything else should be stated.
• The shipping mark format, agreed before production rather than after.
• The documents required, listed, with who prepares each one.
• A retained sample, held by both sides.

Where we sit

Our own export desk issues the shipping and origin documents, so there is no third party between the order and the paperwork. We will put the packing specification, the inspection scope and the document list in writing with the quotation, so that what arrives matches what was ordered.

If something does go wrong, tell us before the goods are handled. Most claims that start as a conversation end as a reworked pack or a credit note rather than a loss.