Your Packaging Order Arrived Damaged or Defective: Step-by-Step Claim Guide
Quick answer
Do not refuse or throw anything away. Note visible damage on the delivery receipt before signing, photograph pallets and cartons before unpacking, and notify the carrier or forwarder in writing quickly, because transport notice periods can be very short. Then work out whether the problem is transit damage or a production defect, quantify it by unit and send one written, numbered claim to the party that carried the risk under your Incoterm and contract. This is general guidance, not legal or insurance advice: check your order contract, the carrier's terms and your insurance policy.
Quick facts: Custom Boxes MOQ 500
- Indicative unit price: about US$0.05–0.10 per piece. This is a guide, not a quotation: the final price depends on size, material, print colours, finish and order quantity.
- MOQ: typically from 500 pcs per size and artwork; the confirmed minimum depends on material, print method and features and is stated on the quotation.
- Lead time: Physical samples 5–7 working days after artwork is confirmed; bulk production 20–30 days after sample approval.
- Who makes it: BestPackFactory’s own factory in Longhua District, Shenzhen, China. Free dieline and artwork proof within 24 hours. See real samples and videos.
- Specifications and quote: Custom Boxes MOQ 500 · Request a quote
Step 1: At the door, before you sign
- Count the cartons or pallets against the delivery note, packing list or bill of lading.
- Walk around every pallet. Look for crushed corners, torn stretch wrap, forklift punctures, water stains, broken straps and leaning stacks.
- Write specific remarks on the delivery receipt, for example "2 of 18 cartons crushed, pallet 3 wet on one side". Many carriers treat a clean signature as proof that the goods arrived in good order, and a vague note such as "subject to inspection" may carry little weight with some carriers.
- For a full container, record the container and seal numbers and photograph the seal before it is cut.
Step 2: Photograph before unpacking
Take wide shots of each pallet from all sides, then close-ups of every damaged area with the shipping marks visible, so each photo can be tied to a carton number. Continue photographing as you open cartons: the outer carton, the inner packing and the damaged units. Keep the original cartons, pallets and wrapping until the claim is settled, as a carrier, insurer or surveyor may ask to inspect them.
Step 3: Notify in writing straight away
Send a short written notice of loss or damage to the carrier or forwarder and copy your supplier, even if you do not yet know the full extent. Notice periods depend on the transport mode and the contract and are often measured in days, not weeks; for example, international air cargo under the Montreal Convention uses a written complaint period of 14 days from receipt for damage. Express couriers and sea carriers set their own conditions. If you hold cargo insurance, inform your insurer or broker at the same time and ask whether they want to appoint a surveyor before you sort or discard anything.
Step 4: Transit damage or production defect?
The pattern of the damage usually tells you which claim to make.
| What you see | Likely cause | Where the claim usually goes |
|---|---|---|
| Crushed or punctured outer cartons, damage concentrated on one pallet face or the bottom layer, wet stains | Handling or transport | Carrier or cargo insurer, via whoever held transit risk |
| Undamaged master cartons but the same fault inside many cartons: wrong size, wrong colour, misprint, weak glue, delamination, off-register die cut | Production | Supplier, under the order contract |
| Overfilled or weak master cartons, no corner protection, boxes packed loose | Export packing | Depends on the agreed packing specification; often the supplier |
| Warped boards, mould, damp smell across the whole shipment | Moisture during storage or transit, or board moisture at packing | Investigate with both carrier and supplier before deciding |
| Fewer cartons than the packing list | Short shipment or loss in transit | Compare the packing list, bill of lading and delivery count first |
For rigid gift boxes, crushed corners usually point to transit or master-carton strength, while lifting wrap paper or a lid that does not fit points to production. If damage keeps appearing in your own outbound parcels rather than in the shipment you received, use our ecommerce packaging damage checklist instead.
Step 5: Quantify the problem
- Sort affected units by defect type and by carton number.
- If the lot is too large to check every unit, inspect a random sample and state the method; our AQL sampling guide explains sample sizes.
- Compare defects to the approved sample, proof and specification, not to memory.
- Calculate the number of unusable units and their value from the invoice, plus any directly related costs you intend to claim, each with a document.
Step 6: Who carried the transit risk?
Under the Incoterms 2020 rules, the point where risk passes decides who claims for transit damage. Production defects are a separate matter between you and the supplier, whatever the Incoterm.
| Incoterm | Risk passes | Transit damage is usually handled by |
|---|---|---|
| EXW, FCA, FOB | At origin (seller's premises, handover to carrier, or on board) | Buyer, through the carrier and the buyer's own cargo insurance |
| CFR, CPT | At origin, although the seller pays the main freight | Buyer; insurance is the buyer's choice |
| CIF, CIP | At origin; the seller buys insurance for the buyer's benefit | Buyer claims under that policy; ask for the insurance certificate before shipment |
| DAP, DPU, DDP | At the named destination | Seller, who claims against its carrier; report to the seller quickly with evidence |
Contracts can change these defaults, so read yours. See the packaging Incoterms guide for the full terms.
Step 7: Send one written claim
Put everything in one numbered document so nobody has to piece it together from chat messages. Include:
- Order or PO number, invoice number, shipment reference and delivery date.
- Description of each defect type, the count of affected units and the carton numbers.
- Photos and videos labelled with carton numbers, plus the annotated delivery receipt.
- The reference you are comparing against: approved sample, proof or written specification.
- The resolution you are asking for, such as replacement, credit or rework, and a requested reply date.
The remedies available from any supplier, including BestPackFactory, depend on what was agreed in the quotation and order contract.
Common mistakes
- Signing a clean delivery receipt, then finding crushed cartons at the back of the pallet.
- Discarding damaged cartons before the carrier or insurer has seen them.
- Waiting until the whole shipment is counted before notifying anyone, and missing the notice period.
- Sending the supplier a transit claim that belongs with the carrier, or the reverse.
- Claiming on photos that cannot be linked to specific cartons or units.
Prevent the next one
Write the export packing into your next order: master-carton grade, maximum carton weight, corner protection, pallet wrapping and moisture protection. Inspect before shipment if the order is large or valuable. For damage-prone formats such as rigid boxes or first runs of 500 pcs custom boxes, ask to see how the finished goods will be packed before they leave the factory.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do first when a packaging shipment arrives damaged?
Count the cartons, write specific damage remarks on the delivery receipt before signing, and photograph the pallets and cartons before unpacking. Keep all packaging and notify the carrier or forwarder in writing as soon as possible.
How do I know whether damage happened in transit or in production?
Transit damage usually shows on the outside: crushed or punctured cartons, wet stains, damage concentrated on one pallet. Production defects repeat inside undamaged cartons, such as wrong size, misprints, weak glue or delamination.
Who do I claim from if I bought on FOB terms?
Under Incoterms 2020, FOB transfers risk to the buyer once the goods are on board, so transit damage is normally claimed through the carrier and the buyer's own cargo insurance. Production defects are still raised with the supplier under the order contract.
How long do I have to report damaged cargo?
It depends on the transport mode, the carrier's terms, your contract and your insurance policy, and the periods can be short. For example, international air cargo under the Montreal Convention uses 14 days from receipt for damage complaints. Check your own documents and notify in writing immediately.
Related pages
Specify export packing on your next order
Send your product, quantity, destination and how the goods will be shipped, and ask for the export packing to be written into the quotation. Every BestPackFactory product is made in our own factory, with an MOQ of 500 PCS; packing, shipping terms and after-delivery arrangements are confirmed in the quotation and order contract. You can also reach Lisa on WhatsApp at +86 158 8653 0985 or by email at lisa@colorprintingpackage.com.
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