How last-minute shipment changes can lead to carrier mistakes, leaving you to pay double charges or even for shipments that were manifested but not shipped
Signing off on a successful shipping manifest is usually the last step before goods travel to the buyer. However, things can go wrong even at this final stage, and shipments being manifested but not shipped are one of the most common carrier mistakes.
In these instances, closer inspection of your invoice may reveal that your business has been charged for goods that were recorded on a shipping manifest but never actually started their journey or were actually part of another manifest entry. This is how shippers end up paying for carrier’s mistake, and that’s not a bill you should be footing.
How ‘manifested but not shipped’ can hurt your budget
Manifested-not-shipped errors can easily spill over into a late delivery situation as your parcels sit awaiting pickup. Late delivery means you’re entitled to a refund, but both carriers put customers on the clock when refunds are requested. When that time-sensitive window closes you’ve lost your chance.
A double expense scenario may occur when your business contacts the carrier to amend an unshipped order. Instead of updating the existing shipping manifest to reflect the change, the carrier may bill your business twice — once for the original, incorrect manifest that wasn’t deleted and again for the amended one.
This could see your business paying double on ADE costs and any fees your carrier may charge to prepare the manifest. Sometimes, there may be a mistake in the manifest that prevents it from being shipped — a mistake that isn’t your fault. If your carrier is the one preparing the manifest, then accuracy before goods are shipped is essential on their part.
Catching manifested-but-not-shipped errors can be the start of more problems
FedEx and UPS don’t make it easy for shippers to challenge poor performance. In the case of UPS, there’s a 15-day refund period and, if you so much as contact them to inquire about the shipment status of your parcels, they could charge you just for asking (depending on volume).
The FedEx refund policy is lengthy, but it can be summarized in two ways. First, shippers will be ignored if their request is late. Second, even when they’ve taken the trouble of contacting the carrier and assembling the required information on time, FedEx’s “guarantee” can be suspended or revoked at their sole discretion without prior notice to customers.
It’s no wonder some businesses feel it’s hopeless to chase carriers over manifested-not-shipped errors or any other issue. Staff must slowly tick off all the necessary carrier requirements in hopes of a refund and, even then, might be refused. Time is money, and the reluctance to play carrier tag means countless businesses are losing out on long-term savings to avoid short term stress.
That’s where 71lbs comes in. We’re ready to catch and challenge manifested-not-shipped errors and any other carrier practices that may be hurting your shipping budget.
How 71lbs can help you root out double charges
Keeping track of every shipping expense can be too much for a business already working hard to keep things going. Consider this example of FedEx surcharges and fees and you’ll see just how many factors must be scrutinized. “Manifested but not shipped” is just one more thing that could be costing you more than necessary for shipping.
At 71lbs, we do all the in-depth checking while you go about business as usual. Our vigilant team can study your shipping costs across 65 different invoice categories, auditing your carrier bills to see where you might be getting poor service or unfair treatment.
Remember — fees and surcharges can represent as much as 30 percent of a company’s entire shipping spend, so it quite literally pays to keep an eye on things. If there’s a way to optimize your logistics spend or get a refund where it’s due, 71lbs will find it.
At 71lbs, we focus on two things: a) helping customers save money on shipping, and b) helping customers understand their shipping costs. We make sure you get refunds as well as savings on shipping insurance, freight and imports, among other things. Our automated dashboard displays easy-to-understand shipping costs and insights so you can make better business decisions.Drop by the contact page to get in touch!
