Shipping and Receiving Support
Receiving Your Shipment
We carefully pack and prepare your books for shipment. Once your order leaves our facility, third-party freight and parcel carriers handle it. Although most shipments arrive without issue, damage or shortages can occasionally occur during transit. Taking a few simple steps when your shipment arrives can make resolving a freight issue much easier.
Inspect Your Shipment Before Signing
Whenever possible, inspect the shipment before the carrier leaves.
Look for:
- Crushed, torn, punctured, or wet cartons
- Broken or leaning pallets
- Torn or missing stretch wrap
- Damaged pallet corners
- Signs that cartons have shifted or fallen
- Missing cartons or pallets
Compare the number of cartons or pallets received with the carrier’s delivery paperwork.
If you see visible damage or a shortage, note it on the carrier’s delivery receipt before signing. Do not sign a delivery receipt indicating the shipment was received in good condition if you see visible damage. Request a signature from the driver.
Take Photos
If you see anything unusual, take photographs before unpacking the shipment.
Whenever possible, photograph:
- The entire pallet or shipment as it was received
- Damaged cartons
- Damaged pallet or stretch wrap
- Carrier labels
- The damaged books
- Any other evidence showing how the shipment arrived
These photographs can be very helpful when documenting a freight claim.
Customer-Arranged Freight
If you arrange your own freight or designate a carrier to pick up your order, freight claims are typically filed with the carrier you select. Color House Graphics will be glad to assist by providing packing information, shipping records, and other documentation that may support your claim.
Keep the Packaging
Please don’t immediately discard damaged cartons, stretch wrap, pallets, labels, or other packaging associated with a damaged shipment.
The carrier may request photographs or an inspection of the packaging as part of its claims process. Keep the damaged books and packaging until the issue is resolved or you are advised that you may discard them.
Concealed Damage
Sometimes damage isn’t visible until you open the cartons.
If you discover concealed damage, please contact Color House Graphics promptly. Keep the original packaging and take photographs of both the books and the packaging to document their condition.
Carrier reporting requirements and claim deadlines vary, so reporting the problem promptly gives us the best opportunity to help document the claim.
Missing Books or Cartons
If the quantity received does not appear to agree with the shipping documentation, please let us know.
We will review our production, packing, and shipping records to help determine what happened.
There is an important distinction between a manufacturing or packing shortage and a product that was lost or damaged during transportation. If the shortage resulted from an error at Color House Graphics, we will work with you to address it. If books or cartons were lost or damaged while in the carrier’s possession, we will handle the issue through the appropriate freight-claim process.
Customer-Arranged Freight
If you arrange your own freight or designate a carrier to pick up your order, freight claims are typically filed with the carrier you select. Color House Graphics will be glad to assist by providing packing information, shipping records, and other documentation that may support your claim.
How CHG Can Help
If your shipment arrives damaged or incomplete, please contact us promptly and provide:
- Your company name
- Book title or job number
- Date received
- Carrier name
- Shipment tracking number
- Number of cartons or pallets received
- Description of the damage or shortage
- Photographs of the shipment, packaging, labels, and damaged books
- We will review the information with you and help determine the appropriate next steps.
Our goal is to ensure that shipping issues are identified promptly, properly documented, and resolved as efficiently as possible.
Need to Get In Touch?
Fill out the form below and we’ll get back with you shortly.
