We understand that not everyone has experienced receiving a freight order, and we want the delivery of your order to go as smoothly as possible. By following these simple steps, you'll be better protected if there's an issue with your delivery or any damaged items.
Once your order has shipped, the freight delivery company will call the phone number on your order to schedule the delivery date and time of your curbside delivery to allow you to plan ahead to have the necessary help to move it onto the property, into your building or apartment/condominium complex. Please note, it's often the case that freight delivery drivers are not permitted onto private property, which is all the more reason to plan to have the help needed on site to move the product onto the property. For apartment and condominium dwellers, this is typically curbside nearest the entrance of your complex if it is a multi-unit or curbside near the driveway of a single building. You also have the option of calling the freight company and planning your delivery ahead of time, which may reduce your delivery time by one day.
Ensure that you're prepared to receive your shipment by thoroughly clearing an area so that the driver can correctly deliver your goods. If you don't have a loading dock, the truck will have a liftgate, so make sure there's enough room for the truck to back in and deliver the goods with the liftgate.
Once your shipment has arrived and it's being offloaded, it's now time to inspect. Freight companies are required to give you a couple of minutes to thoroughly inspect your shipment before signing off on the delivery. It's extremely important for you not to sign for your shipment until you have inspected it. In the unforeseen and unfortunate situation of a freight company not allowing you ample time to thoroughly inspect your shipment, be sure to note any exterior damages on the BOL and also note "Internal contents subject to inspection." Remember, as the purchaser, you have the right to inspect your product thoroughly.
Look around the outside of the packaging for anything that looks damaged. Make sure to look at all sides, including near the bottom of your crate. Ensure the number of pieces you're receiving noted on your bill of lading or BOL equals the number of pieces you're actually receiving.
Open the crate to quickly inspect the inside for any noticeable damages. If everything looks good, now you can sign off. If you do happen to find something damaged or missing, make sure to follow these steps:
1. VISUAL INSPECTION
When you open the crate, do a visual inspection from bottom to top quickly. Make sure everything is has arrived safely, and look for anything that looks off.
2. TAKE PHOTOS
Take pictures of anything that looks damaged or doesn't look correct to you, even if you don't know if it's necessarily damaged.
3. MAKE NOTES ON THE BILL OF LADING (BOL)
You also want to make sure that anything and everything is noted on the BOL. Please take a look at the top of the crate as well and how it arrived. Did it look like it was pressed down? Are there any damages to any other part of the shipment, as well? Pictures are a must, and noting all this information on the BOL as detailed as you can is extremely helpful. Once any damages or missing pieces are noted on the BOL, you can sign off and start to fully unpack your shipment. Do not refuse the shipment. As long as you've noted everything on the BOL and taken pictures, we can absolutely help.
CopperSmith is here to help you receive everything correctly, and if that's not the case and some damages have happened, we want to be your first call.
If you have any questions about receiving freight, please call our team at 1-888-431-4677 or send them an email.