Freight Claims

When it comes to freight-related issues, 48 is the magic number, and signing all BOLs with “upon final inspection” is the magic phrase.

Carriers and manufacturers will always try to protect themselves and can deny liability, which is why you should never clean sign a BOL—even if the delivery appears undamaged. You also must provide all possible evidence (including pictures) needed to justify any claims. Doing so within 48 hours of receipt is imperative because after that time window closes, BBQ Source Pro is no longer responsible for any damaged, missing, or wrong items. If you do miss the 48-hour mark, we still encourage you to reach out to us and we will try our best to resolve the issue.

Freight Claim form:

We received a shipment that is visibly damaged — what should we do?

If visible damage to the products is evident, it is highly recommended that the receiver refuses the shipment. This will automatically start the freight claim process, and the damaged product will be sent back to BBQ Source Pro. We highly recommend taking photos of the product to document the damage seen at the time of delivery and ask that you notify our customer service team as soon as possible so we can get the product re-shipped. The freight claim form must be completed in its entirety and submitted within 48 hours of receipt. Our customers are responsible for inspecting all product at the time of delivery and are expected to submit any freight claims that are needed within 48 hours.

If damage is seen on the outer packaging of the product but you think the product is still in good shape, you can receive the shipment. If you choose to receive the shipment, you must thoroughly inspect the outer packaging, clearly notate any damage on the BOL, and sign it with “upon final inspection”. Even if no evident signs of damage to the outer packaging are present, all BOLs should be marked with this verbiage and not signed clean. Signing clean can allow carriers to deny liability if any damage is found—even within the 48-hour time frame.

We received a shipment and found concealed damage — what should we do?

We strongly encourage you to inspect and open all products within 48 hours as carriers tend to have strict policies with regard to damaged freight. It is crucial to notify us immediately and to submit any needed concealed damage freight claims and pictures showing the undamaged packaging and the product within 48 hours so we can hold the carrier accountable.

Will the driver allow me to inspect the shipment?

Yes, the driver will allow you to inspect the freight. Some carriers/drivers are more willing to allow this than others as they may not have time to wait for you to break down pallets and open all the products. You will always have the ability to inspect the outer packaging and notate “upon final inspection” on the BOL accordingly.

Will the carrier allow me to accept a partial shipment?

This will depend on the carrier and the circumstance. Typically, if it is a multi-pallet delivery and only one pallet is damaged, they will allow you to accept the undamaged freight. If there is damage to a specific part of a pallet, you will most likely need to refuse the entire pallet. If you are accepting your shipment partially, please notate on the BOL exactly what is damaged, what is being accepted, and what is being refused.

I suspect that I may be missing or receiving the wrong product — what are my options?

Notate the missing or wrong items on the BOL and notify the BBQ Source Pro customer service team immediately. You will have 48 hours to report any missing or wrong product. If notified within the 48-hour window, BBQ Source Pro will ship out the missing items and/or arrange for the wrong product to be shipped back to our facility. Rest assured, as long as we’re notified within 48 hours, we will create a replacement shipment or issue a credit.

Delivery Checklist

Upon delivery, please make sure to check the following before signing for it:

• Confirm that the shipment is yours. If the shipment isn’t yours, please refuse the delivery and contact our customer service team as soon as possible. Be sure to record the PRO/Tracking number prior to refusing the shipment.

• Inspect and count all product that is being delivered. Make sure part numbers and quantities match the packing list. If anything does not match, you must notate it on the BOL and contact our customer service team within 48 hours of receipt.

• Check for damage on the product. If there is suspected damage, please refuse the shipment. If the damage to the outer packaging seems minimal, you can receive the shipment but the damage must be clearly noted on the BOL. It is also best to practice taking pictures of the product at the time of receipt.

• If the driver does not allow you to inspect the freight or is not giving you the opportunity to refuse the shipment, do not sign the BOL and contact our customer service team immediately.

If damage is visible at the time of delivery, you must:

1. Refuse the shipment and notify BBQ Source Pro customer service team immediately.

2. If you choose to accept the delivery, the damage must be clearly noted on the BOL and the BOL must be signed “upon final inspection”.

3. Take pictures of the damaged product as they are needed for all claims.

4. Receive an exception number from the driver if the delivery receipt is on an electronic device.

5. Email support@bbqsourcepro.com within 48 hours of the shipment receipt notifying our team of the issue so we can provide a quick resolution.

6. Keep damaged product in or with the original packaging.

7. The consignee must hold the product and its contents in the same condition as when the damage was discovered while awaiting inspection by the carrier.
   a. Inspections can typically be handled by our team as long as we have the evidence/pictures of the freight at the time of delivery.

If damage is not visible at the time of delivery, you must:

1. Sign the BOL and note “upon final inspection”.

2. Open and inspect all product within 48 hours.

3. Take pictures of the outer packaging to provide evidence that the outer packaging did not have any visible damage at the time of delivery.

4. Complete and submit a freight claim for concealed damage.