Shipping problems

People shopping online have to always deal with the challenge of shipping problems. Shipping products can either be lost or stolen during transit or even upon delivery. There are many possible flaws that can happen during the shipping process. Not only do the products have to be shipped properly, but the condition of the arriving products may be affected mid transportation. 

With everything being purchased online, kitchen cabinets also face shipping challenges. Like regular items, it may be hard to keep track of where a certain shipment may be at. Despite being a large palette shipping cabinets, these items can be lost amongst everything being shipped. As cabinets are made of wood, shipping can damage the cabinets. Doors can get chipped or have a scratch unloading the materials from the truck. After spending so much time and money to receive the items from the company for them to be damaged is frustrating indeed. How can one dictate who is responsible and who will fix shipping problems at hand?

The cabinet company

Shipping problems

The cabinet company will be the go to if something goes wrong with the order. Typically customers will contact the sales representative they worked with to find and contact issues with the order. Depending on situations, not all faults can be easily blamed on one party. Of course one’s first 

As one shops online for anything, checking reviews will filter the good from the bad. Why do reviews matter? Reviews will let you not just the good the company does, but more importantly the bad reviews. It highlights what the company has done wrong on certain orders and even how they fixed these situations. 

Not only are reviews important, but also the shipping policy, warranty, damage policy, and even return policy. Buying cabinets online is much different from buying a phone charging cable from an online store. 

Shipping Policy, Warranty, and Damage Policy

Shipping problems

Companies will typically list out guidelines for how they ship their products. This will let customers know what to expect when they receive the cabinets from the shipping company. Most shipping companies will ship products on a palette on large freight trucks. The cabinet companies will typically describe how the shipping procedure works and what process a customer needs to know before purchasing the cabinets.

Much like shipping policies, cabinet companies each have their own warranty and damage policies. Warranty and damage is what a lot of customers should look for. Based on any shipping damage or damage later on, a customer may easily replace the damaged items if the warranty states so. The last thing customers want to hear is a warranty that does not replace items damaged in shipping. In times where a situation is stressful, a good warranty will act as the safety net for customers to breathe a sigh of relief. 

The shipping company

photo: DCL

The shipping company will be the one in charge of shipping your product to you. The typical companies expected to ship your Amazon order are not the same ones that can ship a palette of kitchen cabinets. Companies like UPS or FEDEX may be the carrier for certain orders. For freight orders where a whole palette is needed, specific companies will change based on location. Customers prior to purchase may ask their sales representative on which freight company is used to ship their specific order. Upon the shipment of the order, customers should receive a shipping confirmation and tracking number. Tracking the order is important to see when the order arrives and when the timeline of the kitchen remodeling project.

Unlike a small package from a typical online delivery, delivering a palette is a much more difficult task. A company cannot leave a palette on the front door and leave without the consumer present. A massive order like kitchen cabinets will require someone to be there to receive the order. Not anyone can always take time off from work to receive an order. It will be best to have a contractor receive the order if that person is renovating the kitchen. That contractor is knowledgeable about kitchen cabinets and may also help check on any damages. 

Who is ultimately responsible for shipping problems?

photo: Good Men Project

The company who is supplying the goods is the one at fault. Sellers need to follow with the customer to make sure the shipment goes through. Many individual sellers will try to pin the blame on the delivery. Whether it is by the USPS, third party service, or contracted individuals, the seller needs to work with the delivery to guarantee the products get to the customers hands in good condition. They need to make sure the product they are selling gets to the customer properly. If an item does not arrive to the customer or arrives damaged, the seller needs to make sure the items get exchanged or refunded. They are the ones supplying the goods and need to resolve any shipping problems.

If the items get damaged mid transportation, the seller needs to work with the delivery to resolve that issue on the side. Many times customers do not have the time nor patience for others to point fingers to blame others. Especially when home remodeling projects are on a strict timeline and dates need to be at specific stages. The longer the issue takes, the later and  later the project gets held back for the customer. To keep onboard with the schedule, evaluate to see which portions of the cabinet are damaged. If the interior of the cabinet is fine, one can complete the whole kitchen installation. Damaged doors can be replaced and installed at the very end, even after flooring, countertop, and appliances are completed.

What do I do while trying to resolve shipping problems?

Shipping problems
photo: Global Call Forwarding

If the interior of the cabinet is intact and any damages do not affect the structural integrity of the cabinet, the installation process will not be delayed. The cabinet box is the only thing that needs to be installed before the next process. After the cabinet box is assembled and mounted, the countertop can be installed on top. Cabinet doors can be installed at the very end of the kitchen remodel. 

Depending on the cabinet company’s shipping, warranty, and damage policies, customers can discuss with the sales representative on replacing the damaged parts during shipping. If a cabinet interior is damaged that affects the structural integrity, they can work on the rest of the kitchen first. Once the replacement kitchen cabinet, the last cabinet can be then assembled to finish the kitchen. 

What dictates a cabinet that does not affect structural integrity? A cabinet typically needs a back panel, sides, shelves, doors, drawers, and maybe a frame. Frameless cabinets will not have nor need a front frame. Doors and shelves will typically be components that are not integral to the cabinets stability. The plywood edges will commonly be hidden from view. RTA cabinets will have a side skin panel, toe kick boards, and the countertop will hide any of the imperfections on the edges of the plywood. Framed cabinets will even hide more imperfections that may be slightly visible out of the box. Although a customer may not like the idea of a slight chip being okay on a cabinet, it potentially will be hidden away.

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