IN THIS SECTION

Shipping Requirements

Bills of Lading


A Bill of Lading supplied to the carrier must include all Purchase Order information as per the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC). When shipping multiple POs to the same destination on the same day, they must be consolidated onto one Master Bill of Lading and broken out individually. All Freight Bills and Bills of Lading must include the following information:

  1. Vendor's name and address
  2. Customer's Purchase Order Number(s)
  3. Total pieces with specific counts
    • e.g. 2 pallets containing 100 cartons, separated by Purchase Order number
    • Total carton count must be included. Customer is responsible for signing for carton counts, not just pallet counts.
  4. General description of merchandise
  5. Freight classification numbers
  6. UN numbers and full descriptions of any hazardous materials
  7. Total weight
  8. Ship date
  9. Customer Ship-to address

Material Safety Data Sheets


Vendor is required to provide Customers with a current Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on all applicable items. This must include shipping name, hazard class and hazard shipping number (UN number) for all hazardous material.

Shipping Guidelines


Vendors must ship in accordance with the following requirements:

  1. All products must be shipped against a Customer Purchase Order.
  2. Orders must not be shipped past the Purchase Order cancel date or prior to the Purchase Order ship date without written customer approval.
  3. Products should be ordered and shipped in master carton quantities, whenever possible. Once established, standard, inner and master carton quantities cannot be arbitrarily changed on subsequent orders or receipts. Changes to carton quantities must be communicated in writing at least 30 days prior to shipping goods in a new carton quantity.
  4. Vendors will not ship substitutions without prior approval of the Customer.
  5. The Vendor must carefully monitor Ship-To locations. Customer may refuse shipments delivered to the wrong warehouse/store.

Packing Guidelines


It is the Vendor's responsibility to see that merchandise is packed and shipped in such a way that the product quality and presentation is retained from the Vendor to the Customer. Vendor will adhere to the following packing requirements for all of Customer's inbound goods and materials:

  1. Vendor will pack only one (1) SKU per master carton. It is recognized that some products are ordered in small quantities or have no standard master pack quantity. These items may need to be combined in shipping cartons to maximize efficiency. When this occurs, Vendors will:
    • Bag or box the same SKUs from the same purchase order together or clearly separated from each other.
    • Keep the full quantity of each SKU together.
    • Clearly mark the carton as "mixed".
    • Every effort should be made to itemize mixed cartons on the carton exterior.
  2. Vendor will pack only one (1) Purchase Order per carton or box.
  3. All quantities of the same Part Number must be kept together for ease of quantity verification.
  4. All cartons for a single Purchase Order shall be placed on the same pallet, whenever possible.
  5. All packaging must conform to the carriers' requirements to withstand normal transportation hazards.
  6. All individual shipping cartons should be packed to meet UPS test strengths and shipping specifications (see UPS website for guidelines).
  7. Breakable merchandise must be packed to prevent breakage and/or damage.
  8. Vendor must comply with all hazardous materials packaging rules currently in effect.
  9. All liquids should be palletized, shrink (or stretch) wrapped and marked "FRAGILE". All individual liquid containers must have an airtight inner seal in addition to a cap or lid.
  10. All truck shipments exceeding 80 ft3. (2.3 m3.) must be on pallets.

Carton Size and Quantity


All cartons must meet or exceed the following:

  1. Shipping and master cartons must be a minimum 200 lb. PSI test weight or 32 ECT.
  2. Shipping and master cartons must be constructed of corrugated cardboard or fiber.
  3. Cartons must be closed using tape that is at least 2 inches (5 cm) wide.
  4. Staples, stitches, strapping, and metal banding are not to be used to close cartons unless required by International regulations, or considered necessary by Vendor.
  5. Carton weight should not exceed 50 lbs (23 kg), unless single item weight exceeds 50 lbs (23 kg).
  6. Unless a single unit exceeds the stated maximum dimensions, master carton maximum dimensions should not exceed:
    • 24" (inches) (61 cm) in height
    • 20" (inches) (51 cm) in width
    • 30" (inches) (76 cm) length
  7. Master carton minimum dimensions should not be smaller than:
    • 3" (inches) (8 cm) in height
    • 3" (inches) (8 cm) in width
    • 6" (inches) (15 cm) in length
  8. Customer must be notified of any changes to master, standard or inner pack quantities prior to shipping.
  9. All master cartons must be conveyable.

Pallet Size, Construction & Wrapping


Shipments utilizing common or contract carriers and exceeding 80 ft3 (2.3 m3) must be palletized and:

  1. The size of the pallet must be 40" (102 cm) wide x 48" (122 cm) long x 48" high maximum, GMA four way.
  2. Quality constructed pallets are expected for safety purposes.
  3. All pallet loads must be shrink (or stretch) wrapped or banded securely to the pallet.
  4. Prior written approval is required for products that overhang beyond the standard dimensions stated under item "A" above.

Packing Lists


Vendors agree to provide a Packing List with each shipment against a Customer Purchase Order. The Packing List must be complete for all items in the shipment. It must be clear, concise and easy to read. Each Purchase Order shipped will have a lead carton marked #1. The packing list will be included in an outside plastic envelope on the lead carton (#1). This carton will be clearly marked "Packing List Attached". Vendors must attach a second copy of this Packing List to the Bill of Lading. The Packing List will contain the following information:

  1. Vendor's full name
  2. Customer's Purchase Order number
  3. The part number actually marked on the product
  4. Break down of SKUs by color and size where applicable
  5. A notation if the product shipped is a substitution
  6. Units of measure (ex: dozens, each)
  7. Quantity of each item shipped
  8. Quantity of each item backordered
  9. The number of cartons/pallets shipped
  10. The weight of the shipment
  11. UN numbers and Vendor compliance with full descriptions of any hazardous materials
  12. Any applicable MSDS sheets
  13. Identify carton number and pallet number for each item on the packing list

NOTE: Vendors must attach a copy of the Packing List(s) to the Bill of Lading and advise carriers that it must be presented to the Customer. The carrier must present the Bill of Lading with Packing List(s) attached to the Customer's Distribution Center Receiving Office upon delivery of shipment.

Carton/Pallet Marking


The outside of each shipping carton and pallet must be marked with the following information:

  1. Vendor's name and address
  2. Customer's name and Ship-To address
  3. Customer's Purchase Order Number
  4. If possible, product description, vendor part #, and customer part #
  5. The carton/pallet number (Note: A pallet specific manifest may be used if it references all of the information required at the carton level.)
  6. All pallets must have the total number of cartons contained in the pallet
  7. All master cartons and inner packs must be marked with the number of units inside
  8. UPC: All single item cartons should contain a master carton UPC label