Damaged Goods in Transit: What to Check Before Changing the Carton

When a customer reports damage, ordering a stronger carton can feel like the quickest response. Sometimes the carton specification needs to change. Sometimes the investigation points elsewhere, including the internal arrangement, closure, pallet layout or handling conditions.

Start with what the damaged pack can show you. A useful record helps the buyer, packing team, supplier and carrier discuss the same event instead of working from different assumptions.

What should I do first when goods arrive damaged?

Record the condition of the pack before anyone disturbs it.

Ask for clear photographs of the unopened pack where possible. Include every side, the closure, the label and the damaged area. For palletised goods, include the load arrangement and the position of the affected carton if that information is available.

Record the dispatch reference, product, quantity per pack, carton specification and when the damage was first noticed. Note whether one pack or several packs were affected.

After opening, photograph the product in its original position and show the protective materials. Retain the pack and its contents for review where practical. Follow the carrier's reporting process and deadlines separately, since this checklist does not replace a transport claim procedure.

If the recipient already discarded the packaging, record that fact. Missing evidence is a limit on the investigation, not a reason to guess.

How should I describe transit damage?

Describe what you can see, without deciding the cause yet.

Use observations that another person could recognise. "Left lower corner crushed" is more useful than "weak box". "Product moved past the divider" gives a clearer starting point than "poor packing".

Record marks on the outer carton and the product separately. Note punctures, open seams, displaced materials and signs of moisture where visible.

These observations suggest questions to investigate. They do not prove which event caused the damage. A crushed corner does not identify when it happened, and a photograph alone cannot establish the forces the shipment experienced.

How do I check whether the packing caused the damage?

Rebuild the intended pack and check it from the product outward.

Reconstruct the intended packing arrangement. Check the actual product version, accessories and quantity against the packing instruction. Confirm whether the carton and protective materials match the approved specification.

Look for contact points between products, exposed components and materials that moved out of position. Ask whether the product could shift within the pack and whether the closure stayed intact.

DHL's packing guidance covers internal packing, separation and sealing as well as the outer box. Use the guidance relevant to the chosen service while assessing the complete package.

Avoid treating one material as a universal fix. Additional cushioning, a different divider or a revised carton each changes the pack in a different way. The next step should address an observed risk.

Could storage or pallet loading have caused the damage?

It can, so check storage time and conditions, stacking, pallet layout and handling alongside the pack itself.

Ask how long the goods were stored, how they were stacked and whether the storage conditions changed. Check the condition of the cartons before dispatch if photographs or inspection records exist.

For pallet loads, review the carton positions, edge support, load height and securing method. Note any overhang or uneven loading for further assessment. Ask whether the affected cartons were concentrated in one part of the load.

The Fibre Box Association describes research into humidity and stacking effects on box compression. Those factors are worth examining when the evidence involves crushing. They do not tell you the cause of a particular failure without further information. Our single wall vs double wall guide covers how humidity affects stacking strength.

Review transfers and handling steps where records are available. Keep confirmed events separate from possible events. Do not turn an assumption about rough handling into a finding against a carrier.

How should I test a packaging change?

Write down the question the trial must answer, then change one thing at a time where you can.

Write down the working explanation before changing the packaging. For example, a fictional investigation might ask whether two components can contact each other after a divider shifts. That question suggests a different trial from one about the compression performance of a loaded carton.

Where practical, compare one planned change at a time and record the exact pack revision. If several changes are necessary together, record them all so the result can be interpreted properly.

FEFCO's test list distinguishes board properties from tests on corrugated packaging, including compression, drop and vibration. Discuss which evaluation is relevant to the observed problem and expected distribution conditions. Do not substitute a board description for finished-pack evidence.

What should I bring to the next supplier review?

Before the next supplier discussion, gather the photographs, carton specification, packing arrangement, known handling conditions and your observations. Add the proposed change and explain what the trial needs to establish.

If the trial does not support the working explanation, return to the evidence. Avoid repeating the same adjustment without learning anything new.

How do I raise a damage problem with Exxo?

For a carton enquiry with Exxo, share the product details and authorised photographs alongside the box specification. Remove customer addresses and other confidential information from material that does not need to be shared.

Use the contact section to describe what happened, what you know and what remains uncertain. That gives the packaging discussion a more useful starting point than "we need a stronger box".