Freight and Routing Deductions Explained
A routing guide is a retailer's own rulebook for getting freight to it: which carrier and facility to use, how to request routing, and what freight terms apply (see the routing guide glossary entry). A routing-guide violation is a miss against that rulebook, not against quantity.
What counts as a freight or routing-guide violation?
A routing guide is a retailer's own rulebook for getting freight to it: which carrier and facility to use, how to request routing, and what freight terms apply (see the routing guide glossary entry). A routing-guide violation is a miss against that rulebook, not against quantity. No routing request placed, an unassigned carrier or facility, or freight terms the retailer never authorized, all count as violations (Bealls Import Vendor Chargeback Violation Key, as published on /codes).
How a routing violation becomes a chargeback
Each retailer turns the same miss into a deduction its own way. See the Burlington and Macy's guides for the full dispute process.
Detention, demurrage, and missed-appointment charges
Detention and demurrage are charges for time a carrier or container gets held past its scheduled window. Who carries them depends on who caused the hold, and the claim can run toward the retailer: Macy's Backstage has vendors shipping on their own carrier submit detention or demurrage charges to its Accounts Payable within 30 days of delivery (Macy's Backstage Routing Guide, Section 12.0). A missed or unscheduled appointment is a related but separate failure, charged on its own by Bealls (failure to schedule and confirm pickup) and Kroger (appointment charges on /codes).
Process, in order:
- Carrier arrives at dock
- Appointment record timestamp
- Time held past the scheduled window
- Detention or demurrage invoice, matched to the appointment record
How to check a freight or routing charge against your own records
Before you dispute anything, line up the freight terms and carrier or facility on your purchase order against your routing request, carrier confirmation, and appointment record. If the retailer's own system assigned the carrier, moved the appointment, or approved an exception, that record is your evidence.
Process to work through, in order:
- Purchase order (freight terms)
- Routing request
- Carrier / facility assignment
- Appointment record
- Bill of lading
When a freight or routing charge is disputable, and what to attach
A freight or routing charge is disputable when your routing confirmation, carrier-signed bill of lading, or appointment record shows the shipment was routed and delivered as required. It's likely valid when those same records confirm the miss instead: a routing request never placed, or a carrier chosen without authorization (Macy's Backstage Routing Guide §4.0-4.1; /codes).
When you dispute, attach the freight terms, the routing request and confirmation, the carrier or facility assignment, the appointment record, and the bill of lading. See also our guide to OTIF fines, our retail compliance overview, and this related post.
Roy matches each deduction to the documents that answer it and prepares the dispute for review. Curious where your own freight and routing deductions stand? Get a free deduction assessment.
Frequently asked questions
What is a routing-guide violation?
- A miss against a retailer's own rulebook for getting freight to it, such as shipping without a placed routing request, using an unassigned carrier or facility, or shipping on the wrong freight terms, rather than a miss on quantity.
Is a freight or routing chargeback disputable?
- Yes, when your own routing confirmation, carrier-signed bill of lading, or appointment record shows the shipment was routed and carried the way the retailer required; it is likely valid when those same records confirm the miss.
Is a detention or demurrage charge always valid?
- Not necessarily. It depends on whether the appointment and gate-in records show the carrier was held past a window the retailer itself controlled.
What documents prove a freight or routing charge is wrong?
- The purchase order's freight terms, the routing request and confirmation, the carrier or facility assignment, the appointment record, and the bill of lading.
Not sure where your freight and routing deductions stand?
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