Establish which goods the supplier will receive

Confirm the return reference, receiving address and any packaging requirement with the supplier. Its sales branch and returns warehouse may be different locations. The carrier should arrive with a consignment the receiving team is expecting and authorised to accept.

Keep the supplier’s commercial agreement separate from the transport booking. Restocking charges, credit eligibility and inspection outcomes are decisions between buyer and supplier. A POD does not replace a credit note or confirm that every returned item qualifies for reimbursement.

Rebuild the actual return inventory

Count the remaining cartons, packs or units before palletising. Unused supplies may have been separated across a site, so the original delivery documents may no longer describe the load. Remove unrelated items and label the return clearly with its current piece count.

Measure and weigh the finished pallet, including its base and wrapping. State stacking restrictions, overhang and fragile packaging. Disclose liquids, batteries or other special transport conditions rather than treating every trade-supply return as ordinary dry freight.

Arrange a workable collection at the Lethbridge end

Tell WTM whether pickup is from a warehouse, a contractor yard or a jobsite. Provide the gate or entrance and loading equipment. If the stock is still upstairs or spread through the building, arrange its preparation before the accepted collection window or request additional handling explicitly.

For illustration, a contractor returning sealed surplus cartons can have them consolidated on a labelled pallet at the authorised loading point. The supplier’s reference then connects the collection, freight documents and receiving record without making the driver reconcile the whole project purchase history.

Match the return’s priority to the service

A supplier may require receipt within its return window, but that does not always mean an immediate hotshot. Give WTM the latest acceptable receiving date and obtain the appropriate LTL quote. An unusually urgent deadline can be assessed separately.

Do not assume that a truck’s travel in the return direction produces an automatic backhaul discount. The quote reflects the actual collection, load, receiving requirements and applicable account arrangement.

Trade-return questions

Can several return references travel on one pallet?

Confirm the supplier’s receiving instructions and keep the references clearly associated with their goods.

Can the supplier refuse goods after delivery?

Its commercial acceptance process is separate from transportation. Obtain authorisation and follow its instructions before shipping.