Last reviewed: Sep 15, 2026
A damaged lamp is expensive three times: the unit, the return freight and the customer conversation. Whether it is also a fight depends entirely on what was recorded in the first ten minutes after delivery.
The window is short
Carriers impose short periods for reporting visible and concealed damage, and the clock starts at delivery. Whoever receives the freight has to know the procedure before the truck arrives, because a signature without an exception notation weakens the claim considerably.
What a defensible claim contains
Assemble this before contacting anyone:
- The delivery receipt, annotated with the damage or with the refusal of the shipment
- Photographs of the carton before opening, including the label and every crushed face
- Photographs of the inner packaging and the location of the failure on the product
- The count of affected units against the total, by model
- The original packing list and commercial invoice
Damage starts at the pack, not the driver
In a well-designed carton most impacts are absorbed. Where the same model damages repeatedly, the correct conclusion is usually that the pack is wrong for the carrier, not that the carrier is careless. Track damage by model and by pack version and the pattern appears quickly.
Agree the policy before the season
Put a damage allowance or replacement threshold in the supply agreement: what percentage is normal, who replaces what, and how returns are credited. The worst time to negotiate this is during the first damaged container.
| Situation | Practical policy |
|---|---|
| One unit in a small order | Credit and no return freight; photograph only |
| Repeated damage on one model | Packaging review before the next order |
| Pallet-level crush | Carrier claim plus factory review of stacking |
| Customer-side delivery | Carrier exception noted at the door, or the claim is weak |
Fix the number, not the argument
Set a target for damage as a percentage of units shipped, measure it every shipment, and treat a rise as an engineering problem. Programs that measure it typically halve it within a year, mostly by changing foam and carton dimensions.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
How do I file a freight damage claim for lamps
Document the damage at delivery: note it on the carrier's receipt, photograph the carton and the lamp before opening further, and notify the carrier within its required window. A claim without clean evidence of the carton condition at receipt is much harder to win.
Who pays for damage in transit
It depends on the Incoterms and who arranged the freight. Under terms where the buyer takes risk at the origin, the buyer pursues the carrier; under delivered terms the seller usually does. The purchase contract should state this clearly so a claim is not a surprise argument later.
Can I reduce damage claims instead of just filing them
Yes, and it is cheaper. Better inner packing, clearer handling labels, and choosing FCL over LCL for fragile tall lamps removes a large share of claims before they start.
Sourcing lamps for your business?
We stock the Anrotix range in the United States — complete with LED bulbs and accessories — and supply from 10 units, mixed across SKUs.
Request wholesale pricingRelated product: Anrotix wholesale terms — who pays, and the claims process, set out in writing
Recruiting regional partners worldwide — help@anrotix.cn