Wholesale returns are not consumer returns. Sealed product cannot be returned because it did not perform, and this policy is explicit about that rather than leaving it to be discovered.
1. Inspect on receipt
Inspect every delivery on receipt. Shortages, transit damage and incorrect shipments must be reported within three business days of delivery, with photographs of the carton and contents as received.
Reports made after that window are considerably harder to resolve, because carrier claims and supplier claims both have their own deadlines that run from delivery rather than from when a problem is noticed.
2. Shortages and incorrect shipments
Where a delivery is short or incorrect against the confirmed order, W&S will correct it — by supplying the missing product where it is available, or by crediting the account.
Report to orders@wsdist.com with the order reference, the discrepancy and photographs.
3. Transit damage
Photograph the carton before opening it further where damage is visible on delivery, and photograph the contents. Retain all packaging until the claim is resolved — a carrier claim without the packaging is usually not recoverable.
W&S will pursue the carrier claim where W&S arranged the shipment.
4. Manufacturer defects
Manufacturing defects in sealed product are handled under the applicable manufacturer policy, which varies by manufacturer and by product. W&S will assist an account in pursuing a manufacturer claim and will provide purchase documentation.
W&S does not open, search, weigh or reseal product and makes no representation as to the contents of sealed product beyond what the manufacturer states.
5. What cannot be returned
Sealed product cannot be returned because it did not sell, because the market moved, or because the contents were not what the account hoped for. This is standard across wholesale distribution in this category and it is stated plainly here so it is not a surprise later.
Product that has been opened, marked, relabelled or removed from its original packaging cannot be returned.
Preorder and allocated product is governed by the preorder policy. Some products are designated final sale at the point of order, and where that applies it is stated before the order is placed.
- Not returnable: product that did not sell.
- Not returnable: product whose market value moved.
- Not returnable: opened, marked, relabelled or repackaged product.
- Governed separately: preorder and allocated product, under the preorder policy.
6. Approved returns
Where a return is approved, W&S will issue a return authorization. Product returned without an authorization cannot be processed.
Approved returns must be shipped in the original packaging with the authorization reference visible on the outer carton.
Questions about this document: info@wsdist.com. W&S Distribution Group, LLC, 1140 Tampa Rd., Palm Harbor, FL 34683.