Handle a quality claim in a fixed order. Notify the supplier in writing within the claim period in your contract, keep the goods and all evidence, test sealed samples at an agreed laboratory, and settle according to the contract.
Most claims are won or lost before the problem appears. A clear specification, sealed retention samples and a contract that sets out the claim process make the difference.
Step 1: Act fast and in writing
As soon as you find a problem, stop using the affected lot where you can. Notify the supplier by email with the batch numbers, what you found and how. Check the claim period in your contract, which may be short. If you insured the cargo, notify your insurer as well, because policies also have time limits.
Do not dispose of, rework or blend the goods without the supplier's written agreement. Doing so can destroy your claim.
Step 2: Preserve the evidence
- Photograph the packages, labels, batch numbers, seals and any visible defect.
- Keep the delivery records, including any remarks made on arrival, as explained in what to check when a shipment arrives.
- Draw fresh samples from the affected packages, ideally in the presence of the supplier's representative or an independent surveyor.
- Locate your sealed retention sample from loading, and do not open it yet.
- Gather your own test results, the supplier's certificate of analysis and the pre-shipment test report.
Step 3: Test the right samples
The sealed retention sample shows what left the factory. Fresh samples from the delivered goods show what arrived. Comparing them separates a production fault from a problem in transport or storage. How retention samples should be kept is covered in what a retention sample is.
Use the laboratory and test methods your contract names. If your results and the supplier's differ, the contract should name an umpire lab whose result decides the matter. If it does not, agree one before testing.
Step 4: Settle the claim
Common outcomes are a price reduction, replacement goods, a credit against the next order, or return of the goods at the supplier's cost. The right answer depends on whether the goods are usable at all, and on what the contract says.
If the supplier refuses to engage, your options depend on the contract's dispute clause and the payment terms. A buyer who paid in full in advance has little leverage, which is why claim terms belong in the chemical purchase contract from the start. For a legal dispute, take advice from a lawyer who knows trade law in the governing jurisdiction.
Learn from the claim
Find out why it happened. A change in raw material, a different production line or a new shift supervisor are common causes. Use the answer to tighten your specification, sampling and inspection for the next order. Ask the supplier for a written root-cause report and the corrective action it will take.
Next step
We help prevent claims with sealed sampling, testing and loading supervision, and gather evidence at the factory when one arises. To start, book a free sourcing review.