由 caicai8478 Core Principle: Prevention is Better Than Treatment, and Process is Better Than Firefighting
80% of unexpected events can be avoided through proactive preparation. Establishing Standardized Operating Procedures (SOPs) is the cornerstone of addressing unexpected events.
I. Common Pitfalls and Preventative Measures
Pitfall 1: Buyer Refusal (the Core Risk of COD)
Scenario: The goods arrive, but the buyer refuses to sign for or pay for various reasons (change of mind, insufficient funds, incorrect address, unreachable).
Preventative Measures:
Pre-Confirmation: Send an order confirmation via email or SMS before shipment, asking the buyer to confirm the product, price, and delivery address.
Shipping Notice: After the goods are shipped, provide the waybill number and estimated delivery time.
Pre-Shipping Reminder: 1-2 days before the delivery date, send a text message or phone call to remind the buyer to stay connected and prepare payment.
Clear Product Description: Provide high-definition images from multiple angles, detailed dimensional charts, and videos to avoid rejections due to “incorrect product description.”
Pitfall 2: Customs Clearance Failure (the core risk of DDP)
Scenario: Goods are detained at the destination country’s customs office for reasons including underdeclaration, mismatched product names, lack of certification (such as CE/FCC), lack of import qualifications, or restricted imports.
Preventative Measures:
Declare truthfully: Never underdeclare. Confirm the correct HS code and declared value with the freight forwarder. Underdeclaration may result in fines, confiscation of goods, and subsequent inability to pursue legal action against the buyer.
Complete Documents: Ensure that documents such as the commercial invoice, packing list, and certificate of origin are accurate and consistent.
Product Compliance: Thoroughly verify that products meet the safety, environmental, and technical standards of the destination country before export.
Choose a professional freight forwarder: An experienced freight forwarder will pre-screen your documents and inform you of potential risks.
Pitfall 3: Buyer Claims Not Received/Lost Goods
Scenario: The shipping information indicates that the goods have been signed for, but the buyer claims they did not receive them and requests a refund or refuses to pay.
Preventative Measures:
Clearly define the signing rules: State in your store policies that “the official delivery status displayed by the logistics provider shall prevail.”
Require proof of receipt: Choose a logistics service that provides the “signatory’s name” and even a “signature photo.”
Trap 4: Damaged/Short Shipment
Scenario: After receiving the goods, the buyer discovers that the goods were damaged during transportation or the quantity is incorrect.
Preventative Measures:
Reinforced Packaging: Use pressure-resistant and shock-proof packaging tailored to the product’s characteristics, and clearly mark fragile items.
Outbound Verification: The warehouse conducts a secondary inventory before shipment to ensure accurate quantities and maintains records.
Purchase Insurance: Purchase transportation insurance for high-value goods.
II. Dispute Handling Process and Talk
When unexpected situations inevitably occur, follow the following process:
Step 1: Respond immediately and provide reassurance.
Goal: Prevent the buyer from feeling neglected and avoid escalating the issue (e.g., negative reviews, chargebacks).
Example Script:
“We apologize for the inconvenience. We’ve received your feedback and take it very seriously. Rest assured, we’re fully investigating and addressing this matter and will provide you with a preliminary response within [specify timeframe, e.g., 2 hours].”
Step 2: Gather Information and Conduct Internal Verification
Action:
Immediately contact the logistics provider to obtain detailed shipping information and proof of receipt.
Internally verify shipping records, packing videos, declaration documents, etc.
If it’s a customs clearance issue, urgently contact the freight forwarder to understand the specific reasons and requirements for customs detention.
Step 3: Provide a solution based on the verification results
Scenario 1: Buyer Unreasonably Refuses Delivery/Changes Their Mind
Background: The logistics provider shows multiple delivery attempts, and the buyer refuses delivery without reason.
Strategy: The goods are typically returned or destroyed on-site. Financial loss is inevitable; the goal is to minimize subsequent disputes.
Talking Strategies and Solutions:
“Dear customer, our records show that the package has been delivered to the address you provided multiple times but has failed. According to our policy, refunds will not be issued for unconditional rejections. If you still need the product, you may need to place a new order. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you.”
Scenario 2: Customs Clearance Failure
Strategy: Work closely with the freight forwarder to determine whether to “resolve the issue” (provide additional documents, pay additional taxes) or “deal with the consequences” (return or destroy the package).
Talking Strategies and Solutions:
“Dear customer, we apologize to you that your package encountered some issues during customs clearance at the destination and requires additional [specific documents, such as purchase link]. We have assigned our team to handle this urgently, and the expected delay is [time]. If you wish to cancel your order, we can also provide a full refund.” (Note: DDP liability rests with the seller, who should proactively assume responsibility and offer the buyer the option to choose.)
Scenario 3: Damaged/Short Shipment
Strategy: If there is strong evidence, compensate decisively to maintain your reputation.
Talking Strategies and Solutions:
Partially Damaged: “We deeply apologize for the damage caused by our poor packaging. We’d like to offer you a 50% refund as compensation. Is that acceptable?”
Completely Damaged/Short Item: “We’re deeply sorry that you’re disappointed with your purchase. We offer two solutions: 1. We’ll send you a new item free of charge; 2. We’ll issue you a full refund. Which option is more convenient for you?”
Scenario 4: Claiming not to receive the item (but the logistics company indicates receipt)
Strategy: Provide evidence, guide the buyer to investigate independently, and offer a friendly gesture.
Talking Strategies and Solutions:
“Hello, this is the receipt record provided by the logistics company. It shows receipt at [time], and the signatory is [name]. We recommend confirming this with family, colleagues, or the property management company. We’ve also contacted the courier for further verification. If the item is still unavailable after 24 hours, we will initiate the claims process.”
Step 4: Recording and Reviewing
Action: After each case, record the cause of the dispute, the resolution, and the outcome.
Purpose: Analyze data regularly. If a product has an unusually high rejection rate, is there a problem with the product description? If customs clearance in a certain region consistently encounters problems, should logistics channels be adjusted? Through review, continuously optimize front-end preventative measures.
Summary: Build your risk response system.
Pre-emptive prevention: Strictly screen products and markets, declare truthfully, strengthen packaging, and communicate proactively.
In-process tracking: Monitor logistics status and proactively intervene when anomalies (such as customs clearance delays or delivery failures) occur.
Post-event handling:
Speed first: Respond quickly.
Evidence is king: Rely on logistics data and internal records.
Flexible solutions: Offer refunds, compensation, reshipments, and other options based on responsibility.
Customer experience: Even if the fault isn’t yours, a positive attitude can win back a customer and avoid negative reviews.
System optimization: View every dispute as an opportunity to improve your processes and continuously refine your SOPs.
With this system, you can transform unexpected events in the DDP+COD model from disasters into manageable and controllable operating costs, truly mastering this high-risk business model.