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Deduction Library / Freight 

Freight Deductions

A freight deduction is a claim related to how product moved — routing guide violations, unauthorized carriers, prepaid versus collect disputes, accessorial charges, detention, failed appointments, or freight the retailer believes the supplier should have paid.

Why Retailers Assess It

Retailers run tight inbound networks. The routing guide exists to control cost and capacity. When a shipment misses the guide, misses an appointment, or arrives in a way that creates extra handling, the retailer’s system bills that cost back to the supplier.

How to Validate

  • Confirm the freight terms on the PO: prepaid, collect, or a third-party account.

  • Compare the actual carrier and mode to the routing guide in force on the ship date.

  • Match appointment, SCAC, PRO, and trailer numbers to the claim.

  • Separate a true routing miss from a receiving delay recorded as a supplier freight claim.

  • Check whether the same charge was taken as OTIF, compliance, and freight on one shipment.

Documents You Typically Need

  • Purchase order with freight terms

  • Routing guide effective on the ship date

  • Bill of lading and carrier invoice or PRO

  • Appointment confirmation

  • Proof of delivery

  • Accessorial or detention backup if those fees are claimed


* Additional documents may be needed depending on the retailer and claim type.

Common Causes

  • Wrong carrier, mode, or ship-from versus the routing guide

  • Collect freight billed to the supplier — or prepaid freight the retailer also deducted

  • Missed appointments and detention

  • Unauthorized accessorials

  • Duplicate billing between the carrier invoice and a retailer debit

Recovery Notes

Freight claims are won with the routing guide and the BOL, not with a general protest. If the supplier chose the carrier, own that. If the retailer changed the appointment or refused the load, document it. Do not let freight, OTIF, and compliance stack on the same event without checking that the dollars are distinct.
 

Related types: OTIF, MABD, Retail Compliance.

Related service: Retail Deduction Recovery.
 

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