Start with the warehouse that will actually receive the cartons
Give us the full delivery address, postal code, warehouse contact and the club or logistics company receiving the goods. A city name is useful for early planning but does not describe the final delivery job. Tell us whether the destination is a club shop, stadium store, third-party warehouse or another receiving point, and whether a different party will accept the shipment.
Ask the receiving team about booking appointments, opening hours, vehicle access, unloading arrangements and any carton or pallet identification requirements. Put these instructions in the delivery brief before requesting a final rate. An address change after booking should trigger a review of the transport arrangement and charges, rather than an assumption that the original quote still applies.
Quote freight from the packed shipment, not the plush size
A mascot's finished height is not enough to calculate the shipment. We need the order quantities by product, individual packaging, units per outer carton, outer carton dimensions, total cartons and packed gross weight. If the goods will travel on pallets, include the packed pallet dimensions and weight. A retail gift box can materially change the space needed even when the plush design is unchanged.
Before packing is final, ask for an estimate that identifies its assumptions and the point when it will be revised. Compare options using the same packing basis. Changing from individual boxes to another arrangement should also be assessed for presentation and protection; a smaller shipping volume is not automatically the right club-shop choice. Review the product and packaging mix with the freight request.
Put collection, main transport and final delivery into one scope
Ask the quotation to identify the collection point, destination point, proposed transport method and the services included between them. Then list what remains outside that scope, who arranges it and who receives the invoice. This makes quotations comparable and reduces ambiguity between the supplier, forwarder, club and warehouse. Avoid treating a heading such as 'shipping included' as a complete service description.
For a match-day project, distinguish the requested warehouse receipt date from a departure date or a transport estimate. Tell us the date by which the club needs stock available for its own preparation. We can then review the production and shipping sequence together. Any proposed route or timing remains subject to the actual booking and project status; see the delivery planning questions before setting the sales launch.
Name the rule, place and responsible parties clearly
If the parties use Incoterms®, the chosen rule and named place need to be explicit. The ICC's official Incoterms® 2020 overview explains that these rules allocate obligations, costs and risk between buyer and seller. They do not replace a precise shipment brief.
Alongside the agreed term, record who arranges transport, prepares the required shipment documents, coordinates import formalities and communicates with the destination warehouse. Identify the receiving and importing parties with the people handling the shipment. Do not assume that delivery to a warehouse means every possible destination charge or import task is included. If someone requests a particular delivery arrangement, ask for its specific scope and feasibility to be confirmed in the quotation rather than accepting a broad label.
Check the document and warehouse instructions together
Before dispatch, reconcile the shipment description, quantities and packaging information across the agreed commercial documents and packing list. Confirm the consignee and delivery details with the club's nominated logistics contact. If the warehouse needs purchase-order references, item codes, carton marks or an advance shipment notice, agree who supplies that information and when it must be sent. A warehouse's internal item name may differ from the name used during sampling, so establish a clear mapping.
Keep document questions separate from guesses about customs treatment. The club and its appointed logistics or import specialists should confirm the requirements for the actual destination and transaction. We can coordinate the requested project information, but a merchandise page cannot determine every shipment's documentation or charges. Resolve missing details while the goods are being prepared, rather than when a booked vehicle arrives.
Plan the handover and the first warehouse check
Agree how the shipment status and available dispatch documents will be shared, who the warehouse contacts if the booking changes, and who confirms receipt. On arrival, the receiving team should check carton counts and visible packing condition against the shipment information, record discrepancies and retain relevant photographs. Keep a product-quality issue separate from a missing-carton or damaged-packing report so each can be investigated using suitable evidence.
If something does not match, send the order reference, affected carton or item identifiers, counts and clear images promptly to the agreed project contact. Avoid guessing the cause before the shipment and inspection records are reviewed. See our quality and discrepancy process for product evidence. For the first quotation, send the destination and packing brief through the club project enquiry.
Questions before you order
Can the final destination be our third-party warehouse?
We can review that destination. Provide its complete address, receiving contact, booking rules and labelling or pallet requirements. The delivery scope and responsible parties still need written confirmation for the particular shipment.
Can you quote freight before the samples are approved?
An initial estimate may be discussed if the product mix, quantities and packing assumptions are available. It should be identified as an estimate and reviewed when the packed dimensions and weight are confirmed; it is not a final freight commitment.
Does warehouse delivery mean all import charges are included?
No. The named destination alone does not define the commercial scope. Ask the quotation to state the agreed delivery arrangement, included services, exclusions and responsibility for import coordination and destination charges.
Who should handle customs questions?
Identify the party responsible for import coordination in the shipment agreement and involve its appointed logistics or customs specialist. Confirm the requirements for the specific destination and transaction rather than relying on a general website answer.
Can we compare two transport options?
Yes, request comparisons using the same packed quantity, dimensions, weight, named destination and service scope. Compare the proposed delivery sequence as well as the quoted amount, and record any different assumptions or excluded services.
What if the warehouse reports damaged cartons?
Ask it to record the affected carton identifiers, counts, packing condition and clear photographs, and preserve relevant packing and shipment records. Share this evidence with the agreed shipment contact so the discrepancy and next steps can be assessed.