Checking an Online Delivery Against the Product Page the Day It Arrives

Most small trade firms have some kind of routine for stock that comes off a supplier's van. Online orders often skip it. The parcel lands on the doorstep or at the yard, someone drags it into the workshop, and the box sits there until the part is needed. By then, the page you ordered from may have changed and the return window may be closing or shut.

A short receiving habit fixes this. The idea is to compare what turned up with what the page promised, on the day it arrives.

Save the page when you order

You can't check a delivery against a page you can no longer see. Listings get edited, and sometimes they disappear.

• Save the product page as a PDF or take full-length screenshots at checkout.
• Make sure the saved copy shows the title, the description, the specification list and any photos.
• File it with the order confirmation, named with the order number.

This takes a minute and gives you a fixed reference to check against.

Open it the day it arrives

Set a rule that online orders are opened and checked on the day they come in, or the next working day at the latest. Whoever signs for the parcel should not be the only person who knows it arrived. Put a line in your job system or on the shared whiteboard: "Order received, not yet checked."

Check the outer packaging first. Photograph any damage before you open it, then photograph the contents as you unpack.

Compare against the page, line by line

Put the saved page beside the item and work down it. Look at:

• Brand and product name. Is it exactly what the page said, letter for letter? A near-match is not a match.
• Model or part number. Check the number on the item or its label, not just the one on the box.
• Specification. Size, rating, material, finish, connection type, pack quantity. Whatever the page stated, confirm it on the item.
• What's in the box. Compare the contents with any "includes" list. Missing fittings and accessories are common.
• Markings and paperwork. If the page implied instructions, a datasheet or certification marks, check they are there and relate to this product.
• Appearance. Compare the item with the photos. Colour or finish that differs from the pictures is worth noting.

The same reading skills help before you buy. If you want a refresher on that side, there is a good piece on spotting lookalike listings before you buy. It covers checking the exact brand name and reading product page wording closely. Its worked example is a supplement, but the habit of comparing a listing's specific claims against what you actually have carries straight over to trade supplies.

Decide quickly: accept, query or return

Once you've checked, mark the order as one of three outcomes:

1. Matches. Tick it off, move it to stock and note the date.
2. Minor difference. Something is off but may be harmless, such as packaging that has changed. Message the seller, attach your photos and keep the thread.
3. Clear mismatch. The wrong model, a missing component, or a different specification from the page. Contact the seller straight away, send your saved page and photos, and ask how they want it returned.

Read the seller's stated returns terms at the time you order, and again when you raise a problem. If the terms are unclear, ask before you assume. For anything where a wrong spec could cause a safety problem on a job, don't install it until you've resolved the question.

Keep a one-page receiving log

A simple table is enough. Columns for order number, supplier, date received, who checked it, result (matches, query or return) and a note. Over time it shows you which suppliers' pages can be trusted and which regularly differ from the goods.

It also helps when a customer or an insurer asks where a part came from. You will have the page, the photos and the check on file.

Make it routine

Nobody enjoys extra admin, so keep it small. A printed checklist taped by the goods-in shelf, a saved-pages folder and a log are all you need. The aim is not to distrust every supplier but to find problems while they are still cheap and easy to put right, rather than halfway through a job.