Managing Inventory 101: Receiving your coffee delivery

Thanks so much for placing an order! Now it’s time to think about shipping to your roasting facility. We want to ensure that your coffee delivery arrives safe and sound.

As you can imagine, we have heard virtually every scenario at this point. Thanks to our logistics team, we put together a few simple checkpoints to keep in mind on your end. We hope this can help ensure a successful delivery and avoid any difficult situations.

Here are some things to think about when receiving your coffee delivery:

Do I have the correct address on file with my trader?

You can see your “ship to” address on your invoice, but for the first few orders, make sure to confirm the shipping address with your trader.
Is this a residential or commercial delivery? Residential deliveries can present issues for many trucking companies, causing higher rates and potentially delayed deliveries. Make sure to mention to your trader if your address is in a challenging location.

Am I prepared to receive this coffee delivery?

The trucker’s responsibility is to have your pallet brought to your address and move the freight to the back of their truck…that’s it. If you need additional services such as a liftgate, a short truck or “inside delivery”, that info must be communicated to your trader prior to shipment and an additional fee will be charged by the delivering company.
Do I have enough people on staff to help move coffee bags if needed?
Am I present at the facility/ do I have a trusted colleague there to receive the shipment?
Did I order coffee? Yes, this is real. If for any reason something shows up that you aren’t expecting, first check to see if you or a coworker placed an order. If not, we need to know before you accept the delivery so that we can help you get out of dealing with the logistical headache that is sure to follow
Do I have a dock for the truck to pull up to or a safe place for the truck to park during my delivery?

Have I made payment arrangements for this shipment?

We ship all orders freight collect. That means Royal will bill you for the coffee itself and the carrier will bill you separately for the shipping. We ship “freight collect” because it provides the best shipping rate possible, but it requires an extra step to complete delivery.
Once a pro number (what trucking comps call their tracking number) has been received, you can now track your order. Royal NY will send an email to you with your pro number after your coffee ships. If you need to change the email address we currently have on file for any reason, please contact your trader so that the pro number emails go to the right person. You can also use this number to identify your order with the carrier to pay your invoice in advance by phone via credit card.
You can also pay via check when the driver arrives.

Does my order look right?

The demand for over the road transportation has risen over the last 2 years and with that we’ve seen an influx of new drivers with varying levels of experience. When you receive your shipment, keep an eye out for signs of potential damage to your pallet. Signs can include:
– Broken pallets
– Visibly torn bags
– Moisture or signs of spillage
– Bags that look like they may be missing coffee
– Ripped or colored shrink wrap (we only ship with clear shrink-wrap)
If for any reason, you notice any of these things, make sure to note all signs of damage on the delivery receipt that the driver has before signing. If you receive a pallet of coffee that is damaged to the point where it cannot be used, please refuse the delivery and contact Royal NY immediately.
These checkpoints and notations are crucial to being credited for any lost product. Once we ship this order, in the shipping world, this product has become your responsibility. With that said, we are here to help but we can’t we offer much support if you didn’t note the damage on the delivery receipt or outright refused delivery.
If you accept delivery of a damaged pallet and do not note anything on your delivery receipt, we cannot help to recoup any lost expenses. As much as we try to fight the good fight for you, we need your assistance to make it happen. Please stay mindful of this, inspect your freight carefully before choosing to sign off on your delivery.

Coffee delivery question or anything else, we’re here to help!

At the end of the day, your success is our success, so we’re here when you need us. If you have any questions at all throughout the ordering process about how shipping works, please don’t hesitate to contact us.