China shipment delivered to the wrong UK address
Report the disputed delivery to the carrier and the party that booked it. Compare delivery evidence with the agreed address, arrange documented collection and redelivery, then hold recovered stock apart until identity, quantities and condition are checked. For factory packing records, contact Cambridge China Bridge.
Open a trace and preserve the address trail
Check your receiving team, gatehouse and warehouse records before reporting that the shipment has not arrived. Send the carrier and booking party the tracking reference, agreed delivery address, postcode, consignee name and carton or pallet identifiers. Ask for a delivery trace, a case reference and a named contact. Describe delivery as disputed rather than accepting the tracking status as proof of receipt.
Compare the purchase order, booking confirmation, shipping labels and any address-change instructions. Identify where the address diverged without delaying the search while parties argue about responsibility. Ask the booking party to coordinate with the final delivery carrier. Keep messages and tracking screenshots in a shared incident file. If the location remains unknown, use our missing-cargo guide.
Test the proof of delivery against your shipment
Request the complete proof of delivery and any available delivery photograph, recorded location, recipient name, signature, timestamp and driver notes. Ask the carrier to preserve its delivery records. Compare the photographed entrance, labels and pallet markings with your premises and packing records. A signature or delivery scan alone does not establish that your warehouse received the correct shipment.
Ask the carrier to explain inconsistencies, including an unfamiliar signatory, an adjacent building, a similar business name or a photograph showing only part of the load. Reconcile delivery evidence with your receiving log and the expected pallet and carton totals. Record what is confirmed, disputed and still missing; do not describe a guessed location as established.
Arrange secure recovery through the carrier
Ask the carrier to confirm the actual location and arrange collection with the site's contact. Request that the goods remain separate, unopened and protected while collection is organised. Agree the collector's identity, vehicle details, collection reference and receiving contact through known communication channels. Avoid sending staff to enter unfamiliar premises or accepting an unsolicited request for a recovery payment.
HSE guidance recommends assessing delivery and collection safety arrangements before orders are placed. Apply that planning to recovery: agree access, loading equipment, who controls loading and where people will wait. At collection, record labels, seals, quantities, visible damage and the handover. Obtain a fresh receipt at the correct address. Our delivery-handoffs guide covers the wider transport chain.
Hold recovered stock until condition is established
Keep recovered goods apart from saleable stock. Photograph packaging before opening, then match carton identifiers and contents to the packing list and dispatch photographs. Ask where the goods were stored, whether they were opened or moved, and whether temperature or moisture exposure is known. Missing storage records leave uncertainty even when the outer packaging looks intact.
Check for shortages, substitution, broken seals, crushed packs, water damage, contamination and missing accessories. Use product-specific checks where storage exposure could affect performance or safety; appearance alone may be insufficient. Government guidance says products should only be sold once compliance with product safety regulations has been appropriately demonstrated. Use our damaged-arrival checklist for recording damage and deciding further checks.
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Keep recovery, costs and the claim distinct
Notify the seller, forwarder and cargo insurer as appropriate, and ask for the applicable claim procedure, evidence requirements and deadlines. Keep collection and redelivery costs, inspection findings, shortages and unusable stock in the incident file. Before repacking, repair or disposal, ask whether the carrier or insurer needs an examination and agree how evidence will be preserved. Our cargo-insurance guide covers cover and claims.
Ask for written confirmation of who will arrange and pay for recovery, without treating that arrangement as a final settlement. Close the operational incident only when the correct warehouse has reconciled receipt and recorded the stock's release or hold decision. Separately seek an explanation of the address error and confirm corrected delivery instructions for future shipments.
Frequently asked questions
Tracking says delivered but our warehouse has nothing. What now?
Check internal receiving records, then dispute delivery with the carrier and booking party. Request a trace, full delivery evidence and a case reference. Preserve the agreed address and tracking screenshots.
Does a signed proof of delivery prove we received it?
Compare the signature, recipient, location, photograph and shipment identifiers with your records. Ask the carrier to investigate mismatches rather than accepting a signature alone as confirmation.
Should we collect goods from the wrong address ourselves?
Prefer carrier-arranged recovery with an agreed site contact and documented handover. If you arrange collection, confirm access, collector identity, loading arrangements and how quantities and condition will be recorded.
Can recovered stock go straight into saleable inventory?
Hold it apart until identity, quantities, packaging and relevant condition checks are complete. Investigate unknown storage exposure and arrange specialist checks where appearance cannot establish suitability.