Delivery (from your supplier) is an important element to get your products out to customers on time; however, it is often not considered in detail. A few missing pieces of information can severely impact the delivery process.
Here are 5 tips to ensure your products get delivered on time.
1. State your preferred method of delivery
At the time of placing your purchase order (PO), inform your account manager the way you would like to receive your products. The different methods of deliveries are:
- Overnight Express: Packages will be delivered within the next business day
- Road Express: Depending on your state, delivery time can range from 1-5 days
- Air or Sea Freight: Only applicable when packages are shipped from overseas
- Local Courier or via Taxi: This option is suitable if you are located closer to your supplier
- Customer Pick Up: This option suits if you are able to come personally & collect the goods
Clearly state in your PO your preferred delivery method.
2. State your preferred choice of courier
Are you happy to receive your products via your supplier’s selected courier or would you want to use your preferred courier? If you choose your preferred courier, please provide the following information to your account manager or in your PO:
- Courier’s Name & Booking phone number
- Your account number to be charged
- Shipment cut off dates and times
- Notify if the supplier needs to complete any shipping documents (eg. Consignment note)
- Please provide your main point of contact if you will be providing a system generated shipping document.
3. Provide the correct delivery address
It is important that you provide the delivery address clearly on your purchase orders (especially if you want products delivered to a different address). This will help reduce the risk of sending your goods to the wrong destination. In addition to the delivery address, you may need to provide more information (if necessary), such as:
- Contact person & phone number
- Email address to forward the Tracking number
- Any special instructions such as behind gate, upstairs at front desk, etc
4. Provide Special Instructions, if any
Notify your account manager if you have any special delivery requirements from your end, such as:
- Courier needs to come to despatch / front office area
- Bulk or pallet deliveries accepted until 4pm only
- Shipment should be top load only
- Delivery docket should be attached to each carton
- Do not send tax invoices with the goods
5. Notify us of any specific packing instructions
Receiving your products in good condition is equally as important as receiving them on time. If you need your electronic products to be packed in a specific way, discuss any special packing requirements with your account manager.
Here are some examples of special packing instructions:
- Pack with extra bubble wraps on the side
- PCBs need to be shrink wrapped before being bubble wrapped
- Use anti-static bags with tapes for packing PCBAs
- Specify the maximum product quantity or maximum weight you want packaged per box (ie. Please pack only 2 boxbuilds in every box OR pack only a maximum of 4kgs per box)
- Mark ‘FRAGILE’ clearly on the outside of the boxes
- Multiple cartons should clearly numbered (1 of 2, 2 of 2, etc)
- Use extra thick wall boxes when packing
- Use customer designed and/or customer specific boxes
- Use custom-made carton dividers inside the boxes
PCBAs in anti-static bags 
Shrink wrapped PCBs 
2 boxes ready for shipment