Staples Violations Process

Staples Vendor Portal:

https://exchange.staples.com/

Compliance is required to log in to the Staples portal to obtain fine information. Staples does not send email notification.

There is access to more than 1 account, select the account you want to review –

From the Home screen, click Compliance on the left-hand side of the navigation bar. Click on Inquiry or Dispute.

Select the company you wish to review from the drop-down list. We operate under many different vendor numbers with Staples so each one has to be checked with the following process.

Select a Start Date and an End Date for the period you wish to view Charges/Disputes for.

Note: For the violations that have a status of Violation is Submitted, enter the compliance fine individually into NetSuite.

To Dispute or Accept, select the Violation Fine you wish to take action, and the details will display at the bottom of the screen.  Click on Select Action to the right of the screen and proceed.

Inquiry/Dispute Explanation

Violations that Result in Fines

Palletization and Trailer Loading

• Cartons on pallet not secured with required shrinkwrap
  • Or metal bands were used (bands are only allowed after special approval has been given)
  • Only clear shrink wrap is allowed. use of colored wrapping will result in a fine.
• Load Toppled
• The product was not palletized on the trailer
  • All shipments arriving at the Staples facility via LTL or TL must be palletized
• Shipped on Non-Standard, Non-GMA type pallet
• Damaged Pallets
  • This fine will be exempt by Staples if a preferred LTL carrier is used (*See preferred carrier exemptions list and **Staples Preferred Carriers)
• Cartons overhanging on a pallet
• Same SKU pallet exceeds height requirement
  • See above standards
• Cartons were ‘chimney’ stacked
• Ti-Hi inconsistency (single SKU pallets)
  • Ti-Hi is a formula that represents the dimensions of single SKU pallets.  Staples wants single SKU pallets (of the same item) consistent within the same shipment.
  • Ti-Hi: The number of cases per tier by the number of cases high
• Same SKU within a PO on more than 1 mixed SKU pallet
  • Single SKUs must not be spread across multiple mixed SKU pallets
• Pick up delay at origin – Collect shipments only
  • When the Staples carrier is delayed at one of our warehouses for more than 2 hours.
  • Carrier detention charges

Case/Pallet Labeling and Case Packaging Configurations

• Mixed SKU Pallet missing Pallet Content or Carton Labels
  • Cartons on mixed SKU pallets must have carton labels
• Mixed SKU Pallet missing PO#, Sku or both on Pallet Label
• Same SKU Pallet missing Pallet Label
  • For the same SKU pallets only Pallet Labels are required
• Same SKU Pallet missing PO#, Sku or both on Pallet Label
• Partial case not labeled with a “Partial” label
• Incorrect PO, SKU or both on the Carton label (mixed SKU pallets)
• UCC128 barcode is not scannable or is unreadable
  • This could apply to both carton and pallet labels
  • UCC128 is the type of shipping label used
• Incorrect Dimensions Submitted
  • Only required for new SKUs and dimensions are submitted in the new item set up process
• Carton SUCP Variance
  • Selling Units per Case Pack: Is given to Staples during new item set up. What is shipped must match what was set up.
• ‘Peanuts/Popcorn’ used in Packaging
  • Shredded paper is also prohibited

UPC

• No UPC on product or carton
  • UPC-A, CTN25
• UPC not scan-able / Poor Quality
• Wrong UPC
  • The UPC when scanned does not match the product
  • This is likely from incorrect UPC set-up in Staples system or the wrong UPC label was placed on the product

Shipping Documentation

• Missing BOL/Pro
• BOL/Pro does not reference Staples PO or contains the wrong PO
• Missing Packing List with Shipment
  • All POs in a multi-PO shipment must have their own packing slip
  • This violation could have resulted from the carrier splitting our shipment for various reasons (lost freight, not loaded correctly, etc.). Check if there was more than one delivery of shipment.
• Packing List missing Staples PO, Skus or references the incorrect PO or SKUs
  • We must use the specific Staples PL that has the correct fields/info required by Staples
• Miscellaneous Freight Charges
  • For any missing or inaccurate documentation that resulted in an increased freight cost
• Failure to Consolidate and ship on one master BOL – Collect shipments only
  • This could be an error in documentation or a shipping-related issue (we did not ship correctly)

Delivery Appointments – Prepaid

• Appointed PO(s) not within the shipment
  • The carrier scheduled the PO(s) for delivery but was not part of the load that was delivered
• Unappointed PO(s), Arrived without Appointment
  • The carrier did not include the PO(s) on the request for delivery or did not schedule delivery at all
• Request to re-schedule PO < 24 hours from Appointment
  • The carrier must contact the Staples facility at least 1 business day before the appointed time
• Missed Delivery Appointment
  • The appointment is missed if the carrier is more than 30 minutes late
• Requested appt for freight < 2 days before delivery requested date by 11 am EST
  • The carrier did not send the request for an appointment at least 2 days before the PO delivery date (by 11 am)

ASN

• No ASN at PO Receipt
  • No ASN was sent for that shipment
  • Or ASN was sent late
• ASN Front-end Accuracy Failure
  • Missing, duplicate, or inaccurate information in the ASN
  • Can apply to any information that is required in the ASN

Fill Rate, On-Time, and Order Fulfillment

• Mis-ship: Sku not on PO
• Fill Rate: Initial receipt fill rate < 95%
  • Fill Rate is determined by the number of units shipped on the 1st shipment
    • When items need to be back-ordered due to Staples ordering over their forecast provided to us, the buyer needs to be contacted for exemptions to Fill Rate fine(s). This is usually done by the customer account rep who should copy compliance@advantus.com on their correspondence.
• Prepaid On-Time: First receipt date > Delivery Date
  • When we ship with our carrier we are responsible for meeting the PO delivery date. This is on the 1st shipment.
    • When a back-ordered item is the only item on the PO, the buyer needs to be contacted for exemptions to “On-Time” related fine(s). This is usually done by the customer account rep who should copy compliance@advantus.com on their correspondence.
• Collect On-Time: Vendor Ready Date > Ship date
  • When the PO is routed the “Ready Date” must be equal to or less than the PO ship date
    • When a back-ordered item is the only item on the PO, the buyer needs to be contacted for exemptions to “On-Time” related fine(s). This is usually done by the customer account rep who should copy compliance@advantus.com on their correspondence.
  • When we ship with Staples carrier we are responsible to meet the PO ship date
• Authorized lane violation – Collect shipments only
  • Shipment origin/destination pairings must adhere to the authorized shipping lanes established with Staples
• Timely Routing Request – 2 days prior to ship date by 11 am EST – Collect only
  • Ship date/Ready date must be at least 2 days out at the time routing is requested
• Freight sent collect – Should be prepaid
• Failure to Request Routing
  • Via the Staples web process
• Failure to ship from Zip Code in Routing
• Unauthorized Carrier- Collect shipment only
  • Shipped with a carrier not request in routing confirmation
• PO shipped consecutive days
  • If a PO has shipped on consecutive days the shipments should have been held and consolidated to ship once
• Truck not used – Collect only
  • The truck was dispatched prior to shipment cancellation. Routing was already completed.
• Miscellaneous Freight Charge

Other Compliance

• Inconsistent Labeling between paperwork and either product or packaging (Regulated Materials)
• Vendor Directed Staples disposal or damaged regulated materials
• Serial Number not scannable / readable / obscured

Staples Stocked Vendor Routing and Shipping Requirements Guide:

S:\Routing & Compliance Guides\Staples