Shipping Agreement

IMPORTANT SHIPPING INFORMATION

This is the shipping policy for Baltic Leisure.  It clearly outlines your rights and responsibilities, while also describing the rights and responsibilities of us, and what you can expect on the rare instances of there being a problem with your shipment.  Please read this in its entirety and acknowledge your acceptance by email to you salesman or to tcolp@balticleisure.com.   Your order cannot leave our factory until this document has been acknowledged by you and your email received by us.

Freight is delivered by Common Carrier (tractor and trailer) to you, the consignee, at the address you provide. Freight charges are figured from dock to dock or in residential deliveries to a curbside, meaning the end of your driveway, NOT in your driveway, garage, or house.  Deliveries are made by a single driver usually in a tractor pulling a 28′ or longer trailer. It is important that you take this into consideration when discussing shipping options with your salesman, as he/she will need to be aware of these issues before providing a quote for shipping charges.  Additional services can be added for a fee, including (1) Inside delivery (meaning directly inside your garage, not carried into your house), (2) lift gate delivery (3) call before delivery and (4) 24-hour notice/appointments. Please inform your salesman if you need any of these additional services and they will provide a quote. If the tractor and trailer are not able to make it to the shipping address you provided due to weight restrictions, low hanging trees, narrow driveways or any other reason that is not the fault of the truck line, it is the responsibility of you (the Consignee) to arrange to receive the shipment at a location agreed upon by the truck line and you, or to pick up the freight at the trucking company’s terminal. Should any of these conditions arise when the trucking company is attempting to deliver your product, the additional charges for any necessary accommodations will be your responsibility, above and beyond the quoted cost of freight you were provided.

It is required that a responsible adult be on hand to sign the delivery receipt and note any problems. If you are not home/on the jobsite, and someone else signs for your shipment, it is your responsibility to ensure that they are aware of our policies and procedures regarding delivery, or to tell them they are not allowed to sign for the shipment.  Baltic Leisure cannot be held liable for any problems with delivery because the person signing for the shipment does not know these policies.  Any additional services requested by the consignee at the time of delivery, that were not part of the original freight quote, are the responsibility of the consignee and not Baltic Leisure. These additional services include but are not limited to inside delivery, lift gate delivery, call before delivery, 24-hour notice or appointments, change of delivery address, and re-delivery fees for circumstances beyond the control of Baltic Leisure or the truck line.  It is the responsibility of the consignee to inform Baltic Leisure of any problems that might occur prior to delivery. Freight charges are only figured by zip code and it is not possible for Baltic Leisure to anticipate delivery problems without the assistance of the consignee.

Prevent Claim Disputes: While these situations are rare, there are three types of freight claims that may occur, Visible Loss or Damage, Concealed Loss or damage and Shortages

VISIBLE LOSS OR DAMAGE: Any external evidence of loss or damage that occurred during transit is considered visible loss or damage and must be noted on the bill of lading and signed by both the carrier’s agent (truck driver) and the consignee (you). BE AS DETAILED AS POSSIBLE!  Be sure to clearly write the word “DAMAGED”, describe what is damaged, and then sign for the shipment.  Failure to adequately and clearly describe the visible loss or damage will result in the carrier delaying or refusing to honor the freight claim, and Baltic Leisure will have no recourse to recoup expenses from them for you.

CONCEALED LOSS OR DAMAGE: Any damage that occurred during transit that was not visible at the time of delivery is considered concealed loss or damage. Due to rough handling in transit, it is possible to damage the contents of a shipment without damaging the packaging. If such a situation occurs it is important to notate the delivery receipt that the shipment is damaged, immediately contact Baltic Leisure, and also immediately contact the trucking company to notify them of the damage and for instructions as to how to handle the claim. If a claim is to be filed it is important to save the container that the damaged merchandise arrived in.  Any visible or concealed damage MUST BE IMMEDIATELY reported to both Baltic Leisure and the trucking company.  Claims for visible or concealed damage will not be honored if a claim is made more than one (1) hour after delivery.  If there is someone there to sign for the shipment, they are able to notify all parties of damage.  If the concealed damage is not notated on the delivery receipt and a claim is filed with the trucking company, their liability is only for 1/3 of the replacement value.  This is why it is so important to inspect your shipment BEFORE signing for it.

SHORTAGE: Due to rough handling, sometimes part of a shipment may become detached from the pallet, and the items lost.  If such a situation occurs it is important to notate the delivery receipt, and immediately contact Baltic Leisure and the trucking company to notify them of the shortage or loss. Claims for shortage or loss will not be honored if a claim is made more than one (1) hour after delivery.  The trucking company will immediately place a “trace” on the missing items and try to locate them.  If they are unable to locate it, Baltic Leisure will file a claim on your behalf for the item, provided that you have noted the shortage/loss on the delivery receipt.  If the shortage or loss it not notated on the delivery receipt before you sign for the shipment, Baltic Leisure will be unable to file a claim for that item, and you will need to purchase a replacement.

When receiving your shipment, it is important to follow these steps:

1. Count all pieces of your freight. Even if your shipment arrived on a pallet there should be a piece count on the bill. Ensure that all pieces are accounted for.

2. Check shipment for any visible damage to containers. If the boxes are dented, crushed, scratched, punctured, or cut it is very important to mark this on the bill of lading. If there is a possibility of damage it may be necessary to open the box and mark the actual damage on the bill of lading. It is important to be specific. Boxes that have been dropped may not show obvious signs of external damage, so it is a good idea to check the shipment very carefully, including the condition of the pallet your order was stacked on.  There is not a single instance where an order will leave our factory and not be on a strong pallet that is in good condition.  If the pallet is damaged or distorted in any way, that is a clear sign that your shipment may have damage.  You may want to open the boxes before the driver leaves to ensure that the contents do not have concealed damage. (It is the drivers right to not allow any boxes to be opened prior to signing for and accepting the shipment.  If this happens, notate it on the bill of lading, along with the first and last name of the driver.) Please note, trucking companies work on a very tight schedule and have a certain allotment of time set aside for each shipment.  While you must be thorough, this process cannot take hours to complete.  If you are unsure how long you have to make the inspection before signing for the shipment, ask the driver.  They understand that you need to inspect your shipment but cannot spend more than their allotted time at the delivery address.  Should you exceed their time allotted for delivery, you may be charged additional fees by the trucking company, that are above and beyond the freight costs charged by Baltic Leisure.

3. Sign the delivery receipt and notate any damages or shortages. IF THE DELIVERY RECEIPT IS NOT PROPERLY NOTATED, THE TRUCKING COMPANY ASSUMES THE SHIPMENT WAS DELIVERED IN PERFECT CONDITION AND WILL NOT HONOR ANY CLAIMS SUBMITTED, so it is important that you list all the damaged boxes and items.  If you write “subject to inspection” on the receipt instead of actually inspecting the shipment, the trucking company and Baltic Leisure are only liable for 1/3 of the value of the damaged items.  Should that happen, Baltic Leisure will file a claim on your behalf.  When and if the trucking company approves the claim, it will be for for 1/3 of the value, you will be responsible for the balance of purchasing any replacements needed.

4. Immediately call Baltic Leisure and the trucking company to report the damage. Claims made more than one hour (1) after delivery will not be honored.  When calling the trucking company, you must state that you are requesting an inspection.  While waiting for inspection by the carrier, you must hold the shipment in its original packaging and in the same condition you received it.  You may unpack the shipment to inspect for damage but try to return the items to their original position, as much as possible.  DO NOT START INSTALLING YOUR PRODUCT UNTIL THE INSPECTION HAS BEEN COMPLETED.  If you do, the carrier will immediately reject the claim and there can be no further measures taken to recoup your losses.  It is important to also take pictures of the shipment from all sides and send them to your salesman at Baltic Leisure. We will assist you in dealing with the trucking company and in obtaining any replacement products.

If the shipment is too damaged or is completely unusable, it may be necessary to refuse part or all of the order. Call Baltic Leisure before refusing any shipment and before the trucking company leaves. Should a shipment arrive with damages caused by the carrier, the carrier will return the merchandise “Dead Head” at no cost to either party. Do not attempt to return any shipments back to Baltic Leisure without prior authorization.

Please Note, if the carrier was chosen by the consignee then it will be their responsibility to file any such claims for damage or loss, as once the product leaves our dock, it is no longer ours.  We will work with you as much as possible, but Baltic Leisure will have no liability in the loss.

OTHER ISSUES

As much as we strive to be perfect, we are a company made up of humans, and occasionally we make mistakes.  Should you notice a problem with your order, such as the wrong item or a missing item, any claims must be reported to us within three (3) business days from receipt of the shipment.  Any claims after that time will not be honored, so it is important that you check your shipments very carefully and immediately when they arrive.

POLICY FOR SENDING REPLACEMENTS

1. For damage/shortage replacements, as long as you have followed the policies and procedures above, we will immediately file a damage or shortage claim to the trucking company, however it will take them some time to investigate the claim and approve or deny it. If you need your replacement items sent out before the claim is approved or denied, you will need to provide Baltic Leisure with a credit card number to keep on file in case the claim is denied due to your failure to follow the policies.  If the claim is denied, Baltic Leisure will notify you and provide documentation from the trucking company stating the reason for decline.  If you are able to wait until the claim is investigated, once it is approved and paid Baltic Leisure will send the replacements out at no charge and will not need to keep a credit card number on file.

2. If we forgot to send you something, as long as you have reported your shortage within three (3) business days of delivery, Baltic Leisure will send your missing item out at “no charge” and with no freight charge. If the missing item is reported after three (3) business days, you will need to purchase a replacement.

3. If we sent the wrong item, and you have reported it within three (3) business days of delivery, Baltic Leisure will send the correct item out at no charge, however you will need to provide a credit card to keep on file. We will include a return label for the incorrect item that you received.  You must return the incorrect item, using our return label, within thirty days (30), or your credit card on file will be charged for the replacement.  If you receive the incorrect item, and do not report it to Baltic Leisure within three (3) business days, you are welcome to keep the item and receive a refund if the incorrect item is less than the item you paid for.  If the incorrect item is more expensive than the item you purchased, Baltic Leisure will review it on a case-by-case basis to determine if you need to pay the difference between the two items.  This will solely be at our discretion and our decision is final. If we determine that you need to pay the difference for the more expensive item, and do not wish to do so, the incorrect item can be returned to us, at your freight expense, and must be received in new and resaleable condition.  Upon receipt of the incorrect item, we will ship the corrected item and you will need to pay the freight cost.

POLICY FOR SMALL PACKAGE SHIPMENTS (NON-LTL)

While damage to small packages is extremely rare, the companies that handle our smaller package shipments have also become extremely stringent in how and when they pay for damage claims.  Due to this, it is now the policy of Baltic Leisure to send all non-LTL shipments with the “signature required” and “insured” options selected.  These charges are minimal and will be automatically calculated into your shipping quotes.

Should you wish to decline “signature required” or “insurance” for any of your packages, you may do so, however if damage occurs, Baltic Leisure will not be held liable for sending replacement products free of charge, nor will we be filing claims on your behalf.  If you decline theses services and the shipment is lost or damaged, you will be responsible for purchasing replacements (or parts to repair it) at the total normal cost, plus shipping charges, and also for filing any claims with the trucking companies.  If you wish to decline these options, please inform your salesman before you are provided with a shipping quote.

Please note, if the trucking company leaves a “door tag” requesting that your customer sign the tag so the company can deliver when they are not home, both the trucking company and Baltic Leisure cannot and will not be held liable if the shipment arrives damaged.  The companies that we ship with have the feature that allows your customer to reschedule delivery for when they are home, as opposed to signing a “door tag”.  If the customer does not visually inspect the package at time of delivery and would rather sign the release on the “door tag”, and the shipment happens to be damaged, Baltic Leisure will not be able to file a claim with the trucking company.  By signing the “door tag” the customer is stating that the shipment can be delivered free and clear of any liability on the trucking company if damage has occurred.  We strongly recommend that you advise your customers NOT to sign a “door tag”, but rather to call the company to arrange for delivery at a time when they are home and able to visually inspect the shipment before signing for it.  If your customer signs a “door tag”, and the shipment is damaged, you will need to purchase replacement products (or the parts to repair it) at the full normal cost, including shipping charges, and it will be up to you or your customer to collect these monies from the trucking company directly.

In the rare instances that damage does occur, the customer must refuse the shipment completely, or state that it is damaged when signing for it.  They should immediately notify you, and you should immediately notify us, that damage has occurred, so we can start the process of filing a claim and arranging for parts or replacements to be sent to the customer.  If your customer does not mark “damage” when accepting delivery, the trucking company and Baltic Leisure will both assume that the shipment was delivered free and clear of imperfections, and neither party will be able to honor any damage claims.  Claims for damage must be reported to Baltic Leisure within one (1) hour of delivery.  Claims made after this time will not be honored.

By responding to this email, I am stating that I have been given ample time to review the shipping policy of Baltic Leisure.  I understand my responsibilities, and also the responsibilities of Baltic Leisure and the trucking company.  Should Baltic Leisure need to file a claim with the trucking company on my behalf, I agree not to make any such claims to the trucking company on my own.  Should the trucking company pay me directly for the claim, I understand that those monies may be due to Baltic Leisure for replacement products I have received from them at “no charge”, or they may have to be returned to the trucking company.  I have provided my salesman with the most accurate picture possible of my shipping concerns and I release Baltic Leisure for any additional charges due to additional services I may require that I have not requested.

Please respond to our email and state that you have read the shipping policy of Baltic Leisure and that you understand your rights and responsibilities.

**DUE TO THE INCREASING COST OF FREIGHT AND PACKAGING OUR PRICES WILL BE THE FOLLOWING FLAT RATE NUMBERS BASED ON WEIGHT

1-10 LBS = $18

11-49 LBS = $25

50-99 LBS = $75

100-399 LBS = $250

400-799 LBS = $500

800-1199 LBS = $750

1200 LBS and up = $900