What’s Unclaimed Freight?

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Unclaimed shipments can result from miscommunication or damage during transportation. After a certain period, unclaimed goods can be purchased or removed by individuals or businesses for resale or salvage. Property rights are rarely questioned.

Much of the manufacturing process is simple: companies make products, retailers sell these products, and consumers buy them. The only uncertainty lies in the transportation of these products from the factory to the shelf. Some shipments simply don’t arrive at their destination in acceptable condition, creating a situation known as unclaimed shipment.

Not all unclaimed goods are damaged or otherwise unsuitable. Some of these goods are the result of miscommunication between buyers and sellers. If the wrong parts are being shipped from a factory, for example, the recipient may not feel obligated to accept the delivery. The shipment may be sent back to the manufacturer, or it may be unclaimed and remain in a warehouse indefinitely.

Other goods may arrive with significant damage caused by the carrier. If a certain percentage of the shipment shows signs of trauma, the recipient can refuse delivery and receive credit for unusable products. Damaged goods then become unclaimed goods and can be destroyed, stored or sold to third parties. Often the damage is minimal, but the original purchaser doesn’t want to take the risk of unseen problems in the remaining products.

Unclaimed freight does not always remain unclaimed for long. After a certain amount of time has passed, many transportation companies allow individuals and businesses to purchase or simply remove the transportation. Once the most severely damaged products are removed, the result could be a whole load of resalable goods. A business owner could rent a commercial building and offer these products at a substantial discount to the public.

Another way resellers can liquidate unclaimed freight is through a listing service. Unclaimed merchandise dealers often maintain a list of potential customers looking for specific types of items. The owner of an automotive repair shop might want to know if a shipment of tires or spare parts arrives at the warehouse, for example. If a shipment arrives that matches a particular customer’s interests, the retailer can arrange a bulk deal or negotiate a price for each item.

Unclaimed carriage is usually considered abandoned property after a certain period of time, so property rights are rarely questioned. The original purchasers were entitled to take possession of the damaged or unusable goods and chose not to reclaim them. The freight or shipping company that holds these products must ultimately dispose of them, so it is often in their best interest to contract with a private party for resale and salvage.




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