When the truck brings the wrong fabric

The PO says Fog, a cool gray performance weave. The sofa on the dolly is Oat, a warmer beige from the same collection. The carton reference points to the customer waiting for the Fog sofa. The next move should be an inspection and a clear record, not a hopeful trip to the delivery area.

Treat those fabric names as sample data for this dock-side example. Verify the discrepancy against the approved specification, record the rejected unit, and ask the vendor for the remedy before promising the customer a replacement date.

Verify the fabric against the actual agreement

Compare the fabric tag, model, color code, grade, and finish with the PO line and vendor acknowledgment. Bring the approved swatch into good light. A label mismatch and a perceived shade difference are not necessarily the same problem.

Photograph the tag, the fabric, the whole piece, and the identifying carton label. Retain the packaging and note who inspected the sofa. If the vendor's color names are similar, let the codes do the work. Beige has an impressive vocabulary; a fabric code is usually less poetic.

Look back through the handoff. Did the customer sign for Fog? Did the PO request Fog? Did the acknowledgment change it to Oat? Establish where the discrepancy began before deciding who should carry the cost of putting it right.

Record the unit as rejected rather than available stock

Use a precise reason: “Wrong fabric: received Oat, ordered Fog.” Keep the piece identifiable and separate while the vendor gives return or disposition instructions.

OrderPilot records accepted and rejected quantities separately. Rejected units do not become good stock. The same accepted-versus-rejected distinction appears in Shopify's receiving documentation. Review the landed-cost record after the rejection. Whole-PO charges are spread over kept units, so rejecting the sofa does not automatically remove the freight cost or collect a vendor credit. Match any supported recovery to the charge it corrects.

Ask the vendor for a complete remedy

Send the issue from the PO conversation, identifying the line and attaching the photographs and approved specification. Once reply capture is set up, the vendor's replies stay on the PO. The vendor-email guide explains that shared record.

A concise message for the example is:

The sofa arrived in Oat. The attached PO and approved specification request Fog. The fabric tag and delivered piece are pictured. Please confirm the discrepancy, the replacement ship date, the pickup arrangement for this sofa, and who will pay the return and replacement freight.

Those are separate decisions. A promise to replace the sofa does not necessarily answer how the wrong piece leaves the warehouse. Assign the conversation to purchasing in the Inbox so the next response has an owner.

Tell the customer before the planned handoff fails

Give the customer the fact, the effect on their order, and the next update. Do not convert an unconfirmed production estimate into a promised delivery date.

For example:

Your sofa arrived in a different fabric from the Fog you approved. We caught the difference during inspection and have asked the maker to confirm the replacement schedule. We will update you tomorrow afternoon, even if the date is still being confirmed.

Send the message through the order's email tools so the conversation remains with the sale. The customer portal can show the line's progress, and configured status-triggered emails can support the update. The delay-message guide helps make the next action clear.

Keep the replacement order distinct from the mistake

Use a revised existing PO or a separate replacement PO according to the agreed arrangement. Preserve the original rejection and vendor reference, and make the replacement quantity explicit. A revised document should say what it replaces so the vendor does not make an unintended additional sofa.

Who pays return freight depends on the cause, the agreement, and the vendor's accepted remedy. Obtain written instructions before arranging a return or deducting an amount from a payment. Keep any transport and credit commitments with the same issue.

Inspect the replacement against the original approved configuration when it arrives. The return of the wrong piece and the arrival of the right one are separate events to record.

If the customer prefers Oat, record a new agreement

A customer may decide the delivered fabric suits the room. Show them the actual piece and agree any revised price and terms before treating that as acceptance.

Update the customer-facing configuration and obtain a new signature through the supported change process. OrderPilot retains the earlier signed record and requires re-signing for customer-facing changes. Use the change-order guide to preserve what was agreed.

Finish by reviewing the source of the mismatch and changing the handoff that allowed it: clearer option codes, acknowledgment comparison, or inspection evidence. Follow the full wrong-fabric workflow to carry the issue through replacement, costs, and final delivery.

Sources

1. Receiving and managing inventory transfers — Shopify Help Center.