You shipped 500 units, the warehouse accepted 470, and three SKUs "turned into" someone else's. Intake discrepancies at WB are a routine delivery headache: sometimes the mistake is yours, sometimes the warehouse's, but by default it is you who loses the money unless you are ready to argue with documents. Here are the types of discrepancy and the algorithm for defending yourself.
Three Types of Discrepancy
- Short shipment — less was accepted than the documents state: a box went missing in transit or at the warehouse, a counting error, or you genuinely under-shipped.
- Mis-sorted delivery — the wrong items were accepted: units of one SKU were booked in as another. Causes: mixed-up barcodes, an error when packing a box, a scanning failure.
- Unidentified goods — items with no readable barcode, or ones that cannot be matched to the delivery: they hang at the warehouse outside your stock.
The consequences are the same in every case: stock figures in the seller account do not match reality, cards go out-of-stock, and where discrepancies are systematic, questions are raised about you as a supplier.
What to Do When There Is a Discrepancy
- Capture the full picture. The intake report, the seller-account data on what was accepted, your delivery note and the packing lists — the discrepancy has to be counted SKU by SKU, not eyeballed.
- Wait for the late intake. Part of a "short shipment" is just lag: the box turns up and is booked in later. Watch the numbers for a couple of days before you start a dispute.
- A claim through support: the delivery number, the SKUs, the documented quantity versus the accepted quantity, the attached delivery notes and photos of the labeled boxes taken before shipment — these decide the outcome.
- Mis-sorted delivery — demand a re-matching: state which barcodes of which SKUs were mixed up; without your breakdown the warehouse will not investigate.
- A refusal — escalate, quoting the offer agreement clause on liability at intake; for large sums, use the pre-court claim procedure. The compensation methodology is in the general guide.
Prevention: How to Stop Discrepancies Happening
- Accurate documents. The delivery note equals the actual contents, with no "we will add it later": shipment rules.
- Readable barcodes on every unit, with the old ones covered over: half of all mis-sorting comes from double labeling: barcodes and article numbers.
- Correct box packing and package labeling.
- Weighing and recounting before shipment — a control point against your own mistakes: under-shipments on your side happen too, and it is more honest to catch them at home.
- A photo archive of deliveries — done systematically, not "whenever you remember".
The reimbursement process is covered in the article on compensation for marketplace sellers.
FAQ
"The WB warehouse accepted fewer goods than I shipped — what should I do?" First wait for the late intake (some discrepancies close within a couple of days), then file a claim: the delivery number, an SKU-by-SKU calculation, the delivery notes and photos of the boxes taken before shipment. Without documents the dispute is close to hopeless.
"What is a mis-sorted delivery on Wildberries?" It is goods booked in under the wrong SKU: mixed-up barcodes or scanning errors. The cure is a claim detailing which barcode should belong to which item, plus prevention of double labeling.
"Who is at fault for a short shipment — me or the warehouse?" It goes both ways: an under-shipment while you were packing, or a loss or counting error at the warehouse. That is why a control recount before shipment and photo evidence are mandatory habits: they separate your mistakes from the warehouse's.
"Does WB compensate for a short shipment?" Where the warehouse's fault is proven, yes, under the platform's valuation methodology. The key is documents: the report, the delivery notes, the photos. Claim deadlines are limited, so do not drag it out.
"How do I avoid goods becoming unidentified?" One readable barcode per unit, old labels covered over completely, and the barcode matching the card. Unidentified goods drop out of your stock, and getting them back is a separate quest.
"Where do I find the intake report on Wildberries and why do I need it?" The intake report is generated per delivery in the seller account: it shows how many units were actually accepted and which items have a discrepancy. It is the primary document for a claim — without a reference to it, there is nothing to base a short shipment or mis-sorting dispute on.
