Guide · POD Disputes
Delivery dispute.
Closed in three clicks.
How to handle not-delivered, shortage, and damage claims using POD evidence — and how to build a process that stops most disputes from escalating at all.
The three types of delivery dispute
Type 01
Not delivered
The consignee claims the goods never arrived. This is the dispute where GPS coordinates are most valuable — they confirm the truck was physically at the delivery address at a specific time.
Type 02
Shortage
Fewer units were delivered than invoiced. A photo of the delivery, the signed CMR, and the exact reference on the document are needed. Without photo evidence, shortage claims are almost impossible to defend or disprove.
Type 03
Damage
Goods arrived in unacceptable condition. A photo taken at the gate — before the driver leaves — documenting the condition at the point of delivery is the key evidence. Without a timestamped photo, responsibility for damage is almost impossible to establish.
Dispute-proof every delivery
GPS + timestamp + photo. Captured before the truck moves.
What counts as proof in a delivery dispute
The strength of your dispute evidence depends on what was captured and when. From weakest to strongest:
Delivery note on file (no photo). A paper delivery note that was scanned days later is weak evidence — it proves the document exists but not where or when the delivery occurred.
Photo of signed CMR. A photo of the signed delivery document, even via WhatsApp, is stronger — it shows signature and document content.
GPS-stamped digital upload. The strongest evidence: a photo or PDF upload where GPS coordinates are captured at the moment of camera fire, with a timestamp that cannot be altered after the fact. This confirms location, time, and document content in one tamper-resistant record.
For shortage disputes, a photo of the goods at delivery — showing quantity and condition — is what turns a "my word vs your word" situation into a settled matter.
How to respond to a delivery dispute
01
Retrieve the POD immediately
Search the Podfy portal by shipment reference or date. If the driver submitted via link, the GPS-stamped record is there within seconds of submission — even if the dispute comes weeks later.
02
Share the record directly
Export the PDF or share the portal link with the disputing party. The GPS coordinates, timestamp, and scanned document are in one place. No assembly required.
03
Escalate if needed
If the consignee noted exceptions on the CMR at signing, assess whether the damage or shortage was pre-existing or occurred in transit. Your photos from the gate — before delivery — and from loading — before transit — are the two key comparison points.
Building a dispute-resistant delivery process
Dispute-prone
- Paper CMR returned days later
- No photo of goods at delivery
- Reference missing or wrong on document
- WhatsApp photo — unstructured, hard to find
- Customer disputes with no counter-evidence
Dispute-resistant
- Digital upload at the gate, before truck moves
- Photo of document + goods in same submission
- Reference pre-populated from dispatch link
- GPS-stamped, timestamped, searchable portal
- Dispute closed in one email with one link
Frequently asked questions
The three most common types are 'not delivered', shortage, and damage. All three can be defended with clear POD evidence showing GPS location, timestamp, and document content.
At minimum: a signed delivery note or CMR with a timestamp and GPS coordinates. A photo of the signed document plus a photo of the goods at delivery is the strongest combination for shortage or damage claims.
With digital POD in the portal, most disputes resolve in hours. You share the GPS-stamped record, timestamp, and photo directly without any manual retrieval.
Yes, but it is much harder for them to succeed. A signed CMR establishes a prima facie case that delivery occurred. Exceptions noted on the CMR at signing become the basis for shortage or damage claims.
Share the Podfy portal record — GPS coordinates, timestamp, and uploaded document. This is captured at the moment of delivery, not upload, so it cannot be manipulated after the fact. This combination typically closes the dispute without escalation.
Related reading
Related challenges
This affects
Who this is relevant for
Part of the Podfy guide series → What is Proof of Delivery?
See how Podfy is evolving
Get release notes by email when new features ship.
Resolve disputes in minutes,
not weeks.
Fifteen minutes. We will show you a dispute scenario and how the portal responds.