Buying decisions
Apparel Over- and Under-Shipment Allowances: Agree the Quantity Rule
An over- or under-shipment allowance should identify the calculation base, permitted direction and approval route for a quantity difference. Agree whether it applies to the total order or each style, color and size line. Do not assume a customary percentage authorizes a shortage, an invoice change or a substituted size.
For brand operations buyers reconciling ordered and received units.
Define the level at which quantity can vary
Start with the ordered unit and each order line. Ask whether any proposed allowance is calculated per line or against an aggregate total. A complete total can conceal a shortage in an important size if the rules permit offsetting. State whether balancing one size with another is allowed, prohibited or subject to written approval; keep that decision separate from the ordinary assortment planning sheet.
Make a percentage operational before accepting it
If the parties propose a percentage, specify the denominator, rounding rule and whether the limit is inclusive. Record the unit as garments or sets. Use a worked hypothetical calculation in the commercial review, clearly labeled as an example, to check both parties’ interpretation. Do not insert an arbitrary percentage into the article or treat a maker’s proposal as an accepted order term.
Link the shipping exception to payment and receiving
Ask how a proposed shortage or excess will be reported before dispatch, who may approve it and which quantity will appear on the invoice. Define whether an unapproved deviation pauses shipment or follows another agreed route. The receiver should be able to distinguish a permitted quantity difference from a packing discrepancy. Keep the approval reference with the affected order lines, not only in an informal message.
Decision and evidence checklist
| Decision | Include in the brief | Review evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Allowance base | Order total or individual size/color line | Worked interpretation accepted by both parties |
| Rounding and unit | Garments/sets and integer rule | Same calculation on order and dispatch plan |
| Exception authority | Approver and invoice treatment | Written deviation record before release |
What this brief does and does not establish
This is a commercial decision checklist, not a statement of legal entitlement or a universal supplier allowance. Order terms control the actual decision.
Attach your order-line quantities and proposed deviation rule to the MyOwnWear RFQ; ask for explicit confirmation of the calculation and approval route. Open the MyOwnWear RFQ form.
Buyer questions
Is a standard over-shipment percentage automatic?
No percentage is established here. Use only the quantity rule actually agreed for the order.
Can extra medium units offset missing large units?
Only if the accepted rule permits that substitution. Otherwise it remains a separate line-level deviation.
Does approving an overage settle the invoice?
Confirm the invoice treatment separately; quantity acceptance should not leave the payable basis ambiguous.