Protect your perishable order from a costly guess: contact the recipient and sender, record what happened, and keep questionable stock out of saleable inventory until its safety is clear. A missed handover does not tell you how the parcel was stored or what should happen next.
Planning a delivery? Start on the Send page to see the options and prices that apply to your parcel.
The situation: the recipient wasn’t home. What happens to the perishable order?
A failed handover can leave you unsure whether to wait, arrange another handover or take the parcel back. Don’t assume there will automatically be redelivery, a return, or safe storage. Contact the recipient and sender promptly, then ask the courier what happened, where the parcel is now, whether another handover is possible and how the item will be handled.
What should you check when the parcel arrives?
- Note when the parcel arrived and who received it.
- Photograph the outer packaging and any damage or leakage.
- Check the product’s condition and, where relevant, its temperature. Follow the product’s storage instructions.
- Keep a questionable item separate from saleable stock while you get guidance from the sender or your food-safety lead.
What should you never assume about returned or warm perishables?
Don’t decide a product is safe to sell based only on how it looks, smells or tastes. Check its storage instructions and temperature history, then follow the decision of the sender or a qualified food-safety lead. If its safety cannot be established, don’t sell it.
How can you prevent a failed perishable delivery next time?
- Agree in advance who can receive the parcel and how they will be contacted.
- Decide what to do after a missed handover, including who to contact and who can approve any returned stock.
- Make storage needs and handling instructions clear to the recipient and courier.
- Choose a delivery option that fits your parcel and plans; check the options that apply before you send.
Who can help you decide what to do?
Ask the courier for the parcel’s status and what happened at the handover. Ask the sender or your food-safety lead to assess the product before you return it to saleable stock. As Kenya’s largest courier and one of Kenya’s most deeply connected courier networks, Moveka helps you explore delivery options for your parcel.
Ready to plan the handover? Go to Send to see the options and prices that apply to your parcel.
