When a flower shipment arrives, the first minutes are often busy. The boxes need to move, the team wants to open them, and any visible issue creates pressure. A simple inspection order helps protect the flowers while preserving the information needed for a useful conversation with the supplier.
The goal is not to delay hydration or claim that flowers should look retail-ready inside the carton. It is to document the shipment as received, then separate transport condition, packing condition and product condition.
Photograph first, record quantities and affected proportion, then follow the agreed receiving and hydration procedure.
Before opening the cartons
Photograph the airway bill or shipment reference, carton labels and all sides of any visibly damaged carton. Record arrival time and when the shipment reached the receiving location. If temperature is part of the agreed check, use the agreed method and suitable equipment; an uncalibrated surface reading should not be presented as definitive pulp temperature.
Open enough boxes to understand the pattern
Check representative cartons from different positions in the shipment. Photograph the packing before removing flowers, then record product name, Item Code where available, bunch count and visible condition. If a problem appears, note whether it is isolated, repeated in one carton or present across several cartons.
Use quantities, not only adjectives
“The flowers are bad” gives little information. “Seven of 20 bunches in carton 4 show crushed outer petals; cartons 1 and 2 do not show the same issue” is more useful. Include wide views and close-ups, but do not crop so tightly that the carton or product identity is lost.
Continue appropriate care while reporting
Unless there is a safety or quarantine reason to isolate the shipment, continue the agreed unpacking, trimming, hydration and cooling procedure. Keep original labels and packing until the initial check is complete. Send one organised report with shipment reference, affected items, quantities, photos and actions already taken.
Sources and verification links
These links support the general guidance. Rules and destination requirements can change, so check the actual product, origin and destination again before shipment.