Unmanifested loads: what no manifest actually means

Every load on this site is unmanifested. It is worth being precise about what that word does and does not mean, because it changes more than people expect.

What a manifest would be

A manifest is an itemised list of what is on a pallet, usually with quantities and often with retail prices. A manifested load tells you in advance what you are getting. It costs more, because somebody had to open, count and list it.

What we provide instead

A class description. The listing states the condition basis, the department mix and an approximate count of what a load of that class usually holds. That is the whole of what is known before the pallet is opened, and it is the whole of what we will tell you.

No manifest is provided, for any load, and there is no upgrade that adds one.

The consequence people miss: shortages

This is the part worth reading carefully. Because there is no itemised list, there is no document against which a delivery could be counted. Nothing establishes what was supposed to be there.

So shortages are excluded from cover. Not as a policy preference, but because no evidence could exist either way. Freight damage is different: damage is visible at the tailgate, which is why it can be noted on the Bill of Lading and claimed within 48 hours.

What unmanifested is good for

Price. You are being paid, in the form of a lower price, to take the uncertainty that a manifest would have removed. If you have the volume to absorb variance and the space to sort, that is a reasonable trade. If you need to know what you are getting, buy manifested stock from someone who sells it.