Stop Mis-Ships Before They Happen
Shipping the wrong item frustrates customers, creates extra work for your team, and eats into your profits. Descartes Peoplevox helps ecommerce brands prevent mis-ships by enforcing accuracy at every stage, from picking to packing to dispatch.
Why Mis-Ships Happen
Mis-shipments usually occur when there are breakdowns in warehouse execution. Without structured processes and the right technology in place, even experienced staff can make mistakes.
Common causes include:
Picking orders without barcode scanning or SKU verification
Packing items without scanning or validation
Skipping digital workflows in favor of manual shortcuts
No final check before printing a shipping label or handing off to a carrier
Lack of ownership or accountability on the warehouse floor
The Real Cost of Shipping Errors
Every mis-shipped order turns into a return, a support ticket, or a refund. That means more costs, lost revenue, and customer frustration. And when it happens repeatedly, it hurts your brand reputation and reduces customer loyalty.
Mis-ships can also:
- Increase return rates and restocking workloads
- Raise shipping and handling costs
- Slow down the fulfillment of correct orders
- Reduce marketplace performance metrics
- Lead to negative reviews and lost repeat business
The Solution: What Success Looks Like
With Descartes Peoplevox, every order is picked, packed, and shipped with confidence. Scanning and validation are built into your workflow. Your team receives real-time instructions, and the system ensures the right product is always placed in the right box.
Mis-ships are a monster cost. If you mis-ship a $2,000, 85 lb. item, it ends up costing an average of $400. As you can imagine, that adds up quickly. Based on our Q4 trend of improving picking and shipping accuracy with Peoplevox, we expect to reduce mis-ships to less than 1% of all orders... saving an estimated $50,000.
How Descartes Peoplevox Prevents Mis-Ships
Descartes Peoplevox creates a structured, mobile-first workflow where every scan confirms the correct item, and no order moves forward without validation. You get accuracy automatically, no extra steps needed.
Barcode-Verified Picking
Staff scan every item as they pick. If it is the wrong SKU, the system flags it immediately. No mistakes, no guessing.
Pack Checks Before Dispatch
At packing stations, items are scanned again to ensure the full order is correct before it is packed and labeled.
Role-Based Accountability
Every action is logged by user, so you can trace errors back to the source and fix processes, not just outcomes.
Real-Time Order Status and Alerts
Warehouse managers can see exactly what has been picked, packed, or flagged. That means faster intervention when errors do happen.
Full Visibility Across Fulfillment
From the moment an order drops to the moment it leaves the warehouse, Peoplevox tracks it. Nothing moves without verification.
Proof: See What Success Looks Like
%
Order Accuracy
%
Reduction in Operating Costs
Orders Shipped 3 Times Faster
FAQ
What is a mis-shipment?
A mis-shipment occurs when the wrong product, quantity, or variation is sent to a customer instead of what they ordered.
What does “mis-shipped” mean?
It means an order has already been sent but contains an error, such as the wrong item or missing pieces.
What is the cost of a mis-ship?
Costs include return shipping, restocking, customer service time, and lost sales. High-value items can make the cost significant.
How can I prevent mis-ships?
Use barcode scanning at both the picking and packing stages, enforce verification before dispatch, track accountability by user, and maintain full visibility with a warehouse management system like Descartes Peoplevox.
Can I trace who made the mistake if a mis-ship happens?
Absolutely. Every action is tied to the user who performed it, giving you full audit trails and accountability.
How long does it take to reduce shipping errors?
Most customers see major improvements in accuracy within the first few days of going live with Descartes Peoplevox.