Delivery delays, damage, or lost shipments can be messy for e-commerce businesses. These service issues not only frustrate customers and lead to a poor experience but also affect your margins and damage the business’s credibility.
If you’re using Purolator to fulfill orders across Canada, here’s something you might know but often overlook: every late delivery from Purolator could actually qualify for a refund. Millions of refunds often go unclaimed simply because e-commerce teams don’t have the time, process, or visibility to catch every service failure.
This article breaks down exactly how Purolator’s refund policy works, when your business can request a refund, and how you can go about it.
Overview of Purolator Refund Policy
Purolator offers a Money-Back Guarantee (MBG) on several shipment services that give e-commerce brands a chance to recoup shipping costs if delivery timelines aren’t met. The services covered under this guarantee include-
- Purolator Express
- Purolator Express 9 AM
- Purolator Express 12 PM
- Purolator Express 10:30 AM
- Purolator Express Evening
- Purolator Ground Evening
- Purolator Ground 9 AM
- Purolator Ground 10:30 AM
However, Purolator Ground Standard and Purolator Freight Services are not covered under this guarantee. To claim a Purolator late delivery refund, you must file the request within 15 calendar days of the original invoice date for Account customers.
Learn more: How to File a Purolator Claim for Late or Failed Deliveries
Further, the Purolator refund policy does not include the following shipments-
- Dangerous goods shipment
- Heavyweight shipments
- Shipments destined to or originating from areas not directly serviced by Purolator that are considered remote.
- Shipments that exceed size limitations set by Purolator
In case one or more pieces in a guaranteed Courier Shipment are delivered late, businesses can claim a refund of an amount equal to the difference between the service rate of the original shipment and the applicable service rate if the original shipment was made up of only the piece(s) that was/were delivered under the guaranteed service.
Common Reasons for Requesting a Purolator Refund
Purolator’s MBG is designed to provide accountability when service commitments aren’t met. Here are the most common scenarios where you can request a refund:
1. Late delivery beyond the guaranteed time
If an eligible shipment doesn’t arrive within the promised delivery window, you are eligible for a refund. However, the delay must not be caused by factors beyond Purolator’s control.
For services like Purolator Express 9 AM or 10:30 AM, even a same-day delivery that arrives a few hours late (say, at 1 PM) can be considered a service failure. These precision-based delays are often overlooked but are fully refundable.
3. Lost shipments
Purolator also accepts claims for lost shipments for all shipments except freight and international shipments within 9 months from the date of shipment. It offers compensation or a refund up to the actual market value of the goods. The process differs from late shipment claims and typically requires a written request through Purolator’s customer service.
4. Damaged shipments
If an item arrives visibly damaged and the cause is determined to be carrier mishandling, Purolator may refund the shipping cost and offer damage reimbursement up to the declared value, if applicable. The claim should be made within 21 days from delivery for any concealed damage or within 60 days from delivery for any evident damage.
How to Request a Refund from Purolator
Purolator offers a simple and straightforward process for claiming refunds for any late deliveries. However, before submitting your request, you must ensure that your package was delivered after the promised date.
Here’s what you need to do-
Collect the necessary documents
When submitting a late delivery claim with Purolator, keep the following information handy-
- Purolator account number
- Bill of Lading number
- Shipment details such as the date of dispatch and the intended delivery date
- Reason for the refund request
File a refund request
You can submit a Purolator late delivery refund request in multiple ways, including-
- Website form: Visit Purolator’s official website to fill out a manual claim submission form in case of a late or damaged shipment.
- Call: Contact Purolator’s customer support via phone and provide your Bill of Lading number
- Email: Send your shipment claims via email at claims@purolator.com
- Purolator’s virtual assistant: Once you visit Purolator’s website, simply click on the blue message icon in the bottom right corner to chat with the virtual assistant. The virtual assistant is available 24/7 to help you through the refund process.
Follow up on your claim
After submitting the late delivery refund claim, you can track the status through chat with the virtual assistant or via your Purolator account.
However, the manual claims process can be tricky to manage, especially if your team does not have complete visibility into the process.
Which is why automating the claims process with Parcel and Shipping Invoice Audit Software makes it easy to recover refunds for late deliveries, submit documentation, and manage discrepancies efficiently.
Best Practices for Managing Purolator Shipping Refund
To ensure a successful claims process in case of any delays, here are some best practices to follow-
1. Integrate shipment tracking into your workflow
Instead of tracking shipments manually, implement automated software like LateShipment.com to monitor Purolator shipments and any service failures in real time. This gives your team visibility into delayed or unfulfilled deliveries and makes it easy to file claims on time.
2. Automate late delivery detection
Manually cross-referencing promised vs. actual delivery times is time-consuming. Automation tools like LateShipment.com can automatically detect 50+ service failures, flag them, and automate eligible shipments for refund requests.
3. Keep supporting documentation ready
When filing claims, incomplete information is one of the top reasons for delays or denials. Make sure to keep all the relevant documents handy before filing a claim.
4. Monitor performance
Once you implement an automation tool like LateShipment.com, you can use it to get detailed reports of service failures or shipping discrepancies, flag any concerns with the carrier, and ensure a solid customer experience.
Common Challenges Faced in the Purolator Refund Process
Some of the common issues that you might face when filing a late delivery claim with Purolator include-
Tight claim windows
Claims must be submitted within 15 business days of the original invoice date for account customers. Missing this window can lead to the claim getting rejected, so it becomes important to stay on top of the deadlines.
Using non-guaranteed services
If you use a non-guaranteed service for shipping, you will not be eligible for a refund.
Manual claims process
Manually connecting with customer support, filing claims, gathering and submitting documents, and following up can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive process.
Ineligible delivery point
If the shipment destination is not an eligible delivery point as per Purolator’s guidelines, refund claims may be rejected.
Conclusion
Purolator’s Money-Back Guarantee is a valuable protection for e-commerce businesses to recover their money on any late, lost, or damaged shipments. However, manually tracking shipments, short filing windows, and limited visibility can make it almost impossible to claim what you’re owed without affecting the team’s productivity.
To make the most of your refund process, automate your recovery with LateShipment.com.
Our Parcel Audit and Shipping Invoice Audit Software works to monitor every Purolator shipment, detect late deliveries, and file eligible refund claims automatically and at scale. So, instead of manually uploading documents, identifying issues, and following up on claims, your team can focus on delivering better customer experiences.
Explore how LateShipment.com helps you recover lost revenue effortlessly across Purolator, FedEx, UPS, DHL, and more. Book a demo today!
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FAQs about Purolator Refund
Will Purolator notify me if my shipment is eligible for a refund?
No, Purolator does not proactively inform you when a delivery qualifies for a refund. It’s up to you to track, identify, and file claims within the required timeline.
How long does it take to receive a refund once a claim is approved?
Once a Purolator refund claim is approved, the credit is typically issued within 10-15 business days.
Does Purolator offer refunds for delayed international shipments?
Purolator’s Money-Back Guarantee primarily applies to Express shipments. International deliveries may be subject to different terms, depending on the service level and destination country.
Can LateShipment.com track refund eligibility across multiple carriers simultaneously?
LateShipment.com integrates top carriers, including FedEx, UPS, DHL, and other major carriers. It audits all your shipments in one place and automatically files claims where eligible, so you don’t have to manage each carrier separately.
