Why Does Cutting Edge Doors Charge Accessorial Charges?
Accessorial charges added after delivery? Learn why Cutting Edge invoices these carrier fees separately and when you can dispute them.
At A Glance
Why Did You Receive An Extra Shipping Charge After Your Order Arrived?
Accessorial charges are fees for services beyond standard delivery, such as power tailgate use, carry-in service, storage, and re-delivery. Your original invoice won’t reflect those fees because Cutting Edge receives these charges after delivery. When the carrier bills Cutting Edge for an accessorial service used during your delivery, our team passes that charge on to you.
You received your cabinet doors. Then, you received another invoice from Cutting Edge for accessorial charges. Perhaps the driver used a power tailgate without telling you it cost more, or carried boxes inside. Why do you have to pay, especially if you did not ask for that extra service?
At Cutting Edge Doors & Woodworking in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, we ship cabinet doors across Canada. Our team works with several carriers and handles shipping questions every day. Because we prepay shipping costs, we see how carrier rates, rules, and delivery services affect your final shipping costs. We also review our shipping policies as those rules change. Through this experience, we have learned that accessorial charges are difficult to predict.
This article explains why you may receive an accessorial invoice after your order arrives. You will learn:
What Are Accessorial Charges?
An accessorial charge is a fee for a service outside the carrier’s standard delivery service. Common examples include power tailgate use, carry-in service, residential delivery, and storage.
Some of these services may be necessary because of the conditions at your delivery location. For example, the carrier may need to use a power tailgate to unload a large shipment. The challenge is that you and Cutting Edge may not know you need an extra service until the truck arrives.
Why Does Cutting Edge Send A Separate Invoice For Accessorial Charges?
Cutting Edge invoices accessorial charges separately because we don’t know the final cost when your order ships. The carrier determines which fees apply and adds those charges to the freight bill. Cutting Edge doesn’t receive that bill until after your cabinet doors arrive.
Four factors make these charges especially difficult to include on your original invoice.
1. accessorial charges are difficult to predict
Accessorial charges are difficult to predict because they depend on conditions at your delivery location.
For example, a driver may arrive and find there is no loading dock or forklift available, making a power tailgate necessary. Unloading could take longer than expected, resulting in a waiting-time charge. In other cases, a driver may carry boxes inside, resulting in a carry-in charge.
These decisions happen during delivery, long after Cutting Edge has prepared your order. We cannot always know which services the driver will need or choose to use. Also, different delivery drivers may be more (or less) strict about noting which services applied. While we could add estimated accessorial fees to every order, that would mean some customers pay for services they never receive. Billing the charge afterward connects the cost to the services the carrier reports for your specific shipment.
2. Accessorial fees vary between shipping companies
Predicting the fee is even harder because each shipping company sets its own accessorial rates and rules.
For example, Manitoulin charges $35 for power tailgate use. Jay’s Transportation Group, another carrier Cutting Edge uses, charges $65 for the same service. The same variation applies to other accessorial fees.
In addition, Cutting Edge also does not always use the predicted carrier for your order. Your location, shipment size, number of packages, and delivery needs can all affect which carrier makes the most sense. If using another carrier would result in lower shipping costs, we make that change. As a result, providing an exact accessorial cost is difficult.
3. Combining orders can change your shipping needs
Combining orders adds another variable. If you have several orders in production at the same time, our team may be able to combine them into one shipment.
While combining orders can reduce the number of separate deliveries, it can also change the delivery method. Two smaller orders may become one larger freight shipment when combined. That larger shipment may use a different carrier, unloading equipment, or delivery service. These details all affect the type and cost of accessorial charges that may apply.
4. accessorial charges can exceed $200
Cost is the final challenge. There is no limit to the quantity of accessorial charges that can apply to a shipment. For example, a single shipment may require residential delivery and a power tailgate. If unloading also takes longer than expected, the carrier could add a waiting-time charge. A failed delivery attempt may lead to further re-delivery or storage fees.
With several services on one shipment, accessorial charges can quickly exceed $200.
Because fees vary so much, adding a standard estimated fee to every order would not be accurate. Some shipments use no extra services, while others use several. Separate invoices mean the charge reflects the services reported for your shipment.
Can Cutting Edge Doors Reverse Accessorial Charges?
Once a carrier bills for an accessorial service, reversing the charge is difficult. The carrier will consider the fee valid even if you did not request the service or know it would cost more.
For example, using a power tailgate may have been necessary because there was no other safe way to unload the shipment. In that case, even if you did not request the service, it may not be enough to have the charge removed.
However, not every accessorial charge should automatically go unquestioned. Asking the carrier to review the charge is reasonable.
when Can You Dispute An Accessorial Charge?
The main question is whether you had a reasonable opportunity to avoid the extra service.
Suppose your team is ready to unload your cabinet doors when the truck arrives. Instead of asking your team to unload the shipment, the driver immediately carries the boxes into your shop. The carrier then adds a carry-in charge. In this situation, Cutting Edge has grounds to ask the carrier to review the fee. Your team was available to unload the shipment, but the driver did not give them the opportunity.
The same principle can apply to other services a driver chooses without asking whether another option is available. However, disputing an accessorial charge does not guarantee the carrier will remove it.
If your invoice does not match what happened during delivery, contact Cutting Edge and explain the situation. Tell us what happened when the driver arrived, and whether you had a choice. These details help us determine whether there is a reasonable basis to dispute the charge. You should provide the invoice number, delivery date, and security footage if possible
How Can You Reduce Accessorial Charges?
While you cannot prevent every accessorial charge, preparing for your delivery can reduce the risk.
Start by making sure someone is available to receive and unload your shipment. If your delivery requires a forklift or other unloading equipment, have it ready when the carrier arrives. Watch your tracking information so your team knows when to expect the shipment.
Second, confirm your address and receiving instructions before the order ships. Making changes after Cutting Edge finalizes the shipment paperwork will result in a charge.
If you are unsure what your location can handle, tell Cutting Edge before your order ships. Good preparation cannot prevent every accessorial fee, but it can reduce avoidable ones.
What Should You Do After Receiving An Accessorial Charge?
Receiving another invoice after your cabinet doors arrive can be frustrating, especially when you did not know an extra service would cost more. You now know accessorial charges come from services used during delivery and do not reach Cutting Edge until after your order arrives. Understanding this process helps you prepare for future deliveries with fewer surprises.
Your next step is to learn when Cutting Edge will send the invoice for accessorial charges. If something does not match what happened during delivery, contact our team with the details. Cutting Edge works with carriers every day while shipping cabinet doors and wood components across Canada. We can explain the charge and, when there is a reasonable basis, ask the carrier to review it. This helps you understand your shipping costs and keep unexpected fees from creating bigger problems for your project.
