Vendor Packing Routing Guidelines 20230609
Vendor Packing Routing Guidelines 20230609
&
ROUTING GUIDELINES
Updated 6/9/2023
RE: PACKING AND ROUTING GUIDELINES
The sections below of The Chico’s Retail Services, Inc. Packing and Routing
Guidelines have been updated. Updated instructions, procedures and compliance
requirements will be effective as of April 18, 2019. Please read through this
ENTIRE Guideline as this will replace all previously issued Vendor Guidelines.
Debits will be issued for ALL Non-Compliant processes and procedures.
Below please find a list of sections where Chico’s, WH|BM, and Soma are impacted:
The "Vendor Acknowledgement Page" MUST be signed and sent to the Vendor
Compliance Specialist. As indicated on the form, this will become part of your
file.
The guide for all brands: Chico's, White House | Black Market, and Soma is located
on the Vendor Extranet at [Link].
The Packing and Routing guide sets forth requirements for our Vendors and includes
merchandise technology, quick response, distribution, transportation and Accounts
Payable policies. These standards apply to all families of business, Chico’s, White
House|Black Market and Soma Intimates. Failure to adhere to these requirements
will result in charge-back penalties against your invoice. Repeated violations will
result in increased fines as outlined in the charge back section attached.
Many standards have been updated and incorporated in this latest 2016 version.
Please read through this guide carefully.
Many Sections have been updated; it would be in your best interest to review
ALL pertinent Sections to avoid future Debits or delays. See a list of all the
changes on the Vendor Extranet.
We appreciate your partnership and look forward to your support in these matters.
Sincerely, Distribution
Updated 6/9/2023
Table of Contents
1KEY TERMS
2C-TPAT STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY
3GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
3.1ROUTING GUIDE EFFECTIVE
3.2ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
3.2.1GENERAL MERCHANDISE INVOICES
3.2.2FLOOR SET INVOICES / SHIP TO ADDRESS (WH|BM ONLY)
3.3PO PROCESS
3.3.1PO PROCESS
3.4PRICE TICKET PROCESS
3.5CONTACT LIST
4 PACKING REQUIREMENTS AND PRODUCT FULFILLMENT
4.1 THE CASE
4.1.1 CASE SIZE AND TYPE
4.1.1b CASE SIZE AND TYPE
4.1.2 CASE TYPE
4.1.3 CASE MARKINGS/ LABELS
[Link] FLOOR SET MARKINGS
[Link].1 PLEASE PRINT AND PLACE THE FLOOR SET LABEL ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER OF
THE LONG SIDE OF THE CARTON
4.1.4 SHADING
4.2 BULK MERCHANDISE PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS
4.2.1 PACKAGING SPECIFICATIONS
4.2.2 APPAREL & TEXTILE FASHION ACCESSORY FOLDING & BAGGING REQUIREMENTS –
BULK MERCHANDISE
[Link] PRODUCT FULFILLMENT IN CARTONS
4.2.3 JEWELRY – NECKLACE, EARRINGS, BRACELET, WATCHES, PINS & OTHER
4.2.4 NON JEWELRY – EYEWEAR, BELTS, ORNAMENTS, MISC
4.2.5 FOOTWEAR
4.3 FLAMMABILITY
4.4 BULK PACKING RETAIL MERCHANDISE (LOOSE UNITS)
4.5 PREPACKS
4.3.1DEFINITION
4.3.2T-SHIRT PRE-PACKS
4.3.3PANTS PRE-PACKS
4.5.5OTHER APPAREL PRE-PACKS
4.5.6JEWELRY PRE-PACKS
4.5.7NON-JEWELRY ACCESSORY PRE-PACKS
4.5.8PRE-PACK LABELING
4.5.9CASE LABELING FOR CASES CONTAINING PREPACKS
4.5.10 REPACK PACKING LIST
4.5.11 PREPACK INNER LABEL
5 GLOBAL LOGISTICS DOMESTIC & INTERNATIONAL VENDOR ROUTING GUIDELINES
5.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
5.2 DOMESTIC SHIPMENTS
5.2.1 ROUTING INSTRUCTIONS 5.3 PICKUP AND DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS BY EXIT CITY
5.3.1 DDP LAX
5.3.2 DDP-WIN (Winder)
Updated 6/9/2023
5.3.3 DDP – NYC & ALL OTHER CITIES
5.3.4 PARCEL SHIPMENTS (DDP - ALL OTHER POINTS)
5.3.5 DDP- MAIL
5.4PALLET REQUIREMENTS AND TRAILER LOADING INSTRUCTIONS
5.4.1PALLET REQUIREMENTS
5.4.2TRAILER LOAD SEQUENCE REQUIREMENTS
5.5CHARGEBACK FOR VENDOR NON-COMPLIANCE
5.6INTERNATIONAL SHIPMENTS (PO TERMS FOB or CFR)
5.6.1INTERNATIONAL VENDOR RESPONSIBILITIES
5.6.2CARGO ACCEPTANCE AND BOOKING
5.7SMALL PACKAGE COURIER SHIPMENTS
5.8BILL-TO AND SHIP-TO ADDRESSES FOR ALL DOCUMENTS
6.1IMPORT COMPLIANCE (PO TERMS FOB or CFR)
6.2VENDOR RESPONSIBILITY CHECKLIST
6.3CONTAINER / TRAILER SECURITY PROCESS
7ILLEGAL TRANS-SHIPMENTS
8NON COMPLIANT SHIPMENTS
8.1100% INSPECTIONS
8.2DEFECTIVE MERCHANDISE
8.3OVERAGES AND NON COMPLIANT SHIPMENTS
8.4IMPROPERLY LABELED OR TICKETED MERCHANDISE
9RETURN TO VENDOR PROCESS (RTV)
9.1DEBIT LANDED COST
9.2STORAGE OF NON COMPLIANT SHIPMENTS
9.3INSPECTION BY VENDORS
9.4LIQUIDATION
[Link] COMPLIANCE CHARGE BACKS
10.1 DEBIT MEMOS
10.1.1 PROCEDURE
10.1.2 VENDOR ACCEPTANCE/ ACKNOWLEDGMENT IS REQUIRED
10.1.3 VENDOR ACCEPTANCE/ ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IS NOT REQUIRED
10.2 LATE SHIPMENTS CHARGEBACK POLICY
10.3 VENDOR PREPAID AIR FREIGHT
10.4 INCREMENTAL TRANSPORTATION CHARGES
10.5 LABOR / ADMINISTRATIVE
10.6 CASE INTEGRITY
10.7 SUPPLIES
10.8 CHARGE BACK FOR LIQUIDATED DAMAGES
11.15 ATTACHMENT N: INTERIM FOOTWEAR NOTICE
11.18 ATTACHMENT R: CONTAINER SECURITY PROCESS
1.2 Trailer Annotation Sheet
11.19ATTACHMENT S – BULK ID LABEL IMAGES
11.20ATTACHMENT T – BUBBLE WRAP SPECIFICATIONS
11.23ATTACHMENT W – COMMERCIAL MARKINGS STICKER FOR WHBM SHOES
11.24DOCUMENT REVISION HISTORY
Updated 6/9/2023
KEY TERMS
ASN - Advanced Shipment Notification: Created in VMS. A unique 20 character tracking number assigned to each shipment
made against a Purchase Order. The 20 character ASN number, in combination with the PO number is used to track the shipment
throughout the supply chain.
Anticipate Date: (Chico’s and Soma) Last date the Vendor is allowed to deliver to Winder, Georgia Distribution Center on
DDP (delivery duty paid) terms.
AWB - Airway Bill: A bill of lading that serves as a receipt of goods by an airline (carrier) and (2) as a contract of carriage
between the shipper and the carrier.
Brand(s): References one or more of the four (4) retail divisions of CHICO’S FAS, Inc.: Chico’s, White House|Black
Market and Soma.
B/L or BOL: Bill of Lading is a document issued by a carrier to a shipper, acknowledging that specified goods have been
received on- board as cargo for a conveyance to a named place for delivery to the consignee who is usually identified.
Cases: Total number of cartons shipped against the purchase order; usually shipment or conveyance specific
CHICO’S FAS, Inc.: The corporate parent of four brands: Chico’s, White House | Black Market and Soma Intimates.
The combinations of all four brands are referenced throughout this guide as “CHICO’S” unless otherwise noted.
CGC – CHICO’S Georgia Campus (Winder Distribution Center): References CHICO’S distribution center, also referred to
as Winder Distribution Center, located at 1020 Barrow Industrial Parkway, Winder, Georgia, 30680, USA
C-TPAT- “Customs – Trade Partnership Against Terrorism: The US Government’s supply chain security program designed to
protect the U.S. supply chain from terrorist intrusion and expedite the flow of products through the U.S. customs entry process.
C-TPAT Certification is obtained by compliance with specific U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) security
requirements.
CFR-Cost and Freight: prepaid Air Freight process: If a Purchase Order is 3 - 7 days late and shipment does not make planned vessel
– vendor must ship via air and prepay air/sea difference directly to Chico’s nominated freight forwarder who will calculate
the charges. Purchase order will be amended to reflect Sea-Air mode and Inco term to CFR from FOB.
CFS (Container Freight Station): A shipping dock where cargo is loaded (“stuffed”) into or unloaded (“stripped”) from containers.
CY (Container Yard): Port facility at which containers are accepted for loading onboard ships, and off-loaded containers
are delivered to the consignees.
Customs Vacis Exam: US Customs exam which includes x-raying the steamship container at the port
Customs CET Exam: A CET Exam is a physical examination of any import entering the territory of the United States. In
particular, CET stands for Contraband Enforcement Team
Destination: The finishing location of the shipment or place at which the Bill of Lading terminates
● DC1 & DC2: A designation indicating Building 1 or Building 2 at Chico’s Distribution Center in Winder, Georgia.
● DDP- Delivered Duty Paid: Purchase term signifying that the seller assumes title, all risk and freight cost to the
named DDP delivery point, including all U.S. Customs clearance and entry activity.
● EDI - Electronic Data Interchange: The structured transmission of data between organizations by electronic means. It
is used to transfer electronic documents or business data from one computer system to another computer system
● FDA: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Imported merchandise, such as perfumes and lotions, may be delayed
due to additional Customs scrutiny.
● FF - Freight forwarder: A company that organizes shipments for individuals or corporations like a "travel agent," for the
cargo industry, or a third-party (non-asset-based) logistics provider.
● FOB- Free on Board: Purchase term signifying the Production / Sourcing Manager / Merchant assumes title, risk, and
freight costs subsequent to the named FOB point. Production / Sourcing Manager / Merchant assumes all US
Customs clearance and entry activity costs, same as FCA.
● FTP: File Transfer Protocol is a standard network protocol used to transfer files from one host to another host over
a TCP- based network, such as the Internet. The VMS application utilizes FTP protocol.
● Fuel Surcharge: Sky freight charge which represents additions due to jet fuel prices; an extra fee added onto a
base charge, if needed
● F&W – Fish Wildlife: Merchandise that has products (animal, fish) used in fabrication and/or embellishment. May
be delayed due to additional Customs scrutiny.
● Handover Date: Date merchandise is to leave the manufacturer’s final factory of assembly for DDP origin terms.
FOB origin terms- Date merchandise is Export Customs Cleared and available for export
Updated 6/9/2023
IB Pro Number: A number used by carriers as a reference for freight movements.
VMS – Vendor Management System: Internal supply chain visibility tool that allows a User to track a shipment
from origin to destination.
In DC: Date the order is planned to deliver to Chico’s Distribution Center in Winder, Georgia (FOB/DDP)
LSP- Logistics Service Provider: Transportation supply chain service entitles such as freight forwarders, ocean
carriers, motor carriers, consolidators, airlines and small package service providers that process / transport CHICO’S
cargo.
Manifest: Number typically assigned to a one-page form used by carriers that lists shipment details and product
loaded onto conveyance information.
Monitoring Guidelines: A schedule of liquidated damages representing out of pocket costs expended by CHICO’S
to correct an out of compliance condition identified in the Vendor Packing and Routing Guidelines Manual.
OBL - Original Bill of Lading: A bill of lading that serves as a receipt of goods by an ocean liner (carrier) and (2) as
a contract of carriage between the shipper and the carrier.
Pounds (Lb) - Unit of mass used in the imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement;
lbs is a measure of weight
SCAC: Standard Carrier Alpha Code for truck movement; each carrier is assigned their own unique SCAC number.
Seal Number: The number affixed to the fastener that provides a tight and perfect closure to the trailer doors
Trailer Id: Vehicle identification number or a number that identifies the conveyance
Transloader: A carrier or consolidator who may transfer a shipment from one mode of transportation to
another. For example, transport by ship from port to port and then by rail to a rail yard before being loaded on a
truck to destination.
Units: Number of pieces or units shipped against the purchase order; shipment specific
USDA: U.S. Department of Agriculture. Merchandise made from the earth, such as straw for handbags or hats,
used in fabrication and/or embellishment, may be delayed due to additional Customs scrutiny.
Vendors: Trading partners that are actively engaged in conducting business with at least of one CHICO’S brands.
XML: Refers to Extensible Markup Language (XML) and defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that
is both human- and machine-readable. The BearWare IMS application utilizes XML protocol to send and receive
documents.
Updated 6/9/2023
2C-TPAT STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY
CHICO’S fully supports the United States Customs – Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT)
initiative as an essential program to help protect against terrorist activity throughout the supply chain
network, which includes all U.S. ports of entry and all transportation touch points in the supply chain
network.
It is a core responsibility of each of our Vendor partners and service providers to be proactively
responsible for ensuring the safety and security of our freight.
As a manufacturer, or service provider, for CHICO’S, there are several things expected of our
trading partners to support the security of our shipments. These steps include, but are not limited
to, the following:
1. Validate case contents against the packing list prior to sealing the shipping cases. Have
a supervisor validate case contents against the packing list and make sure the case
content is free from any other items not shown on your paperwork.
2. Seal the shipping cases with tamper resistant tape along all six exposed carton flap edges.
3. Weigh your cases with a certified, calibrated, shipping scale and note the accurate
weights and carton dimensions in centimeters on your Packing List and Commercial
Invoice. Any cases that have unusual weights must be inspected for tampering and
content integrity. Freight forwarder and airlines will verify case weights. If there is a
substantial difference you will be required to adjust your weights listed on the shipping
documents.
Strict adherence to our packing and routing guidelines, in concert with C-TPAT recommendations, will
result in a stronger business partnership and a more secure supply chain. We strongly urge all
business partners to apply for and obtain C-TPAT certification.
For additional information on obtaining C-TPAT certification, refer to the following Web link:
[Link]/xp/cgov/trade/cargo_security/ctpat/
Lynn Halter
Mgr, Global Compliance
& Sustainability
Tel: (239) 346-8536
Updated 6/9/2023
3 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
The processes and procedures in this manual will be enforced by CHICO’S Retail Services, Inc. This Packing and Routing
Guideline is part of the PO Terms and Conditions and apply to all Garment, Fabric, and Accessory purchases made by CHICO’S
Retail Services, Inc. For the purpose of this guideline “CHICO’S” will include all brands. Specific differences in Brand
terms, processes and procedures will be specifically identified and named accordingly.
1. Effective date of this guide applies to any and all shipments tendered to a CHICO’S designated LSP, or in the case
of DDP Winder to the Winder Distribution Center, on or after the effective date designated at the bottom left of the
guide page.
2. Revisions to this Packing and Routing Guide will supersede all previous Chico’s, White House|Black Market
and Soma Intimates Packing and Routing Guidelines unless otherwise stated.
3. Acknowledgement of receipt of this guide is part of the Vendor On-Boarding Packet and is to be submitted to Vendor
Compliance. The signed copy of the Acknowledgement will be retained on file by the Vendor Compliance Specialist for
each Brand.
INVOICES:
3. DDP Floor Set orders consist of two or more separate shipments that may be part of a single PO. As such,
each shipment (split ship) of the same PO must be invoiced under separate cover.
4. FOB/ FCA Floor Set orders consist of two or more individual Purchase Orders. The initial shipment will be a small
floor set quantity, followed by the larger bulk shipment. The two separate PO shipments must be invoiced under
separate cover as indicated above.
SHIP TO ADDRESS:
5. All Floor Set shipments should be sent to Chico’s Call Center, 815 Progress Dr. Winder, GA 30680.
3.3 PO PROCESS
The CHICO’S Business Master Data team is responsible for creating and maintaining all Purchase Orders.
3.3.1 PO PROCESS
1. Purchase Orders are created by the Business Master Data team from data systematically provided by each
brand’s Merchandising, Sourcing and Allocation teams.
2. Confirmed PO’s are emailed to the vendor’s email address after Price and Delivery have been confirmed
between the vendor and the respective Sourcing / Merchandising team.
3. Vendor reviews the PO and acknowledges receipt within 24 hours by email.
4. Any PO adjustments / discrepancies must be handled through the Vendor’s sourcing contact within each brand.
5. Revisions to the PO will be communicated via email to the vendor. The same acknowledgement procedure applies
for revisions.
Updated 6/9/2023
3.4 PRICE TICKET PROCESS
Price ticket information will be automatically transmitted to Nexgen Pkg upon completion of the Purchase Order.
5.1.1. Purchase Order will be sent EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) to a specific Ticket
Supplier ordering website upon completion of the Purchase Order. The vendor will be
responsible for reviewing and calling out their orders from their assigned website so they can be
processed for printing. Please note: tickets will not be printed until they have been released by
the vendor.
5.1.2. Revisions to a Purchase Order could require a new and/or revised ticket order. The
vendor will still be responsible for calling out any ticket updates.
5.1.3. Ticket Shipments:
[Link]. Ticket Suppliers are required to follow Service Level Agreement (SLA) of 5
business day production lead time once a vendor call out the order for normal orders of
price tickets. Pro-Forma Invoices are required by ticket vendors overseas and will take
slightly longer.
[Link]. Ticket Suppliers are required to follow Service Level Agreement (SLA) of
24-48 hour production lead time, once vendor calls out the order for rush orders
of price tickets.
[Link]. It is vendor’s responsibility to select best shipping option based on their need.
5.1.4. Ticket Invoicing:
[Link]. Initial ticket orders will be billed to the Vendor by Nexgen Pkg.
[Link]. Any Changes to the ticket will be at the expense of the vendor.
5.1.5. Ship to Address – The vendor is responsible for entering the correct shipping address
during ticket callout.
5.1.6. Ticketing Issues should be communicated to Nexgen Pkg directly; contact info listed
below. If the Ticket Supplier is unable to address a ticket issues, contact the Business Master
Data (BMD) Representative listed in Section 3.5 Contact List.
Nexgen Pkg USA: Angela Moniz => [Link]@[Link]
Jessica Staley => [Link]@[Link]
Nexgen Pkg Hong Kong: Customer Service => chicosFAS@[Link]
Connie Tse => [Link]@[Link]
*** In-Plant Price Ticket Printing
Vendors currently setup to print price tickets in house are required to follow In House Printing SOP found in Right First Time
Manufacturing Manual under Section 017E.
Updated 6/9/2023
3.5 CONTACT LIST
Inquiries should be directed to the specific department whenever possible in order to ensure prompt
service. Email is preferred for all inquiries; however, if there is an urgent issue, we encourage you to make
contact via telephone for immediate assistance and resolution.
Updated 6/9/2023
4 PACKING REQUIREMENTS AND PRODUCT FULFILLMENT
Before selecting any other carton on the standard suite, or requesting a custom carton size,
each SKU must be test packed in carton size C001. The C001 carton size is the default size
for all shipments, and every effort must be made to use this carton size for every
apparel/intimate product and for every PO fulfilled for Chico’s and its brands.
The C001 carton size must be filled, using all available internal carton space. Factories
should use an alternate carton size if there is more than ½ inch of unused space in the
length, width, or height dimension when packing the C001 carton. The more units you pack
in each carton, the lower your packaging costs will be. More details on the packing
procedures will be reviewed later in this document.
If you can’t efficiently pack the product in the C001 carton, an alternate carton size should
be used including cartons from the pre-engineered suite or a custom carton size. It is
acceptable for a bulk shipment using the C001 carton to have more units per carton than the
same style prepack. Chico’s FAS also expects and allows different size garments to have
more or less units / carton depending on the garment size.
Certain product may fit in a C001 carton but due to the nature of the product, it may be
necessary to use another carton size to maintain product integrity. An example of this is using
a shorter carton to minimize product creasing on sensitive fabrications. In these cases, prior
approval from the sourcing team is needed before ordering cartons. Please have the Brand
approval email available when the cartons are ordered.
The C001 carton should be used as the primary carton whenever it can be efficiently packed.
Details on how to optimally select a carton size and pack a carton will be discussed later in
this document.
There are 4 additional standard carton sizes with the same footprint as C001 (same length
and width) with a different height. These cartons should be used for lightweight or fluffy
products that fit the C001 carton base size to increase units per carton. This will minimize the
carton cost per unit and the number of cartons shipped.
Updated 6/9/2023
Apparel suppliers should use the Case Size/Type listed below.
Apparel/ Intimates: There are three Standard Apparel Cases that should be used whenever
possible. These are the C001, Coo15 and C0016. Most apparel can be folded to fit one of the
standard size cases. There may be exceptions requiring non- standard cartons as noted below.
Prepack carton requirements are described in section 4.6. Prepacks must always be packed in a
separate carton from bulk items. Do not combine prepacks and bulk units in one carton.
Apparel, Jewelry & Fashion Accessory suppliers must follow the Minimum / Maximum
case dimension requirements for all Chico’s FAS Brands listed below.
Length 24 in / 61 cm 12 in / 30 cm
Width 16 in / 41 cm 10 in / 26 cm
Height 17 in / 43 cm 6 in / 15 cm
Updated 6/9/2023
4.1.2 CASE TYPE
1. Our approved carton specification is a single wall ”C” flute, 40ECT or higher, with noburst
requirement,
2. The carton construction must be
• 1 ply single wall with “C” flute, 44 ECT (Edge Crush Test)
• A minimum burst strength of 250 lb.
3. Carton Certification Stamp (BMC) must be placed in the center of one of the long flaps, visible on
the outside bottom of the carton. (See below diagram)
4. Staples along the vertical seam of the carton are not permitted. Use glue on this seam. Reinforcing
with tape is permitted.
5. Weather Resistant / Tamper Evident tape is required. Utilize sufficient adhesion to tear the
fiberboard when the tape is removed. Do not staple or glue the carton shut.
6. The maximum gross weight for any carton is 50 pounds (23 kilos).
7. The length of the carton must always exceed the height and width of the carton by a minimum of
two (2) inches (5 cm).
8. The top and bottom openings of the carton must be along the longest.
9. Over-packing or under-packing the case must be avoided to prevent damage to the case in transit.
10. Under-packed cartons are not permitted. Extra tissue paper, or filler material is not allowed to “fill-
up” under-packed cartons – use a smaller carton. Refer to section 4.5 for your End of Run case
and ODD Carton requirements.
11. Styrofoam packing material is not permitted.
12. No banding or strapping of any type is allowed by CHICO’S to secure the case.
All shipping boxes must meet Chico’s FAS specifications as defined in section 4.1.1 & 4.1.2 of this
guide. The BMC mark must be placed on the bottom of the carton on one of the long flaps.
If Vendor is unable to meet the above case requirements, please contact James Widner
([Link]@[Link]) or Ashley Gabel ([Link]@[Link]) in America area, Thomas
Yip ([Link]@[Link]) in Asia area (CAO).
Updated 6/9/2023
4.1.3 CASE MARKINGS/ LABELS
Case Labels – See Appendix B for example of new label
It is highly recommended that all batches of VMS labels have the first and last 5 labels in the batch
scanned for content and Scan grade. A grade of “A” or “B” is required. Batches of labels not meeting
these requirements must be discarded and labels reprinted once the cause for the failure has been
corrected.
Content: Created by VMS system, includes Brand Identification and letters PP. Refer to the images
on the next page below for location of Prepack UPC number on the PO.
Required: Must be on each pre-pack case. Not required
for bulk (loose) units.
Example: See Century FOB Vendor Shipping Guide for
samples
Updated 6/9/2023
Below is additional static information to print on all cartons. It is recommended that factories fill out
the details of each carton and make sure this information is visible on the outside carton to make
packing and carton auditing more efficient. The variable information may be completed by a variety
of means, including pasting a paper on the end, sticker, stencil, or hand written.
PO NUMBER:
SKU NUMBER:
STYLE NUMBER:
COLOR:
SIZE:
QTY IN CASE:
CASE NUMBER:
TOTAL CASES:
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
COUNTRY OF DESTINATION:
Updated 6/9/2023
Style number is found on the PO:
Updated 6/9/2023
Prepack UPC Number can be found on the purchase order, circled below in RED:
4.1.4 SHADING
1. Shipments do not
require a shade designation
on the packing list.
2. Exceptions to this must
be discussed in advance with
the Brand Sourcing
Manager.
Each bulk package will have its own Bulk Identification Label (Bulk ID Label) separate from the
price ticket and affixed to the outside of the polybag or package as described below.
Examples of product and the folding and packaging are provided as guidelines. The examples
described below are by no means an exhaustive list and are intended as a reference only.
Specific questions regarding folding and bagging requirements must be directed to the Brand
Sourcing/Production Manager. Note that noncompliance with these requirements may result in
chargebacks and deductions.
Prepack Merchandise packaging requirements are addressed in section 4.5.1 of this guide.
Updated 6/9/2023
4.2.1 PACKAGING SPECIFICATIONS
1. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bag thickness used to pack individual bagged items
must be no less than 1.5 mil (0.0015”). Polybags must be clear.
2. Suffocation Hazard warnings must be annotated on all LDPE product bags with a
thickness of less than 1 mil (0.001”) and with an opening of greater than 7”. Bags with an
opening of less than 7” are not required to have this warning. An example of an approved
suffocation warning appears below.
3. LDPE recycle logo is required next to suffocation hazard warning words. Vendors are required
to submit online guarantee letter via
([Link]
to declare material used is Low-density polyethylene (LDPE).
4. An example of polybag layout with approved suffocation warning words and LDPE recycle logo
appear below.
5. Size: Bags must be appropriately sized to fit the product with no excessive extra space. When
determining the size of the bag, ensure the largest size of the product fits snugly in the bag when
folded and that the smallest size will not have excessive extra space.
6. Bulk I.D Label must be placed in the center of the package and where the package is less
than 6” in width, parallel to the longest side. Unless otherwise specified, for packages where
the price ticket is visible, the bulk ID Label must be placed on the opposite side of the
package than the price ticket to minimize scanning errors. Please see photo below for correct
vs. incorrect placement of bulk ID label for a jewelry product.
Updated 6/9/2023
CORRECT INCORRECT
7. Bulk I.D. Label & Barcode must contain the following information and conform to the
following specifications unless otherwise specified:
a. Sticker measuring 2.50”x1.5”
b. Style Description, Color, Size, Human readable 12 digit barcode number
c. Barcode type: CODE-128
d. Scan Grade of A or B is required
e. X-Dimension: 0.020” (20 mil)
f. Min Barcode height: 0.75”
g. Quiet Zone: 0.25”
Updated 6/9/2023
4.2.2 APPAREL & TEXTILE FASHION ACCESSORY FOLDING & BAGGING
REQUIREMENTS – BULK MERCHANDISE
Prepack folding methods are described in section 4.5.
1. Bulk packed apparel and most textile fashion accessory product must be folded to have a
minimum number of creases while maintaining a compact package fitting one of the
standard sized shipping cartons listed in section 4.1.1.
2. Product must fit in the polybag without excessive extra space.
3. Certain product may require tissue paper inserts to minimize self-marking.
4. Certain apparel product types and packing methods may require a non-standard sized case due
to excessive empty space in the packed carton. Refer to the Maximum/Minimum case
requirements in the chart in section 4.1.1. 1. All exceptions must be approved by the Brand
sourcing/ production team managing the order.
5. General folding methods for popular apparel and textile accessory types. Refer to pictures.
Updated 6/9/2023
Jeans & flat folded pants – two fold method
Dresses
Updated 6/9/2023
Panties & 2 piece swimsuit bottoms
Bras – Padded
The priority moving forward is placing product in the C001 carton size. The chart below highlights the
optimal fold size for the C001 carton in green. These fold suggestions, when combined with the C001
(C0015, C0016, C00ER6, C00ER8, C0018, C0019 and C0020 ) carton footprint should eliminate any
unused internal carton space in the length and width dimension.
It is the responsibility of the OEM factory to fold appropriately so product quality is not sacrificed, but
also maximizes units per carton. The factory should then fill the carton to capacity with product. The
optimal fold size for the pre-engineered custom carton sizes are also listed below to facilitate packing
these carton sizes.
Updated 6/9/2023
[Link] PRODUCT FULFILLMENT IN CARTONS
Chico’s has improved its product/carton selection and fulfillment process to eliminate unused internal
carton space, minimize air and ocean freight spend, and maximize space utilization. Below are
product pack methodologies that must be followed for all bulk product orders.
Always test pack product in the C001 carton size and use this carton whenever possible,
while meeting the packing requirements.
1. Organize inner packs in uniform manner. Do not overlap product in the carton or pack in a random
manner!
2. Units per carton might vary by product size. It is expected that a factory can pack more small size
units (00 or XS) than large size units (4 or XL) the same size carton.
3. There should be no more than ½ inch (12.7mm) of unused space in any dimension (length, width,
or height). If there is more than ½ inch of unused space within a carton, re-fold the product to fit the
carton, select a custom carton size from the pre-engineered carton suite or contact your Chico’s
sourcing team contact for approval to design a custom carton. The process for ordering a custom
carton is discussed in section 4.2.4 below.
Updated 6/9/2023
An example of an organized pack orientation is below:
Always fill carton to capacity (unless last carton of a style/size/color for that PO/SKU, in
which case a smaller carton size should be used)!
When packing the carton with product, it is very important not to damage or wrinkle the
product.
In the examples above, there is too much unused internal carton space, and the orientation of
the product is not uniform and consistent. For bulk orders, orienting the product to match one
of the packing plans on page 22, will in most cases maximize the units per carton. If OEM
factories can increase units per carton, then fewer cartons are needed per PO, saving money
on packaging and shipping costs.
Updated 6/9/2023
Requirement of Micro-Pak Dri Clay® Kraft
Due to continuing supply chain challenges, and our sustainability targets, it is mandatory that Micro-Pak
Dri Clay® Kraft be added inside each carton case containing Chicos FAS garment and textile items. For
washed items and high-risk products including denim product, leather/ faux leather product and Soma
nightwear, a dri clay pack must be added to each polybag. For dosage requirement information, please
refer to below table.
Location of dri Any one bottom corner Any two bottom Any three bottom
clay in carton corners corners
Minimum requirement of dri clay in Polybag (washed and ** high risk product)
Pack Type Type/ Number of Dri Clay Location of dri clay in poybag
Solid Pack: 6g x 1
Pre-Pack: 6g x 3
For further advice please contact Micro-Pak Michael Yu ([Link]@[Link]) or any of our
Sourcing Operations/CAO team;
Updated 6/9/2023
4.2.3 JEWELRY – NECKLACE, EARRINGS, BRACELET, WATCHES, PINS & OTHER
14. All jewelry will be wrapped by a layer of bubble wrap and placed into an
appropriate size of zip poly bag. The specifications of the bubble wrap are
defined in Attachment T, Section 11.20. The minimum size of the zip poly bag is
2.7” x 1.7”.
15. Extra space along the edges is NOT allowed.
16. Bulk ID Label must be placed in the center directly on top of the zip poly bag.
17. All items must be properly labeled and ticketed with Brands requirements.
18. Cigar/Burrito rolling is NOT permitted by any Chico’s FAS brand.
19. Packing methods for typical jewelry items are described below.
Earrings
i. Earring should be attached to a designated earring card.
ii. Wrap earring in bubble wrap
iii. Place into appropriate size zip poly bag
Small Earrings
Medium Earrings
Updated 6/9/2023
Large Earrings
Watches
i. Wrap the face of the watch in bubble wrap
ii. Place into an appropriate size zip poly bag
Non-Structured
Structured
Bracelets
i. Wrap bracelet in bubble wrap
ii. Place in appropriate size zip poly bag
Non-Structured
Structured
Updated 6/9/2023
Pins
i. Wrap pin in bubble wrap
ii. Place in appropriate size zip poly bag
Rings
i. Wrap bracelet in bubble wrap
ii. Place in an appropriate size zip poly bag
Carded Necklaces
i. Wrap carded necklace in bubble wrap
ii. Place in an appropriate size zip poly bag
Small
Large
Bagged Necklaces
i. Wrap necklace in bubble wrap
ii. Place in an appropriate size zip poly bag
Small
Updated 6/9/2023
Large
Any and all exceptions must be approved in advance of shipment by the Brand Sourcing team.
Chain Belt
1. A chain belt (or a belt other than leather) must be wrapped around an appropriate sized
cardboard.
2. Belt and cardboard is inserted into an appropriately sized self-sealing bubble bag
conforming to Attachment T, Section 11.20.
3. The bubble wrapped product is placed into a clear self-sealing polybag.
4. The Bulk ID Label will be placed in the center of the top of the bag.
5. The belts will be placed in an appropriate sized carton conforming to the requirements defined in
section 4.1.1.
6. Use a divider sheet between layers.
Updated 6/9/2023
Stretch Belt
1. Hardware on a stretch belt must be bubble wrapped separately with bubble wrap conforming to
specifications defined in Attachment T, Section 11.20.
2. The belt must be fastened so the belt lays flat and placed in an appropriate sized clear bag.
3. The Bulk ID Label will be placed in the center on top of the bag.
4. The belts will be placed in an appropriate sized carton conforming to the requirements defined in
section 4.1.1.
5. Use a divider sheet between layers
Handbag
1. The pouch of a handbag must be stuffed with plain white paper.
2. Straps must be inserted into the pouch or folded to the side
3. For bags with hanging components, wrap completely with bubble wrap conforming to the
requirements defined in Attachment T, Section 11.20.
4. Insert bag into an appropriate sized polybag. Bags without hanging components may be
inserted into polybag without bubble wrap.
5. Lay the bag on its side.
6. The Bulk ID Label will be placed in the center of the top side of the bag.
Updated 6/9/2023
Other Textile Products not defined in the Apparel section: (Gloves / Cover-Fed-Ex Ship Manager
/ Shape-wear)
1. Individually wrapped into a poly bag and sealed with no more than a 2” opening.
2. Bag must measure a minimum of 4”x4”
3. Bulk ID Label must be placed in the center of the top of the bag.
Hats
1. Packed in a case conforming to the construction requirements, and sized to fit the product with no
excessive movement.
2. Use cardboard support bands, bolsters, cutout inserts, and tissue stuffing where necessary to
maintain shape & prevent crushing. 3-Individually polybagged with Bulk ID label in placed in the
center of the top of the bag.
3. Exceptions and questions about packing hats should be directed to the Brand Sourcing/
Production Manager
Eyewear
1. Glasses must be placed in brand eye sleeve.
2. Eye Sleeve must be inserted into a self-sealing bubble bag.
3. The package must be inserted into a clear zip-top polybag and labeled with Bulk ID Label in the
center of top of the bag.
Miscellaneous / Lifestyle
Ornaments, Coin purses, Wallets, Key rings, Clocks
1. If fragile, place in Self-sealing bubble bag measuring a minimum of 4”x4”.
2. Bagged and labeled as described above.
Updated 6/9/2023
4.2.5 FOOTWEAR
Unboxed footwear
1. Thong Footwear must be swift tacked at thong area with retail price ticket.
2. Place soles together and fasten with elastic band at the heel.
3. Stuff with tissue paper where appropriate
4. Place footwear in poly bag and seal.
5. Place Bulk ID Label in center of bag.
Boxed footwear
1. Chico’s FAS Private-Label footwear must use a one piece, fold-over shoe box
(including cardboard divider and tissue paper) to be ordered from select supplier. Each
shoe will have tissue filling between the upper and lower.
2. If required by the brand, each shoe will be placed in poly bag with safety warning as
described in section 4.2.1.
3. Shoes should be placed in the box with the divider between and tissue paper wrapped
around them.
4. Labeling, sizing, and other information to be placed on each shoe by Brand:
As of October 2013, all shoes are required to have commercial markings sticker – see 11.23 Attachment
W for details.
Updated 6/9/2023
Chico’s Brand
1. Clear sticker on the bottom of each shoe reflecting the style name, size,
retail style number, sku number, content and country of origin. (NOTE: on
some styles, supplier is approved to print this information on the interior of
the product)
2. Sole may be embossed with Brand and Size
4.3 FLAMMABILITY
Class 1, Normal Flammability - Every item of wearing apparel sold by CHICO’S FAS
Brands (excluding footwear, gloves and hats) must meet the criteria of Class 1, Normal
Flammability, as specified in 16 CFR Part 1610 of the U.S. Consumer Products Safety
Commission policy.
Class 2, Intermediate Flammability – Although legally permissible, Fabrics classified as Class 2 (or
intermediate Flammability)
are not acceptable for sale by CHICO’S FAS brands.
Class 3, Rapid and Intense Burning - May not be legally imported or sold in the United States
and is not acceptable for sale by CHICO’S FAS Brands
For further specifications please refer to the flame retardants specifications in the testing
protocols section of the RFT MFG SOP Manual published on the Vendor Extranet.
Updated 6/9/2023
Packing Cases
1. Standard sized packing cases should be used as often as possible as defined in section 4.1.1.
2. Non standard sized packing cases where the measurements conform to
max/min dimensions may be used where indicated by the size of the folded
product.
3. All cartons must be packed full, with no empty space. See document 021A
Carton Packing Training for more information.
4. It is not required that all cartons within a shipment are the same dimensions.
5. Chargeback will be incurred for under filled cases.
6. Hangers should not be used on the garments unless specifically noted on the Purchase Order.
In rare cases a PO will be written where there are not enough units of a SKU to fill the minimum
carton size (15” x 12” x 5” for “Apparel” or 12” x 10” x 5” for “Other Products”). In most cases this will be a
Franchise or DCom Channel PO.
• This is the only time the DC will allow ODD or Mixed SKU cartons.
• If you have a PO that meets this requirement, use the following guidelines when packing the PO.
o Place each unit of the SKU in a large polyethylene bag and seal the bag
o All inner polybags must have a 2 ½” x 1 1/2” label placed in the top center of the polybag showing
the # of Units in the polybag and the SKU#.
Updated 6/9/2023
o Pack as many SKUs as possible into 1 or 2 large cases. It is better for the DC to receive 1 ODD
case with many SKUs than several ODD cases with 2 or 3 SKUs.
o The Case label on the “ODD Case must list the SKU’s on the outside of the case as noted under
Section 3.1.2.
o Identify the “ODD” carton with a 4” high “ODD CARTON” label, on all 4 sides of the case.
Carton Specifications and Requirements for Small Single-SKU or Odd/ Mixed SKU Cases:
1. It is OK to purchase cartons from local suppliers for Odd Case.
2. Cartons must meet the min/ max carton size as listed below.
3. The carton length must be a minimum of 2” longer than the carton width.
4. Cartons must meet the carton specifications and strength requirements listed below.
• 1 ply single wall with “C” flute
• 44 ECT (Edge Crush Test)
• 250 lb burst strength minimum.
5. The top and bottom openings of the carton must be along the longest dimension.
6. Over-packing or under-packing the case must be avoided to prevent damage to in transit.
7. Under-packed cartons are not permitted. Extra tissue paper or filler material is not allowed to
“fill-up” under-packed cartons – use a smaller carton. Styrofoam packing material is not
permitted.
8. Size of each Odd Case must be appropriate to prevent crushing or splitting. It may be a
different size than the other cartons in the shipment.
9. The DC will accept a 5” min carton height instead of the 6” min carton height. The VMS label is
6” tall so it must be folded over the top of a 5” high carton. The Barcode including the Quiet
Zone must be fully visible on the side of the carton and can not be folded over the top of the
carton. Do not fold the label below the red line in the photo below for proper placement.
Updated 6/9/2023
4.5 PREPACKS
Please contact your Sourcing/ Production Manager for ALL Pre-Pack questions.
Annotate Purchase Order with “Pre-Packs”. Any orders requiring the merchandise to be pre-packed will
have special packing instructions noted on the Purchase Order.
*** NOTES:
1. The exact quantity of Prepacks as stated in the PO by style and color must be shipped complete.
2. Any overage/shortage quantity for orders containing both pre-packed and bulk merchandise
must be taken in the Bulk total only.
3. Any split shipment of a PO containing both prepacks and bulk must always have the prepack
quantity shipped first unless otherwise instructed by the Sourcing/Production Manager in advance
of shipment.
All exceptions to the requirements noted in this section must be approved in advance by the Brand
Production/ Souring Manager.
4.5.1 DEFINITION
Pre-Packs are defined as a group of specific individual SKUs (items) packed in a single bag and labeled
as a pre-pack SKU. Pre- packs are intended to be shipped directly to the boutiques as a packaged
assortment. Bags will meet all requirements noted in section 4.2.1 of this manual.
Prepacks will be defined on the PO and may be an assortment of multiple sizes of the same style and
color or a multi-pack of the same SKU.
Different colors in the PO may require different assortments of sizes.
A shipping carton from the vendor may be a single completed prepack or may be filled with multiple pre-packs
as defined during the PO process.
Unless otherwise instructed, prepack cartons must meet all specifications detailed in section 4.1.2 of this guide.
Do not mix multiple pre-pack UPCs in a shipping carton. Each shipping carton must contain the same
prepack UPC. There are no ODD prepack cartons.
The following examples of product and the prepack folding and packaging methods are provided as guidelines.
The examples described below are by no means an exhaustive list and are intended as a reference only.
Specific questions regarding folding and bagging requirements must be directed to the Brand
Sourcing/Production Manager. Note that non compliance with these requirements may result in chargebacks
and deductions.
Updated 6/9/2023
8. The pre-pack bag will be labeled according to the explanation in section 4.5.8 of this manual.
9. The completed pre-packs are placed in a shipping carton measuring 20” long X 13” wide with a
minimum of two pre-packs per carton. The height of the carton will depend on the height of the
pre-packs.
10. Cartons will be packed fully, with no empty space. Do not compress or over pack. This carton containing
only pre-packs will be labeled according to the explanation in section 4.5.8 of this manual.
11. Any waiver of the requirement to use the 10”x13” cardboard will be granted by the Brand Sourcing
Manager.
IMAGES OF T-SHIRT PRE-PACKS
Basic Fold Stack Cardboard Top & Bottom Prepack Bagged Prepack Labeled
Updated 6/9/2023
IMAGES OF FLAT PRESSED PANTS PRE-PACKS
Only prepacks of fragile jackets will require the special packing outlined below. Bulk pack and DIGITAL
COMMERCE (DCOMM) merchandise will follow standard packing methods. POs with prepacks requiring fragile
jacket packing will be identified during the PO confirmation process.
Note: Fragile jackets may be Pre-Packed according to store allocations or bulk packed to be received and
redistributed by our DC.
1. If a carton of fragile jackets is received as a Pre-Pack, no additional unpacking or processing will
occur at the DC – the carton will be labeled and sent directly to the boutiques for unpacking and
hanging.
2. If a carton of fragile jackets is received as a bulk pack or for DIGITAL COMMERCE (DCOMM), no
special packing instructions apply. Product will be packed according to standard apparel packing
instructions. Replenishment and DIGITAL COMMERCE (DCOMM) orders will be completed
according to current method.
Updated 6/9/2023
IMAGES OF FRAGILE JACKETS PRE-PACKS
Updated 6/9/2023
4.5.7 NON-JEWELRY ACCESSORY PRE-PACKS
Non jewelry and Fashion Accessories are assembled from many different components and in many different configurations.
Some of these are more fragile than others. It is not practical in this manual to detail all the potential combinations of
components. The supplier should partner with the Brand Sourcing team for solutions to prepacking configurations not
covered by the descriptions below.
General Guidelines for Prepacking Non-Jewelry Accessories by Product Type:
● Belts, Scarves, Ornaments, Bags, etc:
o Individual units of Belts, Scarves, Ornaments, Bags, etc. will be packed according to the
standard packing guidelines as noted in 4.2.4.
o The prepack count will be selected from packaged units and placed in an appropriately sized 1.5 mil
plastic bag and sealed with a single piece of tape or self-sealing bag.
o The prepack quantity will be packed in an appropriately sized corrugated carton meeting
all the requirements detailed in section 4.1 of this manual.
o The number of prepacks in a carton will be determined by the size of the prepack without
exceeding carton dimensions including weight.
o Prepacks will be labeled according to the explanation found in section 4.5.8 of this manual.
● Footwear - unboxed:
o Individual units of unboxed Footwear will be packed according to the standard packing guidelines as
noted in 4.2.5.
o The prepack count will be selected from packaged units and placed in an appropriately sized 1.5 mil
plastic bag and sealed with a single piece of tape or self-sealing bag.
o The prepack quantity will be packed in an appropriately sized corrugated carton meeting
all the requirements detailed in section 4.1 of this manual.
o The number of prepacks in a carton will be determined by the size of the prepack without
exceeding carton dimensions including weight.
o Prepacks will be labeled according to the explanation found in section 4.5.8 of this manual.
● Footwear – boxed. The dimensions of footwear boxes will vary according to the size of the footwear and
marketing decisions. It is not practical to define every scenario in this manual. The supplier should partner with
the Brand Sourcing team for solutions to prepack configurations not covered here.
o Individual units of boxed Footwear will be packed according to the standard packing guidelines.
o The prepack count for each size will be selected from packaged units and placed in as defined below:
a. Prepacks of 5 boxes or less:
o Placed in an appropriately sized 1.5 mil plastic bag and sealed with a single piece of tape.
o Multiple Prepacks of boxed Footwear will be packed in an appropriately sized corrugated carton
meeting all the requirements detailed in section 4.1.1 of this manual.
o The number of prepacks in a carton will be determined by the size of the prepack bags without
exceeding carton dimensions including weight.
o Individual Prepacks will be labeled according to the explanation found in section [Link] of this manual.
b. Prepacks of 5 boxes or more, pack in an appropriately sized corrugated carton meeting
all the requirements detailed in section 4.1.1 of this manual.
o Prepack cartons will be labeled according to the explanation found in section 4.5.8 of this manual.
Updated 6/9/2023
4.5.8 PRE-PACK LABELING
The Prepack UPC number is circled in red on the image [Link] pre-pack will be labeled as noted below:
● Barcodes must be readable by a scanning device. Scan Grade of A or B is required. It is recommended that the
barcode is verified at source.
● Non scannable labels are subject to chargebacks.
● The label must be placed in the center of the pre-pack
*Note: This label can be printed in house or sourced by a local vendor.
*Note: This label is independent of VMS or other required case labels.
▪ Prepack units must be noted after the loose shipments on the packing list. Please do not create
two separate packing lists. Both loose and prepack must be listed on one packing list if you are
shipping both together on same shipment.
▪ The Distribution Center must have the Prepack UPC on the packing slip and the PPK bundles
should be counted as 1, not the singles i.e. 2pcs = 1 bundle / 300pcs in the box = 150 bundles or
4pcs = 1 bundle / 40pcs in the box = 10 bundles.
Updated 6/9/2023
4.5.11 PREPACK INNER LABEL
The Prepack UPC Number (Circled in RED below)
Sample of clear image of pre-pack inner packing labels with UPC barcode for Chico’s apparel shipment.
The label must be placed in the center of the prepack
B. Vendors must use the designated Chico’s Service Providers (freight forwarders, NVOCC,
domestic carrier, trans-loaders and consolidators).
C. If an unauthorized carrier is used, all applicable freight charges and risk of loss will be
Vendor’s responsibility and will result in a vendor debit.
F. One ASN Per PO - Unauthorized split shipments will not be accepted and may result in a debit. If the
balance of a PO is shipped on a different day, the PO must be revised to reflect the different handover
date by one of Chico’s Production, Sourcing Manager, or Merchant associates.
G. PO overage or shortage difference of five percent (+ or - 5%) of the PO quantity per SKU, style
and size, must have written authorization from the one of the Chico’s Production, Sourcing
Manager or Merchant associate.
I. Delivery Appointments to the Distribution Center must be scheduled on a business day at least 72 to
48 hours prior to delivery.
Updated 6/9/2023
5.2.1 ROUTING INSTRUCTIONS
Routing codes are found on the PO in the “Ship Terms” and “Exit City” and “Mode” fields (see Exhibit
A). Use the Domestic Carrier Matrix in Exhibit B to locate the carrier associated with each domestic
“Exit City”. The shipment weight category will determine the correct carrier.
With the exception of DDP - WIN POs (exit city is indicated as WIN-Winder), Chico’s owns the
merchandise at time of handover at the respective named USA point. Chico’s is responsible for the
carrier freight charges from handover at the “named” USA point to the carrier and is responsible for
filing any loss or damage claims with the carrier.
DDP Winder POs are vendor controlled. The vendor owns the merchandise until delivery to our DC in
Winder. The vendor is responsible for the choice of carrier, delivery of goods to Winder on the NDC date,
appointment scheduling, freight costs, and any loss or damage to the product while in transportation. The
handover and NDC dates are the same date.
Each shipment will require a bill of lading unless you are consolidating shipment. If you ship multiple POs
or shipments on the same day you must create a Master BOL. The following information must be entered
onto the BOL:
1. Shipper and consignee name and address
2. Third-party bill-to name and address
3. List all PO and ASN numbers on the Master BOL with the corresponding unit
quantities, number of cartons, and carton weights
4. Total number of cartons and carton dimensions (in inches)
5. Trailer and seal numbers for truckload shipments
Updated 6/9/2023
5.3 PICKUP AND DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS BY EXIT CITY
5.3.1 DDP LAX (LA Commercial Zone)
Locate the carrier contact listed in the Carrier Matrix in Exhibit B. They will provide instructions for using their
website to enter a pick-up booking. After obtaining a user ID and password, you will be required to use the website
for all pick- up requests.
PO’s must be processed in VMS 24 to 48 hours prior to scheduling with Transloader
All pick up must be scheduled by noon at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to handover. You are required to
provide the following information to the carrier when booking a pick-up:
Shipments must be tendered on pallets for shipments under 24 pallets. Over 24 pallets, please contact Chico’s
Logistics team (Domestic_Logistics@[Link]) and the carrier for loading instructions.
On the scheduled pickup day the shipment must be ready by 7:00 AM. If the shipment is not ready when the
driver arrives, the pick-up may not occur on that day and may result in a late handover. The vendor is
responsible to upload ONLY the T856R file once shipment is retrieved.
A vendor chargeback will be issued for any carrier fees associated with the pick-up.
Trailers will be refused if there is spillage of any unidentified potentially hazardous material either in the trailer, on
pallets and/or cartons. Any charges related to the handling of the affected trailer will be at the Vendor’s expense.
Updated 6/9/2023
Chico’s DC receiving areas are highly regulated as required by the Tier III CTPAT and FTZ guidelines. Chico’s is
considered a “by appointment only” facility which means that only deliveries with documented scheduled
appointment times are allowed access to the dock area. All trucks, trailers, and containers must remain secure at
all times while on Chico’s property utilizing seals, dock locks, air locks, king pin locks, dock lights and are subject
to search to ensure Tier III CTPAT and FTZ requirements are maintained.
Appointments will be scheduled at least 24 hours prior to appointment date. Send appointment requests via
email to edireceivingoffice@[Link] with the following information:
● Carrier name
● Trailer number, if applicable
● Total carton count
● Pallet count or indicate that it is floor loaded
● BOL number
● Seal number, if applicable
● PO numbers
Trucks arriving without an appointment time will be rescheduled depending on DC availability. Detention or
redelivery charges associated with late arrivals or no appointments will be at the Vendor’s expense . Any
unscheduled deliveries may be refused and/or rescheduled to another date and time and subject to a debit and
increasing fines for repeated violations.
Chico’s 3PL partner will perform less than truckload (LTL) and partial truckload (PTL) services from Chico’s
vendors to Chico’s distribution centers (DC) for shipments over 251 lbs and less than 10,000 lbs. Chico’s 3PL
partner will select the most economical transportation service while ensuring that shipments arrive at the DC
during the NDC week as specified on the Purchase Order (PO).
Vendor is to contact 3PL partner at least seventy-two to forty-eight (72 to 48) hours prior to the scheduled
handover date. The vendors must provide an Advance Ship Notice number (ASN) on the BOL when scheduling
a pick-up; pick-up will not be scheduled unless the ASN number is provided to Chico’s 3PL Partner. The vendor
will upload the T856R and T856S files when shipment is retrieved.
If shipping more than one PO on the same day, consolidate POs on the same bill of lading and tender as
a single shipment.
Shipments must be tendered on pallets for shipments under seven (6) pallets. Over 6 pallets, please contact
Chico’s Logistics for shipping instructions (Domestic_Logistics@[Link]).
Shipments that are less 250lbs will ship via FED-EX SHIP MANAGER. For set up on FED-EX SHIP MANAGER,
please email Domestic_Logistics@[Link] and provide warehouse address, contact name, phone, and email.
Vendors must process shipments in Century VMS system and upload the T856R and T856S Excel files prior to
delivery to our DC. These files provide visibility to the DC on shipments arriving to the facility. These files must
be uploaded when the ASN is generated from VMS. For further assistance and training, please email
Domestic_Logistics@[Link]
Updated 6/9/2023
5.3.5 DDP- MAIL
Vendors are approved to ship using Chico’s FED-EX SHIP MANAGER account and will be required to create the
shipment in FED-EX SHIP MANAGER web based program, which is administered by Chico’s Logistics. Please
contact the Chico’s Logistics (Domestic_Logistics@[Link]) at least seven (7) days prior to initial shipment
handover date for account set up.
Vendors must upload the T856R and T856S Excel file in the Century VMS system as soon as the FED-EX SHIP
MANAGER tracking number that is created in FED-EX SHIP MANAGER. New vendors must contact the
Domestic_Logistics@[Link] at least 72 hours prior to handover date for Instructions and requirements on
how to process the T856R and T856S Excel files.
○ Load full trailers of one brand when possible (All Chico’s including Chico’s Outlets, All
WhiteHouse/BlackMarket including WhiteHouse/BlackMarket Outlets and All Soma
including Soma Outlets)
○ Domestic transloaders and all vendors load Soma and Soma Franchise always on the
tail of the trailer, no matter where the trailer is consigned -.DC1 or DC2.
● Load full trailers for the specific DC:
○ DC1 - 1020 Barrow Industrial Parkway, Winder, Georgia 30680
○ DC2 - 1275 Barrow Industrial Parkway, Winder, Georgia 30680
● When volume will not allow for full trailers by DC:
○ Load nose to tail,1275 address (DC2) first and finish with 1020 address (DC1)
5.5 CHARGEBACK FOR VENDOR NON-COMPLIANCE
● First Occurrence: CHS, WHBM, SOMA - $500
● Second Occurrence: CHS, WHBM, SOMA - $750
● Third Occurrence: CHS, WHBM, SOMA - $1000
Updated 6/9/2023
5.6.1 INTERNATIONAL VENDOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Shipments are to be booked with a Chico’s approved freight forwarder (listed on your PO). Please contact the
freight forwarder at least 28 days (4 weeks) prior to the initial shipment handover for ocean shipments and 10 days
prior to initial shipment handover for air shipments.. Export clearance and terminal handling charges at the origin
handover point is paid by Vendor.
Unauthorized split shipments will not be accepted. You must contact your Production / Sourcing Manager and
request that a new PO be created for the balance of units.
A PO is considered to be International in origin if the terms are FOB or CFR. For these shipments, Chico’s is the
Importer of Record for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) purposes. CHICO’S:
● Owns the merchandise in-transit subsequent to the handover of goods and documents at
the named Service Provider.
● Files for any cargo loss and damage claims.
● Pays the international carrier freight charges as per the INCO terms on the PO
Access the Century FOB Vendor Shipping Guide for instructions. The path is: Chico’s
FAS Inc-Documents-Logistics Process Documents-Logistics VMS FOB Shipping Guide.
The PO will contain a handover date as displayed in Exhibit I. Vendors must handover shipments on or
before the PO handover date. Shipments offered to the freight forwarder after the PO handover date are at
risk for late arrival and may be subject to chargebacks. Chargebacks will be incurred for Bookings not made
at least 28 days (4 weeks) prior to handover for ocean shipments and at least 10 days prior to handover for
air shipments.
● Dead Freight
Vendors will be issued chargebacks for unused container capacity. Vendors must notify the freight
forwarder immediately if the volume of freight booked will be different than that which will be handed over.
Updated 6/9/2023
The freight forwarder is responsible for confirming cargo ready date with each vendor, communicating shipment details to
Chico’s Logistics contacts, arranging shipment transportation per Chico’s Logistics instructions and sending copies of
documents to Broker & Chico’s Logistics
Cargo and documents must hand over per the PO hand over date according to the cut off time (3:00 PM ). If cargo is
handed over after the cut off time, the forwarder will issue and date the FCR the following business day.
Purchase Orders with FOB Terms Mail or Air with 150kgs or less
Vendors with the shipping term “FOB MAIL” or FOB Air with 150kgs or less will be able to ship their floor sets or
POs using the international parcel carrier of Chico’s choice. Please email International_Logistics@[Link] to
request sign-in credentials. The vendor must book their shipment in Century VMS System and process shipment
with the parcel carrier at least 10 days prior to shipment handover date.
Logistics will advise the vendor the parcel carrier’s website information along with the User ID and Password.
Small Package Courier shipment is NOT intended for shipping PO products with “DDP terms” or vendor “samples”
to Chico’s; this is only intended for approved vendors. Vendors will be charged an administrative fee for any misuse
of account; the vendor will also be required to reimburse Chico’s for the shipment cost.
Exception: All Fish & Wildlife or OGA (Other Government Agency) shipments have to be shipped as
minimum shipments with one of Chico's assigned air freight forwarders and not with a parcel carrier.
a. All new FOB vendors must contact Import@[Link] to receive their Customs Compliance On-Boarding
packet.
b. Import classification data such as U.S. Tariff Classification Number and Invoice Description details
are provided on each PO.
c. Commercial invoices must contain the HTSUS classification and invoice description information and
listed on the parcel carriers AWB. This information will be used by the parcel carrier in expediting the U.S.
Customs clearance.
d. A plastic document pouch should be affixed to the lead carton. Three copies of the commercial invoice,
as well as other required US Customs documents must be enclosed.
e. Approval to ship will be provided by the CHICO’S Logistics Contact in accordance with the ship date
terms on the PO.
f. All Vendors
1. Create shipment in VMS
2. Complete documents via e-invoice system, see section
Updated 6/9/2023
5.8 BILL-TO AND SHIP-TO ADDRESSES FOR ALL DOCUMENTS
Updated 6/9/2023
6.0 Chargebacks for non-compliance as follows:
Bulk Shipment - A chargeback, per section 10 of the Vendor Guidelines, will go against the bulk order for additional
occurrences of non-compliance as noted below:
CHS | WHBM | SOMA
1st occurrence $500
2nd occurrence $750
3rd occurrence $1000
Vendor Extranet:
All individuals in your organization that need to receive updates regarding your partnership with
Chico’s must request access to Amber Road through Global Compliance via email
[Link]@[Link].
When to send:
It is the responsibility of the Vendor to log into the e-Invoice website and create and submit a commercial
invoice and upload any other required documents within 24 hours of cargo handover for Air, within
24 hours of sailing for Ocean.
How to send:
New FOB vendors should contact import@chicocs,com to request logon credentials, 3 weeks prior
to handover of cargo. It is recommended to have more than one e-Invoice user as a backup in case
of employee absence.
For step by step instructions on submitting e-Invoice and up-loading all import documentation
see: e-Invoice Instruction Manual (located on the Vendor Extranet).
1. To begin submitting documents via e-Invoice, vendors will need a Username and Password
2. Web-site address is [Link]
Updated 6/9/2023
What to Send:
1. Vendors should see e-Invoice Instruction manual for all customs document requirements
Note: Some documents may need to be uploaded at a later date. Do not miss the deadline as the documents
can be added after submitting the e-Invoice.
7ILLEGAL TRANS-SHIPMENTS
Trans-shipment is an illegal practice of falsely documenting the country of origin for merchandise entered into the
United States in order to evade quota restraints on the country of actual production.
Illegal trans-shipping merchandise from one factory to another or one country to another is strictly prohibited. If a
Vendor is determined to have engaged in, participated in, or condoned trans-shipping, or quota fraud in any form,
CHICO’S will enforce the following:
1. The Purchase Order will be irrevocably cancelled and the Vendor will bear all costs incurred by CHICO’S,
as a result of the cancellation.
2. All further business with the Vendor will cease and any future orders will be cancelled.
3. Vendor will be responsible for any penalties imposed against CHICO’S, by U.S. Customs as a result of
such trans-shipping, quota fraud or other false statements regarding country of origin.
Updated 6/9/2023
8.3 OVERAGES AND NON COMPLIANT SHIPMENTS
a. Duplicated shipments may be rejected at delivery, or returned to Vendor at Vendor’s expense.
b. Unauthorized overages will be subject to return at Vendor’s expense, per Return to Vendor process.
c. Unaccounted import overages subject to Duties, will be subject to penalties and any related
fines assessed by U.S. Customs. All penalties, fines and processing costs will be charged
back to the vendor.
d. Corrective action, including any fines imposed by U.S. Customs including any corrective processing costs incurred
by CHICO’S to bring the goods into compliance will be the Vendor’s responsibility.
Reasons for an RFS vary and may include, but are not limited to, intellectual property concerns, quality or labeling concerns,
safety concerns, late deliveries or other issues arising out of or related to a vendor (or its vendors or subcontractors), legal
recommendations or requirements or other events or circumstances where the Company determines that the merchandise in
question is no longer suitable for sale by our brands.
Vendor is obligated to promptly and fully cooperate with any of Company’s inquiries and requests related to each RTV. Once the
Company has completed its due diligence into the facts and circumstances giving rise to the RTV, the Company shall notify
Updated 6/9/2023
vendor that an RTV will be issued and of the amounts of each RTV due. All RTV notifications and RTV amounts due and owing
by vendor may be amended if additional facts and circumstances arise after an RTV is issued.
The amounts and allocation of RTV amounts charged to the vendor will depend on a variety of circumstances. Upon vendor’s
request, Company and vendor will act in good faith to meet and confer on the circumstances of an RTV and any RTV amounts,
but in all instances, the ultimate determination of whether an RTV will be issued and the RTV amounts owed by vendor to
Company will be at the Company’s sole discretion.
Other than in the event a resale is approved by the Company, in all instances, vendor shall have 30 days from the date an RTV is
issued to remove and dispose of all merchandise from the Company’s, and its distribution channel partners’, custody. If vendor
fails to remove and dispose of merchandise within 30 days from the date the RTV is issued (or from such later date as the
Company advises it is available for disposal), vendor is responsible for reimbursing or paying to the Company storage fees for the
RTV merchandise through the date the merchandise is removed from the Company’s or its distribution channel partner’s custody
and a penalty for each day that the disposal of the merchandise has not been completed thereafter.
In addition, the Company shall have the right to dispose of any merchandise that are not removed from the Company or its
distribution partners’ custody within the time frame allotted through any means or methods, including by selling the merchandise
through the Company’s company store locations in Fort Myers, FL or Winder, GA. Vendor shall not be entitled to any proceeds
from the Company’s disposition of the merchandise and shall reimburse Company for all costs, fees and charges related to the
Company’s disposal of the merchandise.
The Company shall always require that RFS, WFS and RTV merchandise be destroyed if the reason for the RFS, WFS or RTV
was related to:
a. a potential safety issue
b. a potential intellectual property infringement issue (a copyright, trademark or patent issue)
c. a legal settlement calling for the destruction of the merchandise.
In those instances, the Company may determine that it shall retain sole responsibility for ensuring the destruction of the
merchandise, at vendor’s sole cost and expense.
To find out if merchandise under an RFS, WFS or RTV are required to be destroyed, please work with your Legal Department
liaison.
Sell-Off:
If the Company determines that a merchandise may be disposed of via resale (a “sell-off”), the Company may, in its sole
discretion, agree to permit the return of the merchandise to vendor for resale, subject to the Company’s Sell-Off process. In
general, sell-offs are only permitted for to resellers that agree to sell the merchandise to end consumers located outside of the
United States, Canada and Mexico, unless the Company agrees to manage the sell-off through one of the Company’s designated
U.S. or Canadian sell-off partners. In such instance, the Company shall be entitled to recover all amounts due and owing to the
Company from vendor from the proceeds of such sales. In all instances, the vendor shall be responsible for identifying an
appropriate sell-off partner and arranging for the removal and delivery of the merchandise to the sell-off partner for sale to the
partner’s own end consumers. No sell-offs are permitted to inventory liquidators or jobbers. The Company shall have the right to
deny approval of any aspect of a sell-off request in its sole discretion. In most instances, a vendor sell-off request will only be
approved and resale only permitted when 12 months have passed since the original NDC date listed in the Company’s records.
In limited circumstances, a sell-off may be approved to occur earlier than 12 months, but this is generally limited to WFS fashion
merchandise and requires the approval of the VP of Sourcing and Legal.
Until the merchandise is picked up by vendor’s resale partner, vendor is responsible for reimbursing or paying to the Company
storage fees for storing any RTV merchandise. Storage fees will start to accrue for vendor’s account 30 days after an RTV is
issued and shall be due and owing 30 days of receipt of invoice.
Updated 6/9/2023
distributed by the Company. Chico’s does not require consent or return authorization from the vendor to execute an WFS.
ALL INSTANCES:
There are different situations that can result in an RFS, WFS, and/or RTV action. Some examples of situations that may trigger
an RTV, WFS or RFS are:
1. Quality Issues: In the case of a Quality Issue, the Sourcing Operations (SOP) team initiates the appropriate
action via a Quality Alert Notification. Quality Issues can relate to, but are not limited to, fit issues, color issues
or other merchandise specification failures, testing failure, late deliveries or merchandise damaged before
handover to the Company. SOP conducts its investigation in collaboration with all relevant departments to
ensure full partnership while determining the course of action. A recommendation to RFS, WFS or RTV will be
based on the facts gathered in the quality alert by the SOP team.
2. Legal Issues: In the case of a Legal Issue, the SOP team initiates the appropriate action via a Quality Alert
Notification. Legal Issues can relate to, but are not limited to, regulatory requirements, suspected or actual
merchandise safety issues or hazards, potential or actual copyright, trademark, patent, trade dress or other
infringement claims, litigation claims or notices or other legal issues.
SOP and Legal conduct their investigation with collaboration of all relevant departments to ensure full
partnership while determining the final course of action. If requested by Legal, the Legal team will work with
Sourcing and/or SOP to coordinate the immediate RFS of the merchandise from the Company’s selling floors
and channels and an WFS on all merchandise while the investigation proceeds. A recommendation for an
RTV will be based on the facts gathered in relation to the Quality Alert, along with advice of legal counsel.
Legal issues almost always result in an RTV and in most instances require destruction of the RTV merchandise.
Sell-offs are rarely permitted, but depending on the circumstances, donation or recycling may be permitted.
3. Brand requests: In the case a Brand requests a WFS or RFS without the existence of a Quality or Legal issue,
the Sourcing and/or SOP teams coordinate an RFS of the merchandise from the Company’s selling floors and
channels and an WFS on all merchandise in transit to or in our DC.
4. All other reasons: for any reason not contemplated above, the Brand, Sourcing, SOP and Legal teams will
collaborate to determine the appropriate action to take with regard to the merchandise under consideration.
In each instance, the Company will proceed with below process flow for WFS/RTV or RFS/RTV:
1. Once a Quality Alert Investigation is closed and a recommendation is provided, the Sourcing Manager or Director will
become the RTV Point Person. At this time, Chico’s FAS may take any or all of the following actions:
• Place a QA Hold on existing or incoming merchandise until merchandise is inspected at the DC
• Hold an incoming PO so that it does not mix with existing inventory
• Initiate RTV by requesting an RA#. The RA# is any combination of letters and numbers provided by the
vendor that will be used to identify this RTV with both internal and external partners.
2. The Vendor has the right to contest and request a personal on-site inspection of their merchandise deemed to be non-
compliant. The request for inspection must be communicated to the brand Sourcing Point Person. Inspection must be
requested and executed within 30 day of RTV notification. If requested inspection is to be done by a 3rd party, all
associated costs will be charged to the vendor.
3. Sourcing and their cross-functional partners will then begin filling out associated RTV paperwork, and merchandise will
begin to be returned from our stores to our DC. Sourcing will request contact information or address information from
the vendor at this time. The Sourcing point of contact can provide the vendor with a general estimate of the cost of the
RTV. The estimated time between RFS/RTV Start Date and RFS/RTV End Date is 6 weeks.
4. Once merchandise collection is underway, the vendor will need to select a disposition for the collected goods. The
options are as follows:
• Send to Charity
Updated 6/9/2023
o Merchandise will need defaced/detagged before sending
o Chico’s will charge to vendor full landed cost, shipping and handling fees, labor costs, cost to ship to
charity, defacing/detagging costs, and any applicable 3rd party expenses
• Destroy
o Chico’s will charge to vendor full first cost of goods, all duty drawback fees incurred, freight costs,
shipping and handling fees, labor costs, cost to destroy, and any applicable 3rd party expenses
o No defacing/detagging of merchandise is necessary
• Sell Off
o If vendor wishes to sell off the merchandise, they will need to fill out the Sell Off Letter and provide the
information for whom the goods are being sold. Sell off agreement must be signed off on by Chico’s Legal
Counsel and Sourcing Leadership. Sell off letter can be found on Amber Road.
o Deface/detag may be part of the sell off agreement.
o Merchandise can NOT be sold off to companies in North America
o Buyer must wait 1 year after original NDC date to resell goods again.
o Chico’s will charge to vendor full landed cost, shipping and handling fees, defacing/detagging costs, labor
costs, any applicable 3rd party expenses, and any miscellaneous fees as noted in the Sell Off
Agreement.
• Return to Vendor: Vendor Pickup
o Vendor may pick up goods at the DC if goods will be staying in the US or Chico’s was not the importer of
record (DDP shipments).
o Chico’s will charge to vendor full landed cost (duty included for FOB vendors), shipping and handling
fees, labor costs, and any applicable 3rd party expenses.
• Return to Vendor: Re-Export Goods
o This is not Chico’s preferred merchandise disposition. Destruction of merchandise is preferred and will be
less cost to the vendor. If vendor intends to re-sell goods, the merchandise disposition should be Sell Off.
o If the final return location of these goods is outside the US, and Chico’s was the importer of record (any
FOB shipments), Chico’s FAS will be responsible for re-export and will use our chosen freight forwarder,
as designated by logistics.
o Chico’s will charge to vendor full first cost of goods, all duty drawback fees incurred, freight costs,
shipping and handling fees, labor costs, cost to re-export, and any applicable 3rd party expenses
Notes on dispositions:
• Fixing merchandise at a 3rd Party: Sometimes there are operations required to correct the merchandise that cannot
be performed in the Chico’s Distribution Center. Some examples of when a 3rd party may be required are to clean
merchandise, repackage merchandise, or repair/replace parts of a merchandise. Any cost related to fixing defective
merchandise will be charged back to the vendor.
• If donating to charity or selling off merchandise, RFS/WFS/RTV merchandise will have brand labeling defaced by
the DC. Merchandise approved for defacing will have labels clipped, price tickets and on-garment marketing
removed. In the case of an RTV, any costs incurred in the DC will be charged to supplier, including management of
units outside of the United States in international stores or franchise arrangements.
• In most cases, RTV goods from domestic stores will be shipped to the distribution center in Winder, Georgia.
International goods will NOT be returned, these goods will be liquidated at the International locations.
• Disposition of non-compliant merchandise must be communicated to Chico’s within thirty (30) days after the Vendor
has been notified of non-compliant issue. If Vendor does not reply or provide disposition of goods within thirty (30)
days, merchandise will be donated to a designated charity.
5. Vendor will be notified when the RFS/WFS/RTV is considered closed. At this point, the DC team will close, wrap and
label boxes according to disposition listed in the RTV form. Vendor has 30 days to pick up the merchandise from the
distribution center (if disposition is Vendor Pick Up). DC will store and pack goods in the manner that is most effective
for Chico’s. If multiple SKU’s are being stored for return, the SKU’s may be mixed in each carton returned. Chico’s
Merchandise Accounts Payable team will then process total chargebacks to the vendor.
CHICO’S Distribution LLC has made a significant investment in state of the art distribution facility and best of class material
handling automation that requires product be packed and shipped within specifications outlined in this Packing and Routing
Guide. Any shipment that does not comply with the specifications herein will require significant additional labor and
processing time and will delay your product from getting to our sales floor and customers in a timely manner.
Administrative fees will be assessed to the Vendor for non-compliance activities outlined in this Packing and Routing
Guide. Debits may be accessed by multiple departments for out of pocket costs depending on the non-compliance event,
see Section
10.8 Chargeback for Liquidated Damages. Repeated violations of the same non-compliant condition will result in
Updated 6/9/2023
incremental escalating administrative fees per PO:
1. First occurrence administrative fee will be the Smaller of $500 or 5% of the order value.
2. Second repeated occurrence within a calendar year (Jan. 1st – Dec. 31st) will be the Smaller of $750 or 7.5% of the
order value.
3. Third repeated occurrence and all subsequent violations within a calendar year (Jan. 1st – Dec. 31st) will
receive an administrative charge back of the Smaller of $1,000 or 10% of the order value in addition to any
labor supply costs.
Brands:
● Chico’s – late shipment penalties, product discounts, etc
● WH|BM – late shipment penalties, product discounts, etc
● Soma – late shipment penalties, product discounts, etc.
10.1.1 PROCEDURE
The following procedure will be followed when creating a Debit Memo/Chargeback. For International Vendors, this
should be done prior to merchandise reaching U.S. Customs.
a. Purchase Orders must not be changed or revised to adjust cost for a chargeback.
b. The responsible department will create Debit Memo (or Debit Advice when applicable) for the exact percentage
and/or discount the Vendor should deduct.
c. The Debit Memo (or Debit Advice if applicable) should be sent to the appropriate CHICO’S associate, per the
Approval Matrix, for review and approval. The approval must be an electronic signature on the Debit Memo/Debit
Advice through the Debit Memo application.
d. Once a Debit Advice/Memo is issued, it will be forwarded to the Vendor to obtain Vendor acknowledgement.
e. If the Debit Memo applies to an International Vendor, the Vendor should submit the commercial invoice in the
following format:
1. Invoice Subtotal $#####
2. Less % or $ Discount for reason _
3. TOTAL = $#####
f. If the Vendor does not record the Debit Memo amount on their invoice, the Accounts Payable Department will
deduct the amount from the next Vendor payment.
● Late Shipments
For FOB Late Shipments the product will only be considered “LATE” when the ship mode on the order has been changed to CFR
(air prepaid by factory). The Vendor Scorecard will reflect the % of units shipped CFR and count those units as late. For DDP
Late shipments, penalties will be charged in accordance with the Vendor Packing & Routing Guidelines. Penalties will be
processed as soon as they occur and for international goods, prior to merchandise entering Customs so the commercial invoice
can be adjusted accordingly.
Updated 6/9/2023
10.1.3 VENDOR ACCEPTANCE/ ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IS NOT REQUIRED
Chargebacks which are clearly stated in the Packing and Routing Guidelines do not require Vendor
acceptance/acknowledgement. The chargeback amount will be calculated in accordance with the Packing and Routing
Guidelines. Examples include but are not limited to:
1. Labor used to sort, correct, inspect, re-ticket or re-label a shipment.
2. Packing List errors, non-receipt within the required 24 hours timeframe; late international bookings
3. Incremental transportation charges.
4. Mis-identified cases.
5. Mis-tagged merchandise.
6. Wrong count on the case.
7. Case identification numbers that do not match packing list numbers.
8. Supplies (boxes if shipment needed to be repacked.)
9. RTV freight (freight costs CHICO’S incurs to return merchandise to the Vendor or designee).
10. Improperly labeled or ticketed merchandise.
DDP Late Shipments (when Actual Handover date, or In Yard date for DDP-Winder orders, is dated after the PO Handover
date):
● 1-2 days late: no chargeback
● Shipments that are 3 or more days late will incur 1% charge-back per day up to 15%
Updated 6/9/2023
i. Freight Forwarder invoices Chico’s the amount of what Chico’s would have paid in Ocean Freight; and
includes the prepaid Air Freight charges on the air waybill.
j. No debit memo or further internal approvals are needed
This policy is compensatory in nature, not punitive. It is imperative for Chico’s to ensure merchandise delivery to the distribution
center and stores as planned and budgeted. Predictability of merchandise flow within the supply chain is critical.
Outsourced inspection / processing may be required on occasion. When outsourced inspection or processing is necessary,
CHICO’S will charge the Vendor back for the actual pass through cost of the service utilized.
Mis-identified cases
a. Mixed SKU cases with the exception of ODD cases
b. Mis-tagged merchandise
c. Wrong count on the case
10.7 SUPPLIES
CHICO’S will charge Vendor for the cost of the supplies used to correct a non-compliant shipment.
For example, if 200 boxes were used to re-pack a Vendor order and the boxes cost $5.00 each, then the Vendor charge will
be $1,000.00 plus labor.
4 Ticketing
Product was Admin Fee + Labor Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor
A 3.4
delivered without + Supplies Labor + Supplies + Supplies
Price Tickets
Product has the Admin Fee + Labor Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor
B 3.4
incorrect Price + Supplies Labor + Supplies + Supplies
Tickets
5 Incorrect Carton
Marking
PO is incorrectly / not Admin Fee + Admin Fee Admin Fee +
A 4.1.3
marked on Case Labor + Labor Labor
Updated 6/9/2023
Sku# is not marked Admin Fee + Admin Fee Admin Fee +
B 4.1.3
on Case Labor + Labor Labor
Qty in Case
Admin Fee + Admin Fee Admin Fee +
F incorrectly 4.1.3
Labor + Labor Labor
/not Marked on
outside of case
Case
Admin Fee + Admin Admin
G number 4.1.3
Labor Fee + Fee +
incorrectly /
Labor Labor
not marked
Total Cases Ex: 1 of Admi Admin Admin Fee +
H 2, 4.1.3
incorrectly n Fee Fee + Labor
/ not marked 2 of 2. + Labor
Labor
EOR / Mixed
Admin Fee Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor +
I Sku cases not 4.1.3
+ Labor + Labor + Supplies
properly
Supplies Supplies
marked
Wrong or No
J Admin Fee Admin Fee Admin Fee 4.1.3
division on case
Case information
Non Admi Admin Admin Fee +
K not clearly marked 4.1.3
- n Fee Fee + Labor
on both ends of the
Ven + Labor
case
d Labor
ors
6 VMS
VMS Labels on the Admin Fee Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor +
A 5.1
wrong side of the + Labor + Labor + Supplies
case Supplies Supplies
VMS Case number Admin Fee Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor +
B 5.1
not on the ASN + Labor + Labor + Supplies
Supplies Supplies
VMS Label has Admin Fee Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor +
C 5.1
the incorrect sku + Labor + Labor + Supplies
Supplies Supplies
VMS Label has Admin Fee Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor +
D 5.1
the incorrect PO + Labor + Labor + Supplies
Supplies Supplies
VMS Labels are Admin Fee Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor +
E 5.1
not scan able + Labor + Labor + Supplies
Supplies Supplies
VMS label placed Admin Fee Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor +
F 5.1
on both sides of + Labor + Labor + Supplies
the case Supplies Supplies
Updated 6/9/2023
No PPK UPC Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor +
A sticker on bundle 4.5
Labor + Labor + Supplies
Supplies Supplies
No PO# on PPK Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor +
B 4.5
UPC Labor + Labor + Supplies
sticker Supplies Supplies
No scan able Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor +
C 4.5
barcode on PPK Labor + Labor + Supplies
UPC sticker Supplies Supplies
PPK UPC sticker Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor +
D 4.5
has the wrong Labor + Labor + Supplies
UPC Supplies Supplies
PPK bundle has
Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor +
E the incorrect 4.5
Labor + Labor + Supplies
individual UPC
Supplies Supplies
enclosed
PPK bundle has
F the incorrect Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Admin Fee + Labor + 4.5
individual UPC Labor + Labor +
Updated 6/9/2023
Failure to submit
weekly shipment
status to Logistics
B of shipments that If Applic able Actual Charges Incurred plus $100 per occurrence 5.2
result in
unnecessary
transportation
expense
Detention of
C Chico's carrier or Actual Charges Incurred plus $100 per occurrence 5.2
xcnllng carrier
after dispatched
for pick up
Delivery
D Actual Charges Incurred plus $100 per occurrence 5.2
appointment not
scheduled
Unauthorized
attempt to deliver Refusal of shipment and/or $100 per occurrence plus all fees
E or live unload 5.2
incurred to resolve or process shipment error
purchase order at
the Winder DC
Failure to properly
F reference PO/ Dept Admin Fee Admin Fee Admin Fee 5.6.
on Parcel / Courier 2
shipment
b. rubber and/or plastics ---------------------- 17. Which of the following characteristics does the
c. textile materials ---------------------- footwear possess:
d. other materials ---------------------- a. Sods
b. made on a base or platform of wood ------------------
4. Identify which of the following materials makes up c. made on a base or platform of cork
---------------- the greatest portion of the external surface area of d. open toes or open heels
------------------ the sole (accessories, reinforcements, spikes, etc. e. exclusively adhesive construction
------------------ excluded): f. slip-on type
------------------ g. none of the above
a. leather or composition leather ----------------------
b. rubber and/or plastics ---------------------- 18. If the answer to question 14 is yes, are the
uppers
c. other materials ---------------------- entirely of non-molded construction from
point 3 cm.
above the top of the other
sole? Yes--------No-----------
5. Is the footwear designed for sports activity
and
does it have spikes, deets, etc. or provision for the C. (Uppers are textile material,
soles are leather, attachment of such? Yes--------No--------------------- composition leather,
rubber or plastics.)
19. Is the external surface area of upper more
than
6. Is the footwear one of the following type? 50% leather (leather accessories,
Updated 6/9/2023
reinforcements,
a. skating boots, wrestling boots, boxing boots, etc.
included) Yes---------------No----------------- or cycling shoes --------------
-------
b. ski boots ---------------------
If yes, stop; if no, complete questions 14,
15, 16, 17, 20. c. cross-country boots
---------------------
d. tennis shoes, basketball shoes, gym shoes, 20. Which of following
characteristics does the training shoes, and the like --------------------- footwear
possess:
e. none of the above a. less
than 10% by weight of
rubber and plastics or not
over 50% by weight of
7. Is that footwear exclusively for men, youth textile materials, rubber and plastics
------------------ or boys Yes----------------No------------------- b.
uppers of vegetable fibres (cotton,
flax, etc.) ------------------
8. Does the footwear have a protective metal c. soles which overlap the upper except
at the toe-cap? Yes----------------No-------------------- toe of
heel.
------------------
9. What is the height of the upper?
D. (Uppers are leather, soles are leather, composition
a. covers the knee of higher --------------------- leather, rubber or plastics.)
b. covers the ankle but not the knee ------------------ 21. Which of the following characteristics does the
c. does not cover the ankle --------------------- footwear
possess: (Uppers and soles are rubber/or plastic) a. well
construction
------------------
10. Is the footwear waterproof and assembled by b. turn or turned construction
------------------ means other than stitching, nelling, riveting, c. uppers consisting of leather straps
screwing, plugging, or similar across the instep and around the
big toe
---------------- processes? Yes----------------No--------------------- d.
made on a base of platform of wood -------------------
e. none of the above
-------------------
11. Are the external surface areas of the upper
and sole
Updated 6/9/2023
CCSP involves all international and/or domestic containers/trailers loaded directly to our Distribution Center by the shipper.
Container/ trailer movements include any Ex-Works, FCA, FOB or DDP shipping terms. The CCSP procedure details the secure
loading and sealing of a container/ trailer by the shipper and the in-transit security from the loading point until delivered direct
to the Chico’s Winder Distribution Center in Winder, Georgia.
2. Procedure
2.1. International Shipments [Ex Works, FOB or CFR]
Shipper, in an international context, is the Chico’s Vendor and/or service provider (freight forwarder/ marine provider/
international, or domestic consolidator re-forwarding a container).
● Supervise the packing of merchandise into our cartons and the outbound loading process of these cartons, as
outlined in the Chico’s Vendor Guidelines and the Standard Operating Procedures.
● Inspect the container before loading - include inspection of front wall, left side, right side, floor, roof,
inside/outside doors, outside/undercarriage, and reliability of the locking mechanisms.
● Apply Security Seal(s) – the seals must meet or exceed the current ISO standard of PAS 17712, reference.
See attached Web reference for details:
[Link]
● Electronically transmit (F856R) the container number and seal number to VMS the same day the container is
sealed. The container seal number must be noted on the Commercial Invoice and Bill of Lading.
Freight forwarder, in an international context, is the air or marine provider.
Updated 6/9/2023
inspected the container.
● Contact U.S. Customs Supply Chain Specialist to determine if there is a record of container being
opened by CBP officials.
● Leave security seals intact until U.S. Customs permits removal of them.
2.2 Domestic Shipments [DDP/ Ex Works/ FOB Origin/ FOB Winder Distribution Center]
Shipper, in US domestic context, is a vendor and/or logistics service provider (typically a consolidator).
2.2.1 Shipper Requirements:
● Inspect container before loading - include inspection of front wall, left side, right side, floor, roof,
inside/outside doors, outside/undercarriage, and reliability of locking mechanisms.
● Apply Security Seal(s) – seals must meet or exceed the current ISO standard of PAS 17712 (see Reference
below)
● Electronically transmit (T856R) the container number and seal number to VMS the same day the container is
sealed.
● Note the seal number must on the Bill of Lading.
Reference website for approved seal list:
[Link]
● Investigate any seal discrepancy and provide approval before delivery of trailer to the Winder Distribution Center.
EXHIBITS
1 SEAL VERIFICATION PROCEDURE
1.1 CONTAINER INSPECTION CHECKLIST
1.2 TRAILER ANNOTATION SHEET
Updated 6/9/2023
1.1 Trailer / Tractor Inspection Checklist
Receiving Date
Seal No.
Updated 6/9/2023
Carrier:
1. Bumper
2. Engine
3. Tires (Truck & Trailer)
4. Floor (inside)
5. Fuel Tanks
6. Cab/Storage Compartments
7. Air Tanks
8. Drive Shafts
9. Fifth Wheel
10. Outside/Undercarriage
11. Outside/Inside Doors
12. Floor (inside trailer)
13. Side Walls
14. Front Wall
15. Ceiling/Roof
16. Refrigeration Unit
17. Exhaust
18. List of Discrepancy:
Scratches
Dents
Burn/Weld Marks
Perforations
Tampered
Bolts/Rivets Frsh
Greas/Paint Silicone
Inoperable
Cleanliness
Fiberglas & Bondo patchwork - Odor
masking substances
Updated 6/9/2023
1.2 Trailer Annotation Sheet
Updated 6/9/2023
Updated 6/9/2023
Updated 6/9/2023
Acknowledgement
Service Provider:
By (Name):
Its (Title):
Date:
Updated 6/9/2023
11.19ATTACHMENT S – BULK ID LABEL IMAGES
Bulk ID Label
Updated 6/9/2023
11.20ATTACHMENT T – BUBBLE WRAP SPECIFICATIONS
Chico’s FAS recommends the use of a quality bubble wrap product to protect the contents from
damage in transit and in handling. Sealed Air is a supplier of products meeting the requirements
detailed below and is recommended for use in all applications requiring bubble wrap. You are not
required to use Sealed Air product as long as the bubble wrap meets the specifications detailed below.
Beginning with October 2013 NDC orders, all shoes are required
to have the following commercial markings sticker.
Natural Colored Outsole: Symbols/letting should be
BLACK Black Colored Outsole: Symbols/letting should be
GOLD
Updated 6/9/2023
Symbols:
Leather/Suede
Lining- Please be sure to disclose all materials used in the lining. If there is pig
split counter and Breathable PU the symbols used should look like this:
Outsole - If the shoe has a leather outsole, the outsole marking will s be
Other markings:
Updated 6/9/2023
The WH/BM Logo and size will remain embossed on the Leather and Synthetic
(Davos) however rubber outsole will not.
Placement of Markings:
The commercial markings sticker is located underneath the embossed hide .
Updated 6/9/2023
It is highly recommended that all batches of VMS labels have the first and last label in the
batch scanned for content and Scan grade. Scan each barcode on the label with a
non-contact barcode scanner capable of decoding the barcode and of providing a grade. A
grade of “A” or “B” is required. Batches of labels not meeting these requirements must be
discarded and labels reprinted once the cause for the failure has been corrected.
Updated 6/9/2023
11.24 DOCUMENT REVISION HISTORY
Updated 6/9/2023