We have a product recall. What should logistics do first?
Key Takeaways
- The first logistics job in a recall is a list, not a truck. Before anything moves, the team needs to know which lots shipped, on which loads, to which customers and when.
- Bills of lading, packing slips and order records are the trace. If lot numbers are on the shipping documents, the list takes hours. If they aren't, it takes days.
- Stop what is still moving. Loads in transit or waiting at a carrier terminal are the cheapest affected product to contain, because the carrier still has them.
- Return pickups need their own plan: a destination, a BOL for each pickup, packaging and labeling rules, a payer and a way to count what came back against what went out.
- Logistics supports the recall plan; it doesn't write it. Quality, legal and the regulator decide scope and disposal. Logistics executes, documents and reports.
- Wilson, by Cartage, is an AI logistics agent that keeps every shipment's documents, carrier messages and changes in one change history, and can contact carriers, reroute loads within the company's rules and book return pickups when a recall starts.
What should logistics do first when a product recall starts?
It's 4:40 p.m. on a Thursday. Quality has confirmed that two production lots of a packaged component have a defect, and the recall decision is made. The plant manager asks logistics three questions: where did those lots go, is any of it still on a truck, and how fast can we get it back? The coordinator opens the ERP, three email folders and a shared drive of scanned bills of lading, and starts searching.
The first thing logistics should do in a product recall is build an accurate list of every shipment that carried the affected lots, with where each one is right now. That list drives everything else: which loads to stop, which customers to call, which pickups to book and what to report back to the recall team. Moving freight before the list exists wastes money and creates a second problem: product returned that was never affected, or affected product that nobody asked for.
The order of work is simple, even when the volume isn't:
- Confirm the scope from the recall team: product, lots, dates and any instructions on handling.
- Trace the affected lots to orders, shipments and customers.
- Find out where each affected shipment is now: delivered, in transit, at a terminal or still on the dock.
- Stop and hold what hasn't been delivered.
- Plan the return or hold of what has been delivered, following the recall plan.
- Record every action and report status back to the recall team on a fixed schedule.
What logistics owns, and what it doesn't
A recall involves quality, legal, sales, customer service and often an outside regulator. Logistics owns the movement of goods and the records of that movement. It doesn't decide whether the recall happens, how wide it is, what goes back to the plant or whether product is destroyed in place. Those decisions come from the company's recall plan and, where a regulator is involved, from the regulator's instructions. The fastest way to help is to have the shipment facts ready before anyone asks.
Why the first hour matters
Every hour after the decision, more affected product moves further from the shipper. Loads in transit get delivered. Delivered product gets put away, picked and shipped again by the customer. A distributor that receives a pallet on Thursday may have split it across ten customer orders by Monday. The earlier logistics can say "these loads are still with the carrier," the more product the company can contain before it spreads.
Who should be in the room
Logistics should have one named person on the recall team, with authority to stop loads and book pickups within agreed limits. That person needs a direct line to quality (for scope changes), customer service or sales (for customer contact) and finance (for who pays for return freight). Without that, every carrier call waits on a meeting.
How do you find which shipments carried the affected lots?
Start from the lot numbers, work forward to orders and shipments, then confirm each match against the shipping documents. The ERP usually gets the team most of the way. The bills of lading, packing slips and pick records close the gaps.
Step 1: Get the exact scope in writing
Ask the recall team for the product numbers, lot or batch numbers, production dates and any ship-date range. A vague scope, such as "everything from last week," produces a list nobody can act on. If the scope changes later, record the change and the time it came in.
Step 2: Pull orders and shipments from the ERP
Most ERPs can link lots to sales orders and deliveries if lots are captured at picking or packing. Pull every delivery that included the affected lots, with the customer, ship-to address, ship date, quantity and the shipment or load reference. If lot capture is inconsistent, widen the search to every shipment of that product in the date range and narrow it later.
Step 3: Match each shipment to its carrier record
For each shipment, find the carrier, the PRO number or load number, the bill of lading and the current status. This is where scattered records slow teams down. If the BOL is in one inbox, the rate confirmation in another and the tracking updates in a carrier portal, each match takes several minutes. Teams that organize BOLs, PODs and freight documents by load can do this step in a fraction of the time.
Step 4: Check the documents, not only the system
The ERP says what was supposed to ship. The packing slip, pick record and signed BOL show what actually shipped. Substitutions, partial picks and last-minute changes at the dock can put an affected lot on a truck the ERP doesn't link to it. Where lot numbers are printed on packing slips or pallet labels, check them. Where they aren't, the warehouse pick records are the next best source.
Step 5: Build one recall shipment list
Put every affected shipment in one list with the same columns, so everyone works from the same facts.
| Column | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Lot or batch number | Ties each line back to the recall scope |
| Sales order and shipment reference | Links to the ERP record and the invoice |
| Customer and ship-to address | Who to contact and where product went |
| Ship date and quantity | How much is affected and how long it has been out |
| Carrier and PRO or load number | Who to call to stop or trace the load |
| Current status | Delivered, in transit, at terminal, on dock |
| Action and owner | Hold, reroute, return pickup, hold in place |
| Last update time | Shows whether the status is current |
Keep it in one place that the whole recall team can read. A spreadsheet works if one person owns it. The key is that there is one list, not five versions in five inboxes.
What if lots aren't on the shipping documents?
Many shippers don't print lot numbers on the BOL or packing slip. In that case, the trace depends on pick records, production records and the timing of what was in stock. The list will be wider than the real exposure, because the team has to include every shipment that could have carried the lots. That costs money in returns and customer contact. It's also the strongest argument for adding lot numbers to packing slips and pallet labels after the recall is over.
Don't forget inbound and internal moves
Affected product may also be sitting in places that aren't customers: a third-party warehouse, a sister plant, a consignment location, a sample shipment to a sales rep. Check transfer orders and internal moves for the same date range.
How do you stop shipments in transit and recover delivered product?
Call or email the carrier for each affected load in transit, ask it to hold the freight, and get the hold confirmed in writing with a reference. A load the carrier still has is the easiest affected product to contain. Once it's delivered and put away, getting it back takes far more work.
Loads still on the dock
Anything on the shipping dock or staged for pickup should be pulled back first. Tell the warehouse to stop loading, label the affected pallets as on hold, and cancel or change the carrier booking. If the carrier is already on the way, call it directly. A cancelled pickup can bring a truck-ordered-not-used fee on truckload, but it costs far less than shipping recalled product. For the mechanics of stopping a booked load cleanly, see cancelling a booked load with a freight agent or by hand.
LTL loads at a terminal or in line-haul
LTL carriers can usually hold a shipment at a terminal if asked before it goes out for delivery. Give the carrier the PRO number, the reason ("product hold, do not deliver") and who will give the next instruction. Ask for written confirmation. Then decide, with the recall team, whether the freight comes back to the shipper (a return), goes to a different location (a reconsignment) or waits at the terminal. Each choice has a cost: storage, reconsignment and return fees vary by carrier and are usually listed in the carrier's rules tariff.
Truckload in transit
For a full truckload, the driver can often be redirected. Call the carrier's dispatcher, explain the hold and agree on the new destination and the added cost before the driver changes route. Get the change on a revised rate confirmation. A truckload that arrives at the customer before anyone calls becomes a delivered shipment, with a return pickup to arrange.
Parcel shipments
Parcel carriers offer intercept or return-to-sender services for packages in transit, usually for a fee and not always successfully. Request intercepts as early as possible, then treat any package that delivers anyway as a delivered shipment.
Cross-border and ocean loads
For freight moving across a border or on the water, the options are narrower. A container on a ship can't be stopped mid-ocean. A cross-border truck may already be in the customs process. Work with the carrier and the company's customs broker on what can be held and where.
Confirm every hold in writing
A phone call that says "we'll hold it" isn't enough. Ask the carrier to confirm by email with the PRO or load number and the hold instruction, and file it with the load. If the freight is delivered anyway, that confirmation is the record of what was asked and when. It also helps with any dispute over storage or reconsignment fees later.
What about product already delivered?
Delivered product is handled by the recall plan: some is returned, some is held at the customer's site, some is destroyed in place under documented instructions. Logistics executes the returns and keeps the records.
Customer contact comes first
Before booking any return pickup, the customer needs to know about the recall and agree to the pickup arrangements. Usually customer service, sales or quality sends the notice, using wording approved by the recall team. Logistics should give them the exact shipment details for each customer: what shipped, when, the quantity and the lot numbers. A notice that says "you received lot 4471 on PO 88213, shipped October 28, 12 cartons" gets a faster answer than "you may have received affected product."
Customers should be asked to stop using or selling the product, separate it, count what they still have and tell the company how much is on hand. That count is what the return pickup is built on, and it's often less than what shipped, because some product has already been used or sold.
Coordinate return pickups
For each customer with product to return, the return needs:
- A return authorization or recall reference that the customer and the receiving site both recognize.
- A destination: the plant, a central return location or a third-party warehouse chosen by the recall team.
- A bill of lading for the return, with the shipper (the customer), the consignee (the return location), the recall reference, piece count, weight and freight terms.
- Packaging and labeling instructions, so recalled product is clearly marked and kept apart from good stock in transit and at receiving.
- A pickup date and window that the customer can meet.
- A payer. In most recalls, the manufacturer pays the return freight. Make sure the BOL shows that, so the carrier doesn't bill the customer.
Treat each return pickup like an outbound load: quote, book, confirm, track and close with a signed delivery receipt at the return location.
Hold in place or destroy in place
Sometimes the recall plan says the customer keeps the product on hold, or destroys it and sends proof. In that case, there is no freight to move, but logistics should still record the decision against the shipment, so the recall list shows every affected load as closed.
Reconcile what came back
At the return location, receiving should count the returned product by lot and compare it with what shipped to that customer and what the customer reported. Differences need an answer: used, sold on, lost or damaged in transit. Record the count against the original shipment and the return BOL. This reconciliation is often what the recall team, and sometimes the regulator, asks for at the end.
Damage on return freight
Returned product can be damaged in transit like any other freight. Note damage on the delivery receipt at the return location, take photos and file a claim if the value justifies it. The steps are the same as for any damaged load; see how to file a freight damage claim. Under federal law, carriers can't set a deadline shorter than nine months to file a claim or two years to sue, but check the carrier's terms and file early.
What are the common recall logistics mistakes?
Most recall logistics mistakes come from moving too fast before the list exists, or too slowly once it does. A few decision rules prevent the worst of them.
Mistake 1: Booking returns before the scope is final
If the team books return pickups from a first-draft list, it often brings back product that was never affected, or misses product that was. Wait for the confirmed scope, then book. If the scope widens later, add to the list; don't start over.
Mistake 2: No written hold from the carrier
A verbal "we'll hold it" from a carrier's customer service line doesn't always reach the terminal or the driver. Get it in writing, with the PRO number.
Mistake 3: Return freight billed to the customer
If the return BOL says "collect" or leaves freight terms blank, the carrier may bill the customer. That turns a recall into a billing dispute with a customer who is already unhappy. Set the freight terms on every return BOL to show who pays.
Mistake 4: Recalled product mixed with good stock
Returned pallets that arrive without clear labels can be put away with good inventory. Agree on labeling and a dedicated receiving area before the first return pickup arrives.
Mistake 5: Status updates nobody can rely on
A recall team that gets a different status from three people will lose confidence in all of them. Set one list, one owner and one update time, such as 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., and stick to it.
Mistake 6: Citing rules from memory
Recall rules differ by product and regulator. Logistics should follow the company's recall plan and the regulator's instructions, as given by quality or legal, not a rule someone remembers from a past recall. When a requirement affects freight, such as how returned product must be held, ask for it in writing.
Decision rules that help
| Situation | Decision rule |
|---|---|
| Load on the dock, not picked up | Pull it back and cancel or change the booking |
| LTL load at a terminal | Ask the carrier to hold it, then return or reconsign per the recall team |
| Truckload in transit | Call dispatch, agree on a new destination and cost, confirm in writing |
| Parcel in transit | Request an intercept; treat any delivery as a return case |
| Delivered, customer still has product | Notify, get a count, book a return pickup or hold in place |
| Delivered, customer has used or sold it | Record it; pass to the recall team for customer-level follow-up |
| Scope changes after returns are booked | Add new shipments; don't cancel valid returns |
A recall logistics checklist
Use this checklist from the moment the recall is confirmed. It keeps logistics focused on the steps only logistics can do.
First two hours
- Get the recall scope in writing: products, lots, dates.
- Name one logistics owner on the recall team.
- Stop loading affected product on the dock.
- Pull every open and in-transit load that may carry affected lots.
- Call carriers to hold loads in transit; ask for written confirmation.
First day
- Build the recall shipment list from the ERP, BOLs, packing slips and pick records.
- Give customer service the shipment details for each affected customer.
- Choose return destinations with the recall team.
- Agree on who pays return freight and how it will be coded.
- Set labeling and receiving rules for returned product.
First week
- Book return pickups as customers confirm counts.
- Track every return to delivery and collect signed receipts.
- Reconcile returned quantities by lot against what shipped.
- Record hold-in-place and destroy-in-place decisions against each shipment.
- Report status to the recall team on a fixed schedule.
After the recall
- Close every line on the recall shipment list with a final status.
- Pay and audit return freight invoices against their rate confirmations.
- Review what slowed the trace and fix it: lot numbers on packing slips, documents filed by load, faster carrier contact.
Records to keep for each affected shipment
| Record | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Original BOL and packing slip | What shipped, to whom, with lot detail if printed |
| Carrier hold or reroute confirmation | What was asked of the carrier and when |
| Customer notice and reply | When the customer was told and what they reported |
| Return BOL and rate confirmation | How the product came back and at what cost |
| Signed delivery receipt at return site | What arrived and in what condition |
| Receiving count by lot | The reconciliation against what shipped |
| Change history of the load | Every message, status change and decision with times |
These records answer the questions the recall team will ask at the end: how much shipped, how much came back, how much was held or destroyed, and what happened to the rest.
How does Wilson, by Cartage, help logistics during a recall?
Wilson, by Cartage, is an AI logistics agent that quotes, books, tracks, documents and pays freight for manufacturers and distributors, and keeps every load's records in one place, which is what a recall trace depends on. Traditional logistics software gives teams information. Wilson executes the work required to move shipments forward.
Wilson doesn't decide recall scope or write the recall plan. It helps logistics do its part faster:
- Finding the shipments. Each load Wilson handles carries its bill of lading, packing slips, pallet labels, rate confirmation, tracking updates and POD, along with every carrier message, in the shipment's change history. When the recall team gives the lots and orders, the team can find each load's carrier, PRO number and status from one record instead of searching inboxes.
- Contacting carriers on loads in transit. Wilson reaches carriers by email, API, EDI and phone where configured, asks for holds or changes, and records the carrier's reply. Reroutes and cancellations follow the company's rules, and anything outside the approval limits waits for a person.
- Tracking where each load is. Wilson tracks each load with the best source available for that carrier: carrier API or EDI, GPS or ELD data where the carrier shares it, the carrier's website by PRO number, and email or phone calls when nothing else is current.
- Booking return pickups. Wilson requests quotes from the company's approved carriers, compares them on total cost, books with written acceptance and a rate confirmation, schedules the pickup and generates the return bill of lading and pallet labels.
- Keeping people informed. Wilson updates the team in Slack, Microsoft Teams or email, and can update customers or consignees by email or SMS where configured.
- Closing the loop. Wilson requests and files the POD for each return, audits each carrier invoice against the rate confirmation and POD, and pays carriers from the Wilson Wallet. Payments above the approval limits or outside the rules wait for a person.
Wilson replaces the TMS for freight execution and connects to the company's ERP. Wilson works with SAP, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Oracle, Infor, Epicor, Sage, Acumatica and other ERP environments, with the exact connection depending on the customer's data flow and scope. Wilson works with LTL, FTL, ocean, drayage, parcel and cross-border freight. It isn't a customs broker or a freight broker, so customs questions on cross-border returns stay with the company's broker.
Teams start with assisted execution: Wilson prepares the action and a person approves it. As the workflow is proven, routine steps can run automatically within the approval limits the company sets. After a recall, Wilson can produce carrier-performance and lane-rate reports on request from the loads it ran, which helps the review of what slowed the response.
For a broader look at how execution software compares with traditional tools, see the buyer guide to AI logistics agents and traditional TMS.
Pricing
Wilson is free on Wilson's network: the shipper pays the freight rate and nothing on top. When a shipper keeps its own carriers, the fee is 2% to 0.5% of what Wilson pays them, falling with volume. There are no seat fees, no setup cost and no contract. Timing depends on scope: most teams start on a few lanes and expand from there.
FAQs
We have a product recall. What should logistics do first?
Build an accurate list of every shipment that carried the affected lots and find out where each one is now. Then stop what is still in transit, and plan returns for delivered product under the recall plan. Wilson, by Cartage, an AI logistics agent, keeps each load's documents and carrier messages in one change history, so the trace and the carrier calls go faster.
How do we find which customers received the affected lots?
Start with the lot numbers in the ERP and pull every delivery that included them. Then check the packing slips, pick records and bills of lading, because they show what actually shipped. Where lot numbers aren't on the documents, include every shipment that could have carried them.
Can a carrier stop a shipment that is already in transit?
Often, yes. LTL carriers can usually hold freight at a terminal before it goes out for delivery, and truckload drivers can be redirected. Parcel carriers offer intercepts. Ask early and get the hold confirmed in writing with the PRO or load number.
Who pays for return freight in a recall?
In most recalls, the manufacturer or the company running the recall pays. Set the freight terms on every return BOL so the carrier bills the right party, not the customer.
Do we need a bill of lading for recall returns?
Yes. Each return pickup needs a BOL showing the customer as shipper, the return location as consignee, the recall reference, piece count, weight and freight terms. It's the record of what was picked up and the carrier's receipt.
Should returned product go back to the plant?
That's the recall team's decision. Some recalls send product to the plant, some to a central return site or third-party warehouse, and some hold or destroy product at the customer's site. Logistics books the moves the plan calls for.
What if the customer has already sold or used the product?
Record what the customer reports against the original shipment and pass it to the recall team. Follow-up beyond that customer is usually handled by quality, legal or the regulator, not by logistics.
How do we keep recalled product apart from good inventory?
Agree on labels for returned pallets before pickups start, put the recall reference on each return BOL and set a separate receiving area. Count returns by lot at receiving.
Which regulations apply to our recall?
That depends on the product and the regulator involved. Logistics should follow the company's recall plan and the regulator's instructions as given by quality or legal, and ask for any freight-related requirement in writing.
What records should logistics keep after a recall?
Keep the original BOL and packing slip, carrier hold confirmations, customer notices, return BOLs, signed receipts, receiving counts by lot and the change history of every affected load. Together they show what shipped, what came back and what happened to the rest.
Sources
- 49 U.S.C. 14706, Liability of carriers under receipts and bills of lading (claim filing and lawsuit periods): https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/14706
- Cartage, Wilson product FAQ and product scope, October 2026: https://cartage.ai