Partial Delivery: How to Handle Short Supply Without Disputes

A partial delivery happens when a retailer gets less than they ordered. It comes in two forms: short supply, where the wholesaler does not have all the stock before dispatch, and short delivery, where some items are refused or found short at the shop. Handled well, both are routine. The keys are to tell the retailer before dispatch, record what was actually accepted at the counter, and bill and update the khata only for that.

Handled badly, a partial delivery turns into the familiar argument a week later: the retailer says only 8 cartons came, the bill says 10, and nobody has proof either way.

Two kinds of partial delivery

	Short supply (before dispatch)	Short delivery (at the shop)
Cause	Item out of stock or low	Damaged, wrong item, counted short, or refused
Who notices	Wholesaler while packing	Driver and retailer at the counter
Best moment to fix	Before the van leaves	During the handover
What to record	Offered quantity, retailer's response	Accepted quantity per item

Treating both the same way is where most problems start. Short supply is a decision the retailer should make before the goods move. Short delivery is a fact recorded during the handover.

Handling short supply before dispatch

When you cannot fill the full order:

1. Tell the retailer early. As soon as you know an item is short, offer the available quantity instead of quietly sending less.
2. Let them decide. Some retailers will take what is available; others would rather cancel and order elsewhere.
3. Adjust the order value. The order total should drop to what you are actually sending, so their credit limit and expectations are right.
4. Pack only what was accepted. The packing list should match the revised order.

This keeps the retailer in control and avoids surprises at the counter. It also protects your relationship: a retailer who was told in advance is far less likely to dispute the bill.

Handling short delivery at the shop

Even with careful packing, things happen during the handover. A carton is crushed, a pack is the wrong variant, or the count does not match.

• Count together. The driver and the retailer count item by item before the driver leaves.
• Record the accepted quantity for each item on the spot, not on the phone later.
• Note the reason, such as damaged, wrong item or missing.
• Take a photo where it helps, especially for damaged goods.
• Confirm the delivery with the retailer's delivery OTP once both agree.

Goods refused at the counter should go back in the van and be counted back into stock at the godown.

Billing a partial delivery

The simplest rule: bill what was delivered.

If your invoice is raised on delivery, it can show the delivered quantities from the start, and nothing has to be corrected. If you raise invoices before dispatch, a short delivery may need a correction, often through a credit note against the original invoice. Ask your CA which method fits your business.

Approach	Partial delivery handling
Invoice before dispatch	Correction needed for any short delivery
Invoice on delivery	Delivered quantities from the start

For the fields a correct tax invoice needs, see our guide to the GST invoice format.

Talking to retailers about short supply

How you communicate matters as much as the process. A few habits help:

• Be specific. "Item A: 6 of 10 cartons available, rest next Tuesday" is better than "some items are short".
• Suggest an alternative where it makes sense, such as a different pack size of the same brand, but let the retailer choose.
• Do not bundle surprises. Never replace a short item with a different product without asking.
• Follow up. When the stock arrives, let the retailer know so they can reorder.

Retailers remember suppliers who are honest about stock. A clear short-supply message today keeps the next order coming to you.

Khata and stock

• Khata. The retailer's dues should increase only by the value delivered. If the khata entry is made from the ordered quantity, every short delivery becomes a dispute later.
• Stock. Items not sent, and items brought back, should return to available stock, so you can sell them to the next retailer.
• Reports. Track how often each item goes short. A product that is short every week needs a better reorder level, not more apologies.

Partial delivery checklist

• Short supply offered to the retailer before dispatch, with their response recorded.
• Packing list matches the revised order.
• Count done together at the counter.
• Accepted quantity and reason recorded per item.
• Delivery confirmed with the retailer's OTP.
• Invoice and khata based on delivered quantities.
• Returned goods counted back into stock.
• Weekly review of items that go short.

How MaalMitra helps

MaalMitra handles both kinds of partial delivery inside the order flow.

• Partial fulfilment before dispatch. When the wholesaler cannot supply everything, they offer the available part. The retailer sees the original and offered amounts and can accept or reject. If they reject, the order is cancelled; if they accept, the order continues at the new value.
• Partial quantity at the shop. In the driver app, the driver records the quantity the retailer actually accepted for each item, and confirms the delivery by entering the retailer's delivery OTP, with photo and signature as extra proof. A delivery can also be marked as failed.
• Invoice for delivered quantities. The GST tax invoice is created on delivery and covers only what was delivered, so no correction is needed for short items.
• Khata follows. The same delivered amount goes to the retailer's khata.
• Stock follows. Inventory moves with every order, cancellation and short delivery, with automatic out-of-stock and back-in-stock and low-stock alerts.
• Disputes, if needed. If something is still wrong later, the retailer can raise a dispute on the order, such as missing item or wrong quantity, and both sides can follow it to resolution.

For more on proof at the counter, read our guide to the proof of delivery app. If the short items were damaged in transit, see our guide to damaged goods returns.

The bottom line

Partial delivery is normal in wholesale. What causes trouble is surprise and missing records. Offer short supply before the van leaves, count together at the counter, record what was accepted, and let the invoice, khata and stock follow the delivered quantities.

Want short deliveries handled without the argument? Get started free with MaalMitra.