Last updated 3 August 2026
The full agreement for anyone booking a collection or delivery through ShipSherpa, from a single parcel to an enterprise account.
These terms bind every person or organisation that quotes, books, dispatches or tracks through the ShipSherpa platform, including guest bookings, business accounts and enterprise customers.
Part 1
These Terms govern the use of the Ship Sherpa platform and all quoting, booking, dispatch, monitoring and related logistics workflows made available through it.
They apply to all activity conducted through or derived from the platform, including:
These Terms bind any person or organisation using the platform as a customer, including business customers, enterprise users, merchants, warehouse teams, procurement users, consumers, guest users and any authorised person acting through a customer account.
By creating an account, submitting a booking, requesting a quote, using guest checkout, enabling API connectivity, inviting users to an account, or otherwise using the platform, the customer agrees to these Terms.
Ship Sherpa Limited operates a technology-enabled logistics marketplace and dispatch layer.
Unless ShipSherpa expressly agrees otherwise in writing for a specific managed solution, ShipSherpa's role is limited to:
ShipSherpa is not, by default, the physical carrier, haulier, freight operator, warehouse operator or bailee of the goods.
Unless expressly stated otherwise in writing, the physical carriage of goods is performed by the accepted independent driver, fleet operator, transport provider or carrier allocated through the platform.
The customer contracts with ShipSherpa for use of the platform, platform-enabled dispatch services and related workflow tools.
Where a booking is accepted for physical fulfilment, the customer also acknowledges that the transport movement itself is carried out by the accepted driver, fleet operator or other transport provider.
Nothing in these Terms should be interpreted as making ShipSherpa the principal carrier for every booking unless that position is expressly agreed in writing for the relevant service.
A customer may operate through an individual account, a business master account, an enterprise account or guest checkout.
Where a customer account permits multiple users, the account holder may invite staff, warehouse teams, dispatchers, buyers or other authorised users.
The account holder is responsible for:
ShipSherpa is entitled to rely on actions taken through the customer account as authorised by the customer.
Any quote generated through the platform is based on information provided by the customer and on the pricing logic active at the time of quotation.
Quoting inputs may include:
A quote is indicative until the booking is submitted and the platform confirms that the booking has been accepted for dispatch.
A booking becomes binding only when:
ShipSherpa may decline, hold, reprice or refuse a booking before dispatch where booking data is incomplete, suspicious, inaccurate or commercially unworkable.
The customer warrants that all information provided in connection with a booking is complete, accurate and not misleading.
The customer is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of:
The customer bears all cost, delay, failed dispatch risk and loss arising from incorrect or incomplete booking information.
The customer must ensure that goods tendered for collection are:
The customer remains responsible for the sufficiency of packaging and for ensuring that the goods are suitable for the requested transport method.
Declared value may be used by ShipSherpa for risk filtering, insurance-routing logic, carrier matching, fraud controls and service eligibility, but a declared value does not itself amount to an agreement by ShipSherpa to insure or assume liability for the full amount declared.
The customer must not submit for transport any prohibited or restricted goods unless:
Without limitation, prohibited or restricted goods may include:
The list above is non-exhaustive.
If the customer breaches this section, the customer is responsible for all resulting loss, delay, seizure, damage, claims, fines, regulatory action and legal costs.
ShipSherpa or the accepted carrier may refuse collection, halt transit or isolate the shipment where prohibited or suspicious goods are suspected.
The customer must disclose at the time of booking any requirement for:
The quoted price is based only on the service scope declared at booking.
If the actual collection or delivery requires additional handling, labour, time, equipment or non-standard support, additional charges may apply under the relevant ShipSherpa pricing schedule.
Where the customer provides incorrect or incomplete route data, including a wrong address, wrong stop, wrong bay, wrong depot code, incomplete postcode or insufficient access information:
If a stop is removed, amended or materially changed after dispatch or during live execution, ShipSherpa may preserve the original route price and apply any additional live-route charges arising from the change.
Any included waiting allowance is only the allowance expressly shown at checkout, in the account tariff or in the relevant enterprise pricing schedule.
If the vehicle, driver or crew is delayed beyond that included allowance because the collection, loading, unloading, site release or access process is not ready, ShipSherpa may apply:
Those charges are governed by the applicable ShipSherpa pricing documents.
Unless a service is expressly sold as a critical timed service, all ETAs, route visibility, collection estimates and delivery windows are estimates only.
They are provided for operational guidance and tracking convenience and do not amount to a guarantee of arrival or completion time.
Delay may arise from causes including traffic, prior stop overrun, weather, access restrictions, vehicle issues, route amendments, police control, carrier availability and other operational conditions.
ShipSherpa is not responsible for commercial consequences flowing from estimated timing unless it has expressly agreed in writing to provide a guaranteed timed service.
A booking is treated as completed when a valid proof-of-delivery or equivalent route completion event is recorded.
This may include one or more of the following:
The platform record of completion is prima facie evidence of fulfilment unless the customer can show manifest error or fraud.
In addition to the original quoted route price, the customer may be charged for items arising under the ShipSherpa pricing framework, including:
The applicable ShipSherpa schedules form part of these Terms.
Where an enterprise rate card, MSA, SLA or negotiated pricing schedule expressly overrides a standard ShipSherpa schedule, the negotiated document shall prevail to the extent of inconsistency.
The customer authorises ShipSherpa to collect all sums properly due under these Terms and the applicable pricing schedules.
ShipSherpa may:
Where the customer uses a credit account, the customer must pay all invoices in accordance with the agreed payment terms.
The customer may not withhold or set off payment merely because it is pursuing a complaint or claim, unless required by law or agreed in writing.
Cancellation rights, failed dispatch charges, no-show treatment, vehicle reservation economics and driver withdrawal consequences are governed by the separate ShipSherpa cancellation and failed dispatch policy.
That policy forms part of these Terms.
If a booking is cancelled, fails, or cannot proceed after capacity has been reserved or dispatched, the customer may still be liable for all or part of the route price together with any additional operational charges already incurred.
Service complaints, cargo claims, POD disputes, shortage claims, property damage issues and other incidents must be raised through the appropriate ShipSherpa channel within the time limits stated in the applicable ShipSherpa complaints and claims framework.
Without prejudice to any stricter process set out in that framework, the customer acknowledges that delay in notifying a claim may compromise evidence and may result in rejection or reduction of the claim.
Unless ShipSherpa has expressly agreed in writing to assume principal-carrier responsibility for a particular service, physical transport claims relating to loss, damage, shortage, theft, misdelivery or cargo handling will ordinarily sit in the first instance against the accepted driver, fleet operator or relevant transport provider.
ShipSherpa may assist with evidence gathering, claims routing, insurer referral and platform-side review, but does not accept open-ended responsibility for the physical carriage of the goods.
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.
Subject to that, and unless otherwise agreed in writing:
This cap applies whether the claim is framed in contract, tort, negligence, statutory duty or otherwise, save where such limitation is prohibited by law.
The customer shall indemnify and keep indemnified ShipSherpa against loss, damage, claims, fines, regulatory action, liability and cost arising from:
This indemnity shall not apply to the extent the loss was caused directly by ShipSherpa's own breach of these Terms.
The customer must not intentionally bypass the platform to contract directly with a driver, fleet operator or transport provider introduced through ShipSherpa in connection with the same or substantially similar services for a period of 12 months from the relevant introduction, unless ShipSherpa agrees otherwise in writing.
The customer must also comply with all ShipSherpa conduct, fair-use, acceptable-use and marketplace integrity policies forming part of the wider legal framework.
The customer must not:
API access, enterprise integrations and customer account use remain subject to any additional API, security or fair-use rules made available by ShipSherpa.
ShipSherpa may suspend, restrict or terminate platform access where reasonably necessary to protect:
This may include cases involving:
ShipSherpa may take such action without prior notice where immediate action is reasonably required.
The customer must comply with all laws and regulations relevant to its use of the platform and the goods it submits for transport, including where applicable laws relating to:
Business customers are responsible for ensuring that goods submitted for transport can lawfully be moved and lawfully received at destination.
ShipSherpa may update the platform, pricing logic, service categories, allocation rules, onboarding requirements, fraud controls and these Terms from time to time.
Updated Terms will be published through the platform or otherwise notified using a reasonable channel.
Continued use of the platform after an update takes effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
Where a contracted account is materially affected, ShipSherpa will use reasonable efforts to provide reasonable notice in accordance with the relevant commercial arrangement.
Where the customer is acting as a consumer, nothing in these Terms is intended to remove or reduce any mandatory statutory rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.
If any provision would be unenforceable against a consumer, that provision shall be interpreted or disapplied only to the extent necessary, without affecting the remainder of these Terms.
Where a consumer-specific cancellation or statutory information regime applies by law, that regime will apply in addition to these Terms to the extent required.
If there is inconsistency between ShipSherpa documents, the following order of precedence shall apply unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing:
These Terms and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with them are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction, save where mandatory consumer law provides otherwise.
The parties acknowledge and agree that:
Part 2
A failed delivery or Delivery Exception occurs where ShipSherpa or the assigned Driver is unable to complete a delivery for reasons outside the Driver's reasonable control.
This may include, but is not limited to:
Where a Delivery Exception occurs, ShipSherpa may pause the delivery and request further instructions from the Client.
The Client acknowledges that the Driver is not required to retain, store or personally safeguard goods beyond the active delivery window.
Drivers are not permitted or expected to keep goods overnight, store goods at their home, leave goods without authorisation, or make their own decision about what should happen next.
If the delivery cannot be completed, ShipSherpa may require the goods to be:
The Client is responsible for ensuring that all delivery details are accurate and complete at the time of booking. This includes:
ShipSherpa shall not be responsible for delay, failed delivery, return mileage, redelivery charges, additional waiting time or other costs caused by incorrect, incomplete or unavailable information provided by the Client, sender or recipient.
If the Driver arrives at the delivery address and the recipient is unavailable, ShipSherpa may require the Driver to follow the failed delivery process. This may include:
The Driver is not required to wait indefinitely.
Unless otherwise agreed, the first 10 minutes of waiting time may be included in the original delivery fee. Waiting time after this period may be charged in 15-minute increments or part thereof.
Where a delivery cannot be completed and the Client requests another delivery attempt, ShipSherpa may arrange a redelivery subject to Driver availability, operational capacity and payment of any applicable charges.
A redelivery may be treated as:
Redelivery charges may include:
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, any redelivery shall be subject to ShipSherpa's minimum booking charge, currently £45.00.
If a delivery cannot be completed and no suitable instruction is received, ShipSherpa may instruct the Driver to return the goods to the original collection address, sender address, Client premises or another approved return location.
Return to Sender may be chargeable. Charges may include:
Unless otherwise agreed, if no approved instruction is received within 20 minutes of ShipSherpa notifying the Client of a Delivery Exception, ShipSherpa may automatically instruct the Driver to Return to Sender.
If the recipient is at a different location from the original delivery address, the Driver must not proceed to the new location unless the Client has approved the address change through the ShipSherpa platform or another approved ShipSherpa communication channel.
Where the delivery address is changed after the delivery has started, ShipSherpa may charge for:
The amended delivery will only continue once the additional charge or instruction has been approved.
ShipSherpa will only allow goods to be left in a safe place, with a neighbour, at reception, with a concierge, security desk, loading bay or another third party where this has been authorised by the Client, sender or recipient.
The Driver must not leave goods unattended or with a third party unless authorised.
Where this type of delivery is authorised, ShipSherpa may require proof of delivery, including:
Once goods have been delivered in accordance with an authorised safe place or third-party instruction, the delivery shall be deemed completed.
Where available, ShipSherpa may arrange for goods to be taken to an approved ShipSherpa holding location, micro-hub, depot, partner location or other secure location. This option is only available where ShipSherpa has authorised it.
Storage, holding, redelivery and onward delivery charges may apply. ShipSherpa is not obliged to provide a holding location and may instead require the goods to be returned to sender.
Where ShipSherpa contacts the Client for further instruction following a Delivery Exception and no response is received within the required response period, ShipSherpa may, at its discretion:
The Client shall be responsible for all reasonable charges arising from any action taken by ShipSherpa where no timely instruction is received.
In the event of a failed delivery, ShipSherpa may record evidence of the attempted delivery. This may include:
This evidence may be used to confirm attendance, resolve disputes, calculate charges, protect the goods and maintain a clear delivery audit trail. Where GPS, photographs, names or signatures can identify an individual, that evidence is treated as personal data and handled in accordance with the ShipSherpa Privacy Policy and applicable data-protection law.
A delivery shall be deemed completed where the goods are:
Once the goods have been handled in accordance with the approved instruction, ShipSherpa shall have no further obligation to arrange additional delivery attempts unless a new booking is made and accepted.
Part 3
Effective date: 9 July 2026 · Last updated: 9 July 2026
Ship Sherpa Limited operates a technology platform that connects customers requiring delivery services with independent drivers, couriers, riders, fleet operators and delivery businesses.
As part of the driver onboarding and approval process, drivers may be required to provide insurance documents, identity documents, vehicle records, licences, qualifications and other supporting information.
This Policy explains:
This Policy forms part of the terms governing the use of the ShipSherpa platform. By creating a ShipSherpa customer account, making a booking or using the ShipSherpa platform, the customer confirms that they have read, understood and accepted this Policy.
For the purposes of this Policy:
“Customer” means any individual, business, organisation or other person that creates a ShipSherpa account, requests a quotation, places a booking or uses a delivery service through the ShipSherpa platform.
“Driver” means any independent driver, courier, rider, fleet operator, delivery company, subcontractor or other delivery service provider that registers with or provides delivery services through the ShipSherpa platform.
“Driver Documents” means all documents, records, certificates, statements, declarations, photographs, information and other evidence provided by or on behalf of a Driver.
“Fraudulent Documentation” means any document or information that is forged, fabricated, altered, digitally manipulated, misleading, incomplete in a material respect, expired, cancelled, suspended, invalid, stolen, unlawfully obtained, issued to another person, vehicle or business, presented outside the scope for which it was issued, or otherwise false or used dishonestly.
“ShipSherpa” means Ship Sherpa Limited, company number 17131128.
Depending on the Driver, vehicle, location, delivery category and type of service being provided, ShipSherpa may require documents including:
ShipSherpa may require different documents from different Drivers depending on the services they wish to provide. The fact that ShipSherpa has not requested a particular document does not remove the Driver's responsibility to obtain and maintain everything legally required to perform a delivery.
Every Driver is solely responsible for ensuring that all Driver Documents and information supplied to ShipSherpa are:
It is the Driver's responsibility to periodically update their documents and details, and to ensure this is done. The Driver is responsible for understanding the insurance, licensing and regulatory requirements that apply to their activities. ShipSherpa's acceptance or approval of a document does not transfer any of the Driver's responsibilities to ShipSherpa.
Whenever a Driver uploads, submits or otherwise provides a document or information to ShipSherpa, the Driver represents, warrants and declares that:
The Driver's declarations apply each time the Driver accesses the platform, accepts a delivery or completes a delivery.
Driver approval is not permanent.
Every Driver has a continuing duty to maintain valid and appropriate Driver Documents throughout the entire period in which they use the ShipSherpa platform.
The Driver must immediately notify ShipSherpa and stop accepting deliveries where:
The Driver must provide replacement or updated documentation before accepting any further deliveries. ShipSherpa accepts no responsibility for a Driver's failure to disclose the cancellation, expiry, suspension, revocation, restriction or invalidation of a document.
ShipSherpa may review Driver Documents using one or more of the following:
ShipSherpa may determine the nature, scope, frequency and level of its checks based on the Driver, the vehicle, the delivery category, the risk associated with the services, the value or nature of the goods, information available to ShipSherpa, previous Driver conduct, and any concerns or warning signs identified. ShipSherpa may approve, reject, suspend or request further information from a Driver at its discretion.
ShipSherpa will take reasonable steps appropriate to its platform and verification process. However, no document-verification process can provide an absolute guarantee that every document is genuine, accurate or valid.
A document may appear genuine even where it has been:
The approval, acceptance or display of a Driver Document does not constitute:
ShipSherpa is not the Driver's insurer, licensing authority, employer or professional regulator.
ShipSherpa is entitled to rely upon documents, statements, declarations and representations supplied by a Driver unless ShipSherpa knows, or has reasonable grounds to suspect, that the information is false, misleading or invalid.
Where a Driver deliberately provides convincing Fraudulent Documentation, ShipSherpa may not be able to identify the fraud through its normal verification procedures. A Driver cannot transfer responsibility for their fraud, dishonesty or misrepresentation to ShipSherpa merely because ShipSherpa received, reviewed or initially accepted the relevant document.
Any breach involving dishonesty, fraud, attempted fraud, attempted deception, deliberate misrepresentation, impersonation, concealment of material information or the submission or attempted submission of Fraudulent Documentation constitutes a material and fundamental breach of the Driver's agreement with ShipSherpa.
This applies whether or not:
An attempt to commit fraud will be treated in the same way as completed fraud.
Fraudulent conduct includes any attempt to:
This list is not exhaustive.
Where ShipSherpa discovers or reasonably suspects fraud, attempted fraud, fraudulent activity or Fraudulent Documentation, ShipSherpa may immediately:
ShipSherpa is not required to provide advance notice before suspending a Driver where it reasonably considers that fraud, safety, Customer property, insurance coverage or regulatory compliance may be at risk. ShipSherpa may suspend a Driver while an investigation takes place without this amounting to a final conclusion that fraud has occurred.
Any fraud, attempted fraud, deliberate deception or submission or attempted submission of Fraudulent Documentation will entitle ShipSherpa to terminate the Driver's agreement immediately for material and fundamental breach.
Termination will not remove or cancel:
The Driver cannot rely upon their own fraudulent or unlawful conduct to avoid liability. The Driver remains responsible for the consequences of the fraud even where the Driver's account or agreement has been terminated.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, ShipSherpa accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss, damage, theft, injury, delay, claim, penalty, failed insurance claim, uninsured loss, expense or other consequence arising from:
provided that:
In those circumstances, all responsibility for the Fraudulent Documentation and its consequences remains with the Driver who submitted, used or attempted to submit it. The approval of a Driver's account does not transfer the Driver's legal, regulatory, contractual or insurance responsibilities to ShipSherpa.
A Driver responsible for fraud, attempted fraud, misrepresentation, concealment or Fraudulent Documentation will be responsible for all consequences arising from their conduct.
To the extent permitted by law and the Driver Terms, the Driver must reimburse ShipSherpa for all losses, liabilities and reasonable costs resulting from that conduct, including:
ShipSherpa may deduct amounts owed by the Driver from payments otherwise due to the Driver where permitted by the Driver Terms and applicable law.
Any statement on the ShipSherpa platform indicating that a Driver has provided insurance documentation means only that documentation has been supplied and processed through ShipSherpa's applicable review procedure.
It does not guarantee that:
Insurance coverage will depend upon the wording of the relevant policy and the circumstances of the incident. ShipSherpa does not control and cannot guarantee the decision of an independent insurer to accept, reject, reduce or limit a claim.
Unless expressly stated otherwise in the applicable Customer Terms, Drivers using the ShipSherpa platform provide delivery services as independent service providers.
Drivers are responsible for:
Drivers are not authorised to make promises, warranties, guarantees or representations on behalf of ShipSherpa.
Customers must provide complete and accurate information about every delivery, including:
Customers must not misdescribe goods or conceal information that could affect the legality of the delivery, the safety of the Driver, the type of vehicle required, insurance coverage, the delivery price, or the Driver's ability to complete the delivery. Additional protection, insurance or specialist delivery arrangements may be required for high-value, fragile, hazardous, regulated, medical, pharmaceutical, temperature-controlled or otherwise specialist goods.
By registering for or using the ShipSherpa platform, the Customer acknowledges that:
Nothing in this Policy requires a Customer to accept a Driver whom the Customer reasonably believes is acting unlawfully, dishonestly or unsafely.
Customers should immediately report any concern about a Driver's identity, vehicle, insurance, documentation, conduct, licences, qualifications, permissions, security clearance or eligibility to complete a delivery.
Reports should be sent to Ship Sherpa Limited at support@shipsherpa.co.uk. Where possible, the Customer should provide the booking reference, the delivery reference, the Driver's name, the vehicle registration, details of the concern, copies of relevant messages, photographs or video evidence, details of any loss, damage or injury, and any other relevant evidence. ShipSherpa may suspend the Driver while it investigates the report.
Where an incident involves suspected fraud or invalid Driver Documents, ShipSherpa may assist by preserving available platform records, reviewing the Driver's account, contacting the Driver, contacting the insurer or document issuer, suspending the Driver, providing appropriate information to insurers or authorities, identifying relevant delivery records, and facilitating communication where appropriate.
Any assistance provided by ShipSherpa does not constitute:
Nothing in this Policy excludes or restricts any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted. In particular, nothing in this Policy excludes or restricts liability for:
Nothing in this Policy affects a Customer's statutory rights.
This Policy should be read together with:
Where there is a conflict between this Policy and the Customer Terms and Conditions, the Customer Terms and Conditions will take priority, subject to applicable law. The Driver's responsibilities, warranties, indemnities and reimbursement obligations will also be governed by the Driver Terms and Conditions.
ShipSherpa may update this Policy to reflect changes to:
The version displayed when a Customer creates an account or makes a booking will apply to that registration or booking, subject to applicable law. Material changes may be communicated through the ShipSherpa platform or to the Customer's registered email address.
This Policy and any non-contractual dispute arising from it will be governed by the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales will have jurisdiction, except where applicable consumer law gives a Customer the right to bring proceedings in another part of the United Kingdom.
Ship Sherpa Limited
Company number: 17131128
Registered office: The Sharp Project, Gold 157, Thorp Road, Manchester, England, M40 5BJ
Customer support: support@shipsherpa.co.uk
Questions, reports of suspected fraud, concerns regarding Driver Documents and Customer claims should be sent to the customer support email address above.
The following statement is displayed beside a mandatory, unticked acceptance box during customer registration. The Customer must actively select the acceptance box before completing registration.
“I confirm that I have read and agree to the Ship Sherpa Limited Document Integrity, Fraud and Driver Verification Policy. I understand that Drivers are responsible for the authenticity, accuracy and continuing validity of the documents they provide. I understand that ShipSherpa's verification process cannot provide an absolute guarantee against deliberate fraud and that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, Ship Sherpa Limited is not responsible for consequences arising from fraudulent Driver documentation that it did not know about and could not reasonably have identified.”
For each acceptance, ShipSherpa records the Customer's account identification, the date and time of acceptance, the version of the Policy accepted, the IP address or equivalent technical record, the device or browser information where appropriate, and any subsequent acceptance of a revised version.
The following notice is shown on the booking page:
Driver document verification.
Drivers are solely responsible for ensuring that all insurance, identity, vehicle, licence, qualification and supporting documents supplied to ShipSherpa are genuine, accurate, valid and current.
Any fraud, attempted fraud, deliberate misrepresentation or submission or attempted submission of fraudulent documentation constitutes a fundamental breach of the Driver's agreement and may result in immediate suspension, termination, recovery of losses and referral to the relevant authorities.
ShipSherpa undertakes reasonable verification checks but cannot guarantee that professionally forged, deliberately manipulated, fraudulently obtained or subsequently cancelled documents will always be identified.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Ship Sherpa Limited accepts no responsibility for consequences arising from fraudulent Driver documentation where it did not know, and could not reasonably have known, that the documentation was fraudulent or invalid.
By continuing with your booking, you acknowledge and accept the Ship Sherpa Limited Document Integrity, Fraud and Driver Verification Policy.
Part 4
This Policy sets the rules that apply where booked logistics capacity is withdrawn, released, abandoned, rendered unusable or otherwise lost after a booking has entered the ShipSherpa marketplace.
It governs the commercial consequences of:
The purpose of this Policy is not punitive. Its purpose is to allocate the economic consequences of lost capacity fairly across the marketplace once a route, driver, fleet resource or specialist vehicle has been reserved or deployed.
This Policy forms part of the ShipSherpa contractual framework and applies across standard same-day services, scheduled work, dedicated vehicle bookings, half-day and full-day hire, trunking, linehaul, overflow work, enterprise dispatch and API-originated bookings.
A booking may be cancelled before execution begins, but once ShipSherpa marketplace capacity has been reserved, accepted, dispatched or committed, the booking may generate a charge even if transport does not complete.
Charges under this Policy reflect one or more of the following:
Where a booking has been amended by agreement, all cancellation windows and charging thresholds shall be measured by reference to the revised booking time, not the original one.
For the purposes of this Policy, a booking may sit in one of the following marketplace states:
Open Allocation
No driver, fleet partner or vehicle resource has yet accepted or been committed.
Reserved Capacity
A driver, fleet partner or vehicle resource has accepted or been ring-fenced for the job.
Committed Dispatch
The assigned resource has begun operational preparation, mobilisation, route positioning or scheduled deployment.
Arrival / Live Attendance
The driver or vehicle has reached site, entered the collection approach stage or is demonstrably present for collection.
The commercial consequences of cancellation increase as the booking moves through these capacity states.
A customer may cancel a booking without charge where either:
For standard same-day vehicle classes from car up to Luton, ShipSherpa may apply a brief grace period for obvious booking mistakes. Unless a different period is published for the relevant service, that grace period shall be 10 minutes from confirmed booking.
Once reserved capacity exists, the booking becomes subject to the charging structure in this Policy.
Car to Luton vehicle classes
Where a standard same-day booking has entered Reserved Capacity, the following charging rules apply:
| Time of cancellation before collection | Charge |
|---|---|
| More than 2 hours | 0% |
| 2 hours to 75 minutes | 20% |
| 75 minutes to 40 minutes | 45% |
| Less than 40 minutes | 70% |
| Driver en route, arrived, or attendance confirmed | 100% |
ShipSherpa may treat a driver as en route where dispatch evidence, platform status or communications show that the driver has materially committed to collection attendance.
Half-day and full-day hire
Dedicated vehicle bookings carry increased lock-up risk because vehicle time is reserved for one customer and cannot readily be resold at short notice.
Where a dedicated half-day or full-day booking is cancelled, the following charges apply:
| Time of cancellation before booked start | Charge |
|---|---|
| More than 24 hours | 0% |
| 24 hours to 10 hours | 20% |
| 10 hours to 3 hours | 45% |
| Less than 3 hours | 70% |
| Vehicle dispatched, mobilised or on site | 100% |
7.5 tonne, 18 tonne, artic and similar specialist allocations
Heavy vehicle and linehaul bookings create materially higher planning exposure, including regulated driver hours, dock timing, return-leg inefficiency, specialist scheduling and revenue displacement.
Accordingly, unless a separate enterprise schedule applies, the following charging structure shall apply:
| Time of cancellation before collection or booked movement | Charge |
|---|---|
| More than 24 hours | 0% |
| 24 hours to 14 hours | 40% |
| 14 hours to 4 hours | 65% |
| Less than 4 hours | 90% |
| Vehicle rolling, on site, timed dock committed or attendance confirmed | 100% |
For the purposes of this section, “rolling” includes any demonstrable commencement of the transport movement or committed positioning of the heavy vehicle resource.
A booking may be treated as a failed collection where the assigned resource attends as required but transport cannot proceed because the customer, consignor or site is not operationally ready.
This includes where:
In such cases, ShipSherpa may charge up to the full route value together with any waiting time, wasted attendance, repositioning cost or specialist vehicle idle charge.
A customer may cancel without cancellation charge where the assigned service is materially delayed beyond the applicable threshold and ShipSherpa is unable to provide a commercially reasonable recovery position.
Unless otherwise agreed:
This fee-free cancellation right shall not apply where the delay arises wholly or mainly from:
Drivers and fleet partners are under no obligation to accept any offered booking.
Nothing in this Policy requires a driver or fleet partner to take any route, maintain any acceptance rate or reserve availability for future work.
The legal and commercial consequences in this Part arise only after a booking has been accepted or a fleet resource has been committed.
Once accepted, a booking should only be relinquished where continued performance would be unsafe, unlawful or genuinely impracticable.
Legitimate withdrawal reasons may include:
Where possible, the driver or fleet partner must notify ShipSherpa immediately so reallocation can be attempted.
The following conduct undermines marketplace confidence and is prohibited:
Where such behaviour is identified, ShipSherpa may apply commercial or access consequences including payout adjustment, reduced allocation priority, temporary suspension or permanent removal.
Any such platform response remains a marketplace integrity measure and does not imply employment-style discipline.
Where a fleet partner has accepted a booking and its originally intended driver becomes unavailable, the fleet partner must use reasonable efforts to reallocate the work internally through an already approved and verified replacement.
No unapproved third-party substitution may be used unless separately authorised under the applicable ShipSherpa fleet onboarding framework.
The fleet partner remains responsible for any failed fulfilment arising from internal driver unavailability.
Some enterprise, API and strategic customer accounts may operate under:
Where such a document expressly overrides this Policy, the negotiated enterprise arrangement shall prevail to the extent of the inconsistency.
In the absence of an express override, this Policy shall apply.
ShipSherpa may investigate booking and cancellation behaviour suggesting misuse of the marketplace, including:
Where abuse is suspected, ShipSherpa may impose appropriate controls, including warning notices, charge enforcement, throttling, booking restrictions, API suspension or account termination.
Any charge arising under this Policy may be:
ShipSherpa may retain evidence reasonably necessary to support charge enforcement, fraud defence, insurer reporting or customer dispute resolution.
This Policy is intended to preserve fair pricing, credible vehicle reservation economics, driver confidence, fleet reliability and enterprise-grade dispatch integrity.
It is also designed to discourage false demand, protect genuine capacity and support national scaling across same-day, scheduled, dedicated and future multimodal services.
Part 5
This Schedule sets out the additional charges that may arise where the actual operational requirements of a booked movement differ from, exceed or materially depart from the assumptions built into the original quoted service.
The quoted booking price is ordinarily generated on the basis of a defined transport scope, including:
Where the actual job extends beyond that baseline, ShipSherpa may apply supplementary charges to reflect the additional time, labour, disruption, equipment commitment or route impact created by that variation.
This Schedule applies across:
Additional fees under this Schedule are intended to reflect genuine operational extension or service deviation. They are not intended to penalise normal use of the ShipSherpa platform.
Charges may arise where one or more of the following occurs:
Where a separate master services agreement, enterprise rate card or account-specific pricing schedule expressly overrides this Schedule, that negotiated arrangement shall prevail to the extent of any inconsistency.
The original quoted service includes only the operational scope expressly presented at the time of booking.
Unless separately stated, the quote does not automatically include:
Where any of those factors arise, additional fees may be charged in accordance with this Schedule.
A waiting fee may be charged where a vehicle or crew is kept beyond the included grace period at collection, delivery or any intermediate operational point.
Waiting time may be measured using one or more of the following:
Waiting charges apply only after the grace period for the relevant vehicle class has expired.
4.1 Vehicle Waiting Rates
| Vehicle class | Solo operator or driver rate | Two-person crew rate | Waiting charge starts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | £12 per hour | N/A | After 30 minutes |
| Small Van | £13 per hour | N/A | After 30 minutes |
| Short Wheelbase | £13 per hour | N/A | After 30 minutes |
| Long Wheelbase | £14 per hour | £22 per hour | After 30 minutes |
| Extra Long Wheelbase | £14 per hour | £22 per hour | After 30 minutes |
| Luton | £18 per hour | £27 per hour | After 30 minutes |
| 7.5 Tonne | £22 per hour | £36 per hour | After 30 minutes |
| 18–26 Tonne | £36 per hour | £55 per hour | After 60 minutes |
| Artic | £36 per hour | £55 per hour | After 60 minutes |
ShipSherpa may calculate waiting charges on a pro-rata basis unless the applicable customer contract states otherwise.
Where the booked movement requires labour, support or site handling outside the declared transport scope, ShipSherpa may charge additional handling fees.
This may include, without limitation:
5.1 Standard Handling Rates
For vehicle classes from Car to Luton, the following handling charges apply:
| Circumstance | Solo rate | Two-person crew rate |
|---|---|---|
| Additional handling added after booking but before dispatch | £12 per hour | £24 per hour |
| Additional handling introduced after the job has started | £16 per hour | N/A |
| Further manual handling outside the original service scope once the job is in live execution | £20 per hour | N/A |
For 7.5 Tonne to Artic vehicle classes, the following handling rates apply:
| Vehicle class | Solo rate | Two-person crew rate |
|---|---|---|
| 7.5 Tonne to Artic | £26 per hour | £52 per hour |
These charges may apply where the original booking omitted material handling requirements.
ShipSherpa may apply an uplift where a booking falls within a period of exceptional market pressure, public holiday cost escalation or severe transport disruption.
Unless separately agreed, the following standard uplifts may apply:
| Service period | Surcharge |
|---|---|
| UK Bank Holidays | 20% |
| Christmas Day | 85% |
| Boxing Day or New Year's Day | 50% |
| Severe peak-demand events | Dynamic uplift may apply |
For the purposes of this Schedule, peak-demand conditions may include:
Where a dynamic uplift applies, ShipSherpa will use reasonable efforts to surface that uplift through the platform or notify the customer through an appropriate operations channel.
Some route-related uplifts depend on geography, access conditions or corridor density rather than on general operational deviation.
Those charges are governed separately under the relevant ShipSherpa geographic or area pricing schedule, including charges relating to:
Where both this Schedule and a geographic surcharge schedule apply, each charge may be applied to the extent that it addresses a different source of additional cost.
ShipSherpa may apply further charges where a live booking generates genuine exception handling that was not included within the original route price.
Examples include:
Where reasonably practicable, such fees will be surfaced through the platform, confirmed by ShipSherpa operations or reflected in the applicable route adjustment record.
8.1 Delivery Destination Amendments
Where a customer requests a change to the delivery address, delivery postcode or final delivery destination after a booking has been confirmed, the following amendment fees shall apply:
| Timing of amendment | Amendment fee |
|---|---|
| Amendment requested within 24 hours before the scheduled collection time, but before the goods have been collected | £17.50 |
| Amendment requested after collection, once the goods are in transit | £35.00 |
The applicable amendment fee is payable in addition to any increased transport charge resulting from the revised route.
Any additional mileage created by the amendment shall be charged at two times the applicable per-mile rate for the vehicle class booked.
Additional mileage will ordinarily be calculated by reference to the additional route distance created by replacing the original delivery destination with the revised delivery destination.
For example, where the applicable vehicle rate is £1.50 per mile, additional mileage resulting from a delivery destination amendment will be charged at £3.00 per additional mile.
The delivery amendment fee and the additional mileage charge may apply together.
A delivery destination amendment remains subject to:
ShipSherpa does not guarantee that a delivery destination amendment can be accepted after dispatch or collection.
Where the assigned driver cannot reasonably accommodate the revised destination, ShipSherpa may:
Further charges may apply where an alternative operational solution is required. ShipSherpa will notify the customer of those charges where reasonably practicable.
The customer must submit or confirm the revised delivery details through the ShipSherpa platform or another communication channel approved by ShipSherpa.
No delivery destination amendment shall become effective until it has been acknowledged or accepted by ShipSherpa.
The customer remains responsible for ensuring that all revised delivery information is complete and accurate, including:
ShipSherpa shall not be responsible for delay, failed delivery or additional cost caused by inaccurate, incomplete or late amendment instructions supplied by the customer.
Charges arising from booking withdrawal, failed collection or dispatch loss are governed primarily by the separate ShipSherpa cancellation and failed dispatch policy.
This Schedule may still apply in addition where the cancelled or failed job has also generated:
For enterprise and API customers, any or all of the fees in this Schedule may be:
Where a master services agreement, pricing schedule or enterprise statement of work expressly overrides this Schedule, that negotiated document shall prevail to the extent of any inconsistency.
ShipSherpa may rely on operational data and platform evidence to support the application of charges under this Schedule, including:
Such evidence may be retained for:
This Schedule is intended to support a pricing model that remains commercially fair and easier to work with than many legacy courier or transport networks, while still preserving:
That balance is fundamental to the ShipSherpa's marketplace model.
Part 6
This Schedule governs the additional pricing adjustments that may apply where a booked movement enters, exits, originates from or terminates in a geography that creates materially different operating conditions from the baseline route assumptions used in standard pricing.
ShipSherpa's quoted rate for a Job is generated on the basis of route distance, vehicle type, timing and expected operational profile. Some parts of the UK, however, carry additional cost or reduced network efficiency because of access friction, lower vehicle density, poor backload conditions, metropolitan delay or corridor-specific restrictions.
This Schedule identifies the geographic circumstances in which a surcharge may be applied in addition to the quoted Job price.
It forms part of ShipSherpa's wider pricing framework and should be read together with any operational variation schedule, cancellation policy, enterprise rate card or API pricing logic applicable to the booking.
A geographic surcharge may be applied where the collection point, delivery point, route corridor or wider operating environment creates additional cost, reduced recoverability or reduced dispatch efficiency.
These uplifts are intended to reflect genuine route-economics factors, including:
The purpose of this Schedule is to preserve realistic network coverage across hard-to-serve regions and premium urban zones while maintaining fair pricing for the broader marketplace.
For the purposes of this Schedule, ShipSherpa may classify routes by reference to one or more of the following geographic conditions:
Regional Access Zone
A postcode area or corridor where driver density, backload conditions or general route economics justify a fixed uplift.
Extended Rural or Low-Density Zone
A geography in which distance, sparse supply, poor return leg recovery or operational friction creates materially increased route cost.
London / Metro Movement Zone
A route involving M25 access, London circulation, compliance-zone exposure or premium city-dispatch conditions.
Exceptional Access Geography
A movement involving islands, ferries, toll structures, weather-sensitive corridors, unusual access restrictions or materially abnormal route friction.
A single booking may fall into more than one category.
Unless a negotiated enterprise tariff or API pricing override applies, the following regional uplifts may be applied by reference to the applicable collection postcode, delivery postcode or both.
| Postcode area / sector | Geographic classification | Uplift |
|---|---|---|
| AB | Aberdeen & North East Scotland | 20% |
| BH | South Coast Bournemouth Corridor | 20% |
| BN | Brighton & Sussex Coast | 15% |
| CA | Cumbria / Carlisle Access Zone | 20% |
| CO | Colchester & East Essex | 15% |
| CT | East Kent / Canterbury | 25% |
| DD | Dundee & East Scotland | 25% |
| DG | Dumfries, Borders & South West Scotland | 30% |
| DT | Dorset / Dorchester | 20% |
| EX | Exeter & Devon Access Zone | 20% |
| IP | Ipswich & Suffolk | 15% |
| IV | Highlands / Inverness | 25% |
| KA | Ayrshire / Kilmarnock | 20% |
| KY | Fife / Kirkcaldy | 15% |
| LA | Lancaster / North Lancashire | 25% |
| LD | Mid Wales / Powys Access Zone | 25% |
| LL11–17, LL20 | North Wales Coastal Corridor | 15% |
| LL18–19, LL21–78 | Extended North Wales Rural Zone | 40% |
| ME | Medway / Rochester Corridor | 25% |
| NR | Norwich & Norfolk | 15% |
| PA | West Scotland / Paisley & Clyde | 30% |
| PE | Peterborough & East Midlands Edge | 15% |
| PH | Perthshire / Highlands Gateway | 40% |
| PL | Plymouth & Deep South West | 40% |
| PO | Portsmouth & South Coast Port Zone | 15% |
| SA1–16, SA18, SA80, SA99 | Swansea Urban & Coastal | 15% |
| SA17, SA19–20, SA31–48, SA61–73 | West Wales Extended Rural Zone | 40% |
| SO | Southampton & Solent Corridor | 15% |
| SY | Shropshire / Welsh Border | 25% |
| TA | Taunton & Somerset West | 25% |
| TD | Borders / Galashiels Cross-Border Zone | 25% |
| TN | Tunbridge Wells & Kent Weald | 25% |
| TQ | Torbay / Torquay | 40% |
| TR | Cornwall / Truro Peninsula | 40% |
A surcharge under the Regional Access Uplift Matrix may be applied where:
Where both collection and delivery locations fall within surcharge zones, ShipSherpa may apply:
The method used should reflect the actual route economics of the booking.
Routes involving London or the M25 may carry separate pricing adjustments because they are affected by conditions not fully captured by simple mileage-based pricing.
Those conditions may include:
Unless a different tariff is applied through the pricing engine, the following London movement rules apply:
| Route scenario | Pricing treatment |
|---|---|
| Collection and delivery both inside M25 | London metro pricing tariff applies |
| Collection outside M25 and delivery inside M25 | 5% London ingress surcharge |
| Collection inside M25 and delivery outside M25 | 5% London egress surcharge |
| Route crosses the M25 multiple times or involves unusual metro complexity | Additional route-complexity uplift may apply |
Where a London metro tariff applies, ShipSherpa should not duplicate a London ingress or egress uplift unless the pricing logic expressly provides for separate components.
ShipSherpa may apply additional or higher geographic uplifts where route conditions create genuine access or resourcing difficulty beyond the standard postcode matrix.
Examples include:
These uplifts may be surfaced:
Where reasonably practicable, ShipSherpa should make such uplifts visible before or at the time they are incurred.
This Schedule addresses geography-specific route economics.
It does not replace separate pricing documents dealing with:
Where another ShipSherpa schedule addresses a different source of additional cost, both charges may apply provided they relate to distinct commercial factors and are not duplicative.
For enterprise, ecommerce and API-integrated customers, geographic pricing may be applied through one or more of the following methods:
Where an enterprise MSA, pricing schedule, account tariff or statement of work expressly overrides this Schedule, that negotiated document shall prevail to the extent of any inconsistency.
ShipSherpa may update the surcharges in this Schedule from time to time where reasonably required to reflect changes affecting network viability or route cost, including:
Where a contracted account is materially affected, ShipSherpa will use reasonable efforts to provide notice in accordance with the relevant commercial agreement.
This Schedule is intended to operate as a commercial route-economics framework rather than as a fixed public parcel tariff.
It should be interpreted in a manner that supports:
Those principles are fundamental to ShipSherpa's marketplace model.
Part 7
ShipSherpa operates a live logistics marketplace in which pricing, route access, vehicle allocation, tracking evidence, customer trust and carrier confidence all depend on users behaving honestly and within defined commercial boundaries.
This Policy sets the conduct standards that apply to any person or organisation using, accessing or benefiting from the ShipSherpa network, whether directly or indirectly.
It applies to:
This Policy forms part of the wider ShipSherpa legal framework and applies across all bookings, shipment movements and operational workflows conducted through or derived from the platform.
This Policy is intended to protect the following core interests of the ShipSherpa network:
Any conduct that undermines those interests may be treated as a breach of this Policy even if it is not expressly listed in identical words below.
A user must not use access to the ShipSherpa platform, or any information obtained through it, to divert marketplace value away from ShipSherpa.
This includes, without limitation:
Any deliberate diversion of platform-originated commercial opportunity may lead to immediate suspension, termination, recovery of lost fees, injunctive relief and any other legal remedy available.
ShipSherpa must be able to trust that booking activity reflects genuine transport demand.
No user may create, submit or engineer bookings that are misleading, speculative, abusive or non-genuine.
Prohibited conduct includes:
ShipSherpa may investigate any account whose booking pattern suggests demand distortion, synthetic traffic or commercial bad faith.
Because ShipSherpa is a live-capacity marketplace, users must not distort allocation fairness by capturing, blocking or hoarding routes without proper intent to perform.
Drivers and fleet partners must not:
Legitimate withdrawal caused by breakdown, illness, unsafe goods, route illegality or compliance issues remains permitted, provided it is genuine and communicated promptly.
Jobs offered through ShipSherpa may only be fulfilled through the authorised operator structure recognised by the platform.
A route may not be:
Drivers and fleet partners must ensure that any substitute, vehicle or fulfilment resource used for a route has already been properly onboarded and authorised under the ShipSherpa framework.
Unauthorised delegation may trigger payout intervention, failed-service treatment, suspension and recovery of resulting customer losses.
A user must not misuse information obtained through ShipSherpa where that information has commercial, operational, customer or network sensitivity.
Protected information includes:
A user must not disclose, copy, exploit or weaponise such information for its own competitive advantage or for the advantage of any third party.
These obligations continue after account closure or suspension.
ShipSherpa relies on digital evidence to settle routes, defend claims and maintain trust. No user may interfere with that evidence chain.
Prohibited conduct includes:
Where fraud indicators arise, ShipSherpa may hold payouts, reverse credits, suspend access, retain evidence, notify insurers and refer matters to law enforcement where appropriate.
Users must not exploit ShipSherpa systems as a data-harvesting, benchmarking or competitor intelligence tool.
Prohibited conduct includes:
Where usage is excessive, abusive or commercially extractive, ShipSherpa may apply throttling, suspension, key revocation, access restrictions or revised commercial terms.
All users must deal with one another lawfully, professionally and without hostility.
The following are prohibited in any ShipSherpa-related interaction:
This standard applies across digital and non-digital interactions connected with the ShipSherpa network, including calls, messages, emails, WhatsApp escalations, support tickets and on-site conduct.
ShipSherpa requires all users to treat others fairly and in accordance with applicable equality law.
Discriminatory conduct connected with the platform, including conduct based on protected characteristics, may result in immediate suspension or permanent removal.
This applies equally to customers, drivers, fleet partners, staff users, warehouse personnel and enterprise users.
ShipSherpa may investigate suspected misuse, abuse or distortion of marketplace activity.
Investigations may relate to:
ShipSherpa may rely on booking data, route records, communications, account behaviour, GPS or POD evidence, API usage logs and other reasonable sources when assessing suspected breach.
Where ShipSherpa reasonably considers that this Policy has been breached, it may take one or more of the following actions:
The remedy chosen may reflect the seriousness, pattern and commercial impact of the conduct.
This Policy is intended to preserve honest participation in a live logistics marketplace.
It should be interpreted in a way that protects:
Those principles are fundamental to ShipSherpa's network model and are central to continued access to the platform.
Part 8
This Policy governs every digital environment, interface, workflow and connected service made available by Ship Sherpa Limited, including any access layer used to initiate, monitor, manage, evidence or analyse logistics activity.
It applies across all ShipSherpa digital surfaces, including:
The purpose of this Policy is to preserve system integrity, workflow trust, evidence reliability and operational security across the ShipSherpa logistics network.
Users may interact with ShipSherpa systems only for legitimate and authorised purposes connected with:
Any use falling outside these legitimate workflow purposes is prohibited.
No user may use any ShipSherpa digital environment in connection with:
Any suspected use linked to criminal logistics activity may be escalated to insurers, banks, payment processors or law enforcement.
Users must not interfere with, bypass, replicate or stress any protected technical boundary within the ShipSherpa ecosystem.
This includes any attempt to:
This prohibition applies whether conducted manually, through scripts, bots, crawlers, device farms or third-party tooling.
Because ShipSherpa relies on digital evidence systems for claims, customer trust and payout integrity, users must not interfere with any operational signal used to validate shipment performance.
Prohibited conduct includes:
Any attempt to compromise dispatch evidence may result in immediate service exclusion and legal recovery.
Where ShipSherpa services are accessed through mobile environments, no user may undermine application trust controls by:
ShipSherpa may rely on device trust scoring and behavioural analytics to identify misuse.
Any file, image, document, video or structured data uploaded into the platform must be authentic, lawful and directly relevant to the shipment, account or operational workflow concerned.
Users must not upload or transmit:
False compliance documentation may trigger immediate account restriction and insurer notification.
All operational and support communications must remain professional and used only for legitimate logistics administration.
This applies to:
The following are prohibited:
ShipSherpa may retain communication records for fraud defence, training, insurance and legal claims.
No user may reproduce or derive competing systems from ShipSherpa interfaces, workflows or outputs.
This includes attempts to copy or commercialise:
This restriction applies whether extraction occurs through screenshots, HTML inspection, API replay, reverse engineering or workflow observation.
ShipSherpa may deploy proportionate controls to protect its infrastructure, including:
These controls may be applied without notice where necessary to protect customer safety, payout integrity, enterprise systems or platform resilience.
Where misuse causes direct or indirect loss, ShipSherpa may pursue all available remedies, including:
This Policy is built around the protection of:
These trust controls are fundamental to ShipSherpa's AI-native logistics infrastructure.
Part 9
This Framework governs how ShipSherpa receives, triages, investigates and resolves operational complaints, platform conduct concerns, cargo incidents and associated claims arising in connection with use of the ShipSherpa network.
It applies to issues involving:
This Framework forms part of ShipSherpa's wider legal and operational structure and applies across customer bookings, driver activity, fleet operations, enterprise workflows and API-originated movements unless expressly displaced by a negotiated enterprise process.
For the purposes of this Framework, ShipSherpa may treat matters differently depending on their nature.
A Complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about service, behaviour, communication, delay, platform conduct, pricing application, waiting charges, access issues or operational experience.
An Incident is any operational event that may give rise to safety concern, route failure, damage, loss, theft, refusal, site issue, fraud concern or insurer notification.
A Claim is a request for financial recovery, compensation, reimbursement, charge reversal or insurer referral arising from an alleged loss event.
ShipSherpa may reclassify a matter if, after review, it is more properly treated as an Incident or Claim rather than a Complaint.
ShipSherpa acts primarily as the platform coordination, evidence-preservation and dispute-management layer within the logistics network.
Unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing, ShipSherpa does not hold itself out as the physical carrier responsible in all cases for transport performance, cargo custody or delivery execution.
Its role may include:
ShipSherpa will assess matters impartially based on available evidence and will not assume fault solely because a complaint has been raised.
Any user becoming aware of a matter that may require investigation should notify ShipSherpa as soon as reasonably possible.
Reports should be submitted through the applicable support, complaints or claims channel and should, where available, include:
Prompt reporting is important because transport evidence, GPS records, site CCTV, platform events and witness recollection may deteriorate with time.
5.1 General service complaints
ShipSherpa strongly encourages Complaints to be raised within 7 calendar days of the relevant event.
5.2 Incident notification
Any Incident involving suspected cargo loss, damage, theft, site damage, refusal, suspicious goods or serious dispute should be reported immediately on discovery.
5.3 Formal claim notice
Any Claim for loss, damage, shortage, theft or property impact should be submitted no later than 7 calendar days from delivery, failed delivery or discovery, whichever occurs first.
5.4 Supporting evidence deadline
Any valuation material, repair estimates, packaging evidence, police references or further supporting documentation should ordinarily be supplied within 14 calendar days of the formal claim notice.
Failure to meet these deadlines may prejudice investigation quality and may result in rejection where evidence has been lost, compromised or unreasonably delayed.
On receipt of a reported matter, ShipSherpa may take such immediate internal steps as it reasonably considers necessary to preserve evidence and protect the platform.
This may include:
Preservation measures do not imply that fault has been established.
For non-loss service issues, ShipSherpa may investigate matters including:
ShipSherpa will review the available operational material, which may include:
ShipSherpa may seek further information where necessary. If requested information is not provided within a reasonable time, the review may be concluded on the basis of the material available.
Claims may arise from alleged:
Unless expressly agreed in writing to assume a different contractual role, ShipSherpa's default position is that it acts as the technology and coordination layer rather than the physical carrier.
Accordingly, physical transport claims may, where appropriate, be routed to the accepted driver, fleet partner or relevant insurer rather than being assumed directly by ShipSherpa.
Unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing or required by law, ShipSherpa does not accept responsibility for:
Nothing in this section limits any liability which cannot lawfully be excluded.
A Claim may be reduced, rejected or closed where ShipSherpa reasonably considers that:
Examples of external events include:
A party bringing a Claim must provide such evidence as is reasonably available to support both the occurrence of the alleged event and the amount claimed.
Depending on the nature of the Claim, this may include:
Where physical inspection may be relevant, packaging and damaged goods must be preserved so far as reasonably possible.
Claims lacking sufficient supporting material may be rejected or closed without payment.
Where theft is alleged, the claiming party must:
ShipSherpa may decline to process a theft-based Claim without a valid police reference number unless exceptional circumstances make that impossible.
Drivers and fleet partners must notify ShipSherpa immediately upon becoming aware of any actual or potential Incident affecting cargo, site safety, delivery validity or later claims exposure.
This includes:
Drivers and fleet partners should provide such contemporaneous evidence as is reasonably available, including photographs, video, timestamped notes and a written summary of the event.
Failure to report promptly may adversely affect settlement support, insurer position, route payout treatment and overall platform standing.
Where a consignment appears unsafe, unlawfully described, materially misdeclared or not fit for carriage, the driver or fleet partner must not proceed blindly.
Collection should be refused and ShipSherpa notified immediately where goods:
Failure to escalate these issues promptly may weaken the position of the driver or fleet partner in any later dispute or claim.
ShipSherpa aims, but does not guarantee, to:
More complex matters, including insurer referrals, police-linked incidents, enterprise escalations, fraud reviews or property damage matters, may take longer.
Where an investigation remains live, ShipSherpa will use reasonable efforts to provide progress updates.
Following review, ShipSherpa may determine that one or more of the following is appropriate:
ShipSherpa's platform-governance decision is final for internal marketplace management purposes, without prejudice to any legal rights any party may have outside the platform.
If a reporting party or material witness fails to provide requested information, documents or cooperation within a reasonable period, ShipSherpa may close the case on the evidence then available.
Where no meaningful response is received for 14 working days after a reasonable information request, ShipSherpa may treat the matter as dormant and close it administratively, subject to any mandatory legal retention or insurer requirements.
Claims payments, goodwill credits, charge reversals and compensatory settlements may differ in VAT treatment depending on their legal basis.
Each customer, enterprise user, driver and fleet partner remains responsible for its own accounting and tax treatment unless a written contract expressly states otherwise.
This Framework applies by default across all service layers, including collections, same-day delivery, trunking, linehaul, ecommerce, retail, marketplace, logistics provider, API and B2B enterprise use.
Where a bespoke enterprise SLA, insurance-backed process, master services agreement or separately agreed claims schedule expressly displaces this Framework, the negotiated arrangement shall prevail to the extent of any inconsistency.
This Framework exists to support a fair, evidence-based and operationally credible way of handling disputes and loss events across a live logistics marketplace.
It is intended to preserve:
Those objectives are fundamental to ShipSherpa's platform model.
Part 10
This Part applies only where a master services agreement has been separately signed. Where it applies it prevails over Part 1, in line with the order of precedence in Part 1, section 27.
Order of precedence:
ShipSherpa shall provide the services described in the Order Form, which may include:
Customer shall pay all fees in the pricing schedule.
Annual price reviews may apply on reasonable notice.
Customer shall provide:
Where an SLA applies, service credits are the exclusive financial remedy for SLA failure unless otherwise stated.
The DPA is incorporated by reference.
Each party retains ownership of its pre-existing IP.
ShipSherpa retains all platform, API, workflow and analytics IP.
Subject to non-excludable liabilities:
Initial term: 12 months unless otherwise stated.
Automatic renewal for successive 12-month periods unless notice is given.
Termination rights for:
Optional paid exit assistance may include:
England and Wales.
Part 11
This Part applies only where ShipSherpa has issued API credentials to the customer.
ShipSherpa grants a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use approved APIs for the Customer's internal business purposes.
API credentials must be kept confidential, rotated when compromised and never shared outside authorised environments.
The user must not:
ShipSherpa may apply:
Unless covered by enterprise SLA, APIs are provided on an as-available and as-evolving basis.
ShipSherpa may deprecate endpoints on reasonable notice.
Immediate suspension rights apply for abuse, data misuse, unpaid invoices, security concerns or legal risk.
All API schemas, documentation, route logic, pricing outputs and data structures remain ShipSherpa intellectual property.