How to Record Packing Videos for Return Claims

What it is

• A packing video is a recording of you packing one parcel, from the empty box to the sealed parcel with its shipping label.
• It is your proof of what you sent. If a buyer says the box was empty, or a different product comes back, the video shows what was inside when it left you.
• A good video is one continuous take, shows the AWB number clearly, and shows the product, its size or colour, and the quantity.
• Each marketplace has its own claim rules and they change. A packing video does not replace what the claim form asks for, such as photos of the returned item. It backs up your claim.

What you need

• A computer with a webcam (an external USB webcam is easier to position than a laptop camera).
• A USB barcode scanner, so scanning the AWB can start each recording.
• A steady stand or arm that holds the camera above the packing table.
• Bright, even light: a ceiling tube light plus one LED lamp is usually enough.
• Enough storage. See the worked example below.

Steps

1. Pick one packing spot. Use the same table every day. Clear it so only the box, the product and packing material are on it.
2. Mount the camera above the table. Point it down at the table from about 2 to 3 feet. The whole box and your hands should be in the frame at all times.
3. Fix the light. Turn on the lights and look at the camera preview. Remove shadows and glare on shiny poly bags by moving the lamp to one side.
4. Test that the label is readable. Place a printed 4×6 label in the frame. If you cannot read the AWB number on the preview, move the camera closer or raise the light.
5. Start the recording before you touch the product. Scan the AWB on the label, or start recording, then show the label to the camera for 2 to 3 seconds.
6. Show the product clearly. Hold up each piece. Show the colour, the size tag, the design and the count. For a set, show every piece.
7. Pack in one take. Put the product in, add filling, close the box or bag and seal it, all in view. Don't stop and restart the video in the middle.
8. Show the sealed parcel with the label. Turn the parcel so the label faces the camera, then stop the recording (or scan the next parcel).
9. Save with a clear name. Name each video by platform, order ID, AWB, date and time, so you can find it in seconds when a claim comes.
10. Keep the videos long enough. Keep each video until the return window and the claim window for that order have both passed. When in doubt, keep a few months.

Worked example: how much storage you need

• Suppose you pack 40 parcels a day and each video is about 1 minute.
• At about 9 MB a minute (720p), that is about 360 MB a day.
• Over 30 days, that is about 11 GB. A 1 TB external hard disk holds many months of videos at this rate.

Tips

• Record every parcel, not only costly ones. Wrong or empty-box returns can happen on any order.
• Keep the clock in the video. Videos with the date and time printed on them are easier to match to an order.
• Use one folder per platform. Amazon, Flipkart and Meesho claims ask for different things, so keeping them apart saves time.
• Check one video each morning. Play back the first parcel of the day to make sure the camera has not moved.
• Record the opening of returns too. When a return or RTO parcel arrives, open it on camera in one take with its label visible. Some claim teams ask for this, so check the claim form for your marketplace.

What each marketplace asks for

• Amazon: for Easy Ship and Self Ship orders, return problems are raised as a SAFE-T claim. Check the SAFE-T claim page in Seller Central for the current evidence and time limit.
• Flipkart: Flipkart's Seller Protection Fund (SPF) FAQ asks for clear images of the product from all angles showing the damage, an image of the shipping label and a description, and says you can claim within 14 days of receiving the returned product. Check the current SPF page before you file.
• Meesho: wrong, damaged or missing returns are raised from the Supplier Panel. Check the claim form there for the current evidence and time limit.

Common mistakes

• The AWB is not readable. Glare, blur or a label held too far away makes the video weak as proof.
• The video is cut. A break in the middle lets anyone say something was changed off camera.
• Hands or the box leave the frame. Keep everything inside the frame from start to finish.
• Videos saved with random names. Files with camera names like VID_20261019 are almost impossible to find a month later.
• Deleting videos too soon. Returns can arrive weeks after dispatch.

Questions