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Swell Sport · Practical guide
How to photograph a sauna delivery before unpacking
Photograph the consignment as a sequence: whole delivery, package identity, visible condition, then the newly exposed contents. The aim is a clear record of what you saw, not a dramatic close-up without context.
Prepare a shot list before the truck arrives
Have the order reference and a way to save full-resolution images ready. Choose a safe standing position away from unloading activity. Do not ask anyone to pause a suspended load or climb on packaging for a better picture. If a side cannot be photographed safely, note that it was not visible. A truthful gap is more useful than a risky attempt to make the record look complete.
Start with a wide view showing the consignment and its surroundings after it has been safely set down. Then take one view of each accessible side. Give packages simple identifiers in your notes, such as crate A and carton B, without covering or altering the original labels. Photograph the consignment label clearly enough to connect that package with the delivery reference.
Use context, detail and a factual caption
For each visible concern, take an overview showing where it is, a closer view showing its extent and a detail image. Write observations rather than causes: “outer carton torn beside label” is better than “forklift damage” unless you actually witnessed that event. Record the time, whether wrapping was intact and whether the concern was seen before opening or afterwards.
Keep unedited originals. If you draw an arrow or crop a copy for the supplier, retain the original too. Avoid publishing address labels or driver details on social media. Send the relevant evidence directly to the supplier through its agreed support channel, where it can be matched to the order.
Continue the sequence during unpacking
If unpacking can proceed safely under the supplier instructions, photograph each newly revealed layer before moving its contents. Link an affected component to the package it came from. Do not dismantle electrical equipment or attempt a repair to show what might be wrong. Where damage makes handling uncertain, stop that part of the unpacking and ask the supplier how to proceed.
Create a small photo register: image filename; package identifier; visible observation; before or after opening; date; person taking the photograph. This is different from the packing inventory: it records condition, not whether every component is present. Keep the two records linked by package identifier.
Send a report that can be actioned
The ACCC explains that the next step when a product has a problem is to contact the business you bought it from. [1] A useful delivery report contains the order number, consignment reference, delivery date, factual observations, selected photographs and a question about next steps. Ask whether affected components should remain untouched and how packaging should be retained; do not assume a particular insurance outcome.
For example, an owner sees a torn corner on a carton but cannot yet see the contents. The report should say exactly that, rather than declaring the sauna damaged or undamaged. Add a second update after authorised unpacking reveals more. Keep the supplier reply and carrier notes together, and request acknowledgement so you know the report reached the correct team.
Your practical checklist
- Capture a safe wide view before detail images.
- Connect each photograph to a labelled package.
- Separate observed condition from guesses about cause.
- Save originals and retain the reporting thread.
- Ask for the supplier’s handling and reporting instructions.
Do photographs guarantee a freight claim?
No. They document observations. This guide does not determine insurance coverage, responsibility or the appropriate consumer remedy.
What if I noticed the issue only after unpacking?
Record when and how you noticed it, photograph the component and associated packaging if available, and contact the seller promptly. Do not recreate a supposedly unopened scene.
