Peak season 2026

140 pages. One update nobody saw. A season of chargebacks.

Retailers change barcode specs, label formats and placement rules mid-season, buried in a revised PDF or a portal notice. Strata Comply flags what changed and turns it into instructions your 3PL can follow tomorrow.

Strata Comply · Compare
Routing_Guide_Rev4.2.pdf
Previous
Routing_Guide_Rev4.3.pdf
New
3 changes found3PL instructions ready
Carton barcode specHigh
Label placementHigh
New label fieldMedium

Barcode spec changed. Nobody told the 3PL.

Label moved to the end panel. 2,000 cartons later, you found out.

The revised guide is sitting in someone's inbox.

The deductions show up weeks later in your remittance.

Q4 risk

Every bundle you create in Q4 is a compliance test you haven't taken yet.

Holiday moves fast and gets creative. Routing guides don't bend for either.

Bundles & gift sets

New SKU, new UPC, new case pack, new label rules.

Promo SKUs

Pushed to sell through, and shipped before anyone checked the guide.

Must-arrive-by dates

Miss the window and the shelf goes to someone else.

Drop ship for retailer sites

Their packing slip, their label, their rules.

One wrong carton label. Forty stores. A very expensive January.

Chargeback calculator

What non-compliance costs you.

Change the numbers. The total updates as you type.

Chargeback estimate
$
%
%
Estimated annual chargeback loss
$15,000
That's 3.3 months of a warehouse lead's salary
$3,000,000/yr × 10% × 5% · lead salary $55,000/yr

Estimate based on your inputs.

Live demo

Run Comply on a sample guide.

A fictional retailer, two guide revisions. Press run.

Strata Comply

Rev 4.2 → Rev 4.3

Sample Big-Box Retailer · 140 pages

Two revisions loaded

Press Run Comply to compare them.

Comparing Rev 4.2 to Rev 4.3...
Sample output
Carton barcode spec
p. 37Chargeback risk · High
Rev 4.2GS1-128 (SSCC-18), min. X-dimension 0.010 in
Rev 4.3GS1-128 (SSCC-18), min. X-dimension 0.013 in, print grade C or better
3PL actionUpdate label template to 0.013 in. Verify grade with a scanner before first ship.
Carton label placement
p. 41Chargeback risk · High
Rev 4.2Side panel, any position
Rev 4.3End panel only. 2 in from bottom and right edges, ±0.25 in
3PL actionMove labels to the end panel. Use a 2-inch placement jig.
New required label field
p. 44Chargeback risk · Medium
Rev 4.2PO #, ship-to DC, SSCC
Rev 4.3PO #, ship-to DC, SSCC + Department #
3PL actionAdd Department # to the label template, pulled from the PO.
0 of 12 checked

Labels

Cartons

Pallets

ASN / EDI

Appointments

Sample Big-Box Retailer · effective with Rev 4.3For: pack & ship associates
  1. Throw out old Rev 4.2 labels. Load the Rev 4.3 label template.
  2. Print one test label. Scan it. It must grade C or better.
  3. Check the label shows Department #. No Dept #, don't ship.
  4. Put the label on the end panel (short side). Not the side.
  5. Use the jig: 2 in up from the bottom, 2 in in from the right edge.
  6. One SKU per carton, unless the work order says prepack.
  7. Weigh every carton. Over 50 lb: split it and relabel.
  8. Build pallets to 60 in max. One PO per pallet.
  9. Scan every carton before staging so the ASN matches.
  10. Not sure? Stop and ask your lead before it ships.
Can we mix SKUs on a pallet?
Yes, if every carton is on the same PO. Mark the pallet "Mixed SKU" on two sides.p. 62
Can we ship a gift set in its retail box, no outer carton?
Only if the box passes the drop test and carries a full carton label.p. 55
What if we miss a DC appointment?
Reschedule 24+ hours ahead in the portal. Missed slots are charged back.p. 89

Sample retailer and guide are fictional. Output is pre-written to show the format.

How it works

Three steps. Two days.

No setup. No integration.

1

Send your routing guide (and the old version, if you have it)

2

We run it through Comply

3

48 hours later: what changed, checklist, 3PL instructions, SOPs.

Every output is reviewed by an operator with 25+ years in fulfillment who has worked with 15+ 3PLs.
Integrations

Works the way you already work

No new system to learn.

Live

Email it in

Forward the retailer's update. We handle the rest.

Live
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Share with your 3PL

One link. No login. Floor-ready instructions.

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QR on every checklist

Scan for the latest version. Never work from an old sheet.

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Slack & Teams alerts

Guide changes land where your team already is.

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Drive, Dropbox & SharePoint

Drop in the new guide. Changes found automatically.

Coming soon
Pricing

Holiday pricing - through December 31, 2026

Start with a 14-day free trial on either plan.

Monthly
$299/mo
$399/mo from Jan 1
Includes 3 retailers - +$49/mo per additional retailer
Start free trial
Best value
Annual
$3,588/yr
Locks $299/mo for 12 months, even after January
Includes 3 retailers - +$49/mo per additional retailer
Start free trial

14-day free trial includes your What Changed report and compliance checklist.

3PL floor instructions and SOPs begin with your first paid month.

Every plan includes guide updates checked with 48-hour turnaround, checklist, 3PL instructions, SOPs, and self-serve app access when it launches.

Need a tool built around your operation?

Custom tools, scoped and priced to your needs.

Let's talk