Shipping damage vs. warranty claim
Short answer: damage that happened in transit is not a warranty claim — and the other route is faster for you.
The dividing line
| What happened | Which path | How to start it |
|---|---|---|
| Arrived damaged — cracked, crushed, scuffed in shipping | Damage flow — within 5 days of delivery | Photos of the damage, the carton, and the shipping label + order number through our contact page |
| Failed or defective in normal use — within the coverage period for that component | Warranty claim | Warranty Claim Form on zolamod.com/pages/warranty-policy |
| Missing or broken part in the box | Parts flow | Photo + order number through our contact page |
The 5-day window on transit damage
Shipping damage has to be reported within 5 days of delivery. That deadline isn't ours — it's what the carrier's claims process requires, and it's why we can't do much about damage surfaced weeks later.
Two practical consequences:
- Open and check everything promptly, even if you're not assembling for a while. A carton that looks fine outside can hold a cracked panel.
- Keep the packaging until you've checked it all. Photos of the outer carton and shipping label are part of the claim, and once the boxes are flattened that evidence is gone.
Why transit damage goes the other way
The warranty covers manufacturing defects — an inadequacy in materials or workmanship that existed when you received the product. Damage from transport, loading, unloading, or handling is explicitly excluded, because it isn't a defect in the product.
That's not a dead end, though. It's a different, quicker desk. We don't need a claim form, a proof-of-purchase review, or a 3-5 business day evaluation window to send you a replacement part for a piece that got crushed on a truck. Photos and an order number are enough.
What to send
Send us your order number and clear photos of the damaged area through our contact page:
- Close-up shots of the damage
- The shipping label
- The boxes and packaging, if possible
The shipping label is the one people forget, and it's the piece that identifies the shipment when we take it up with the carrier.
Full walkthrough: My order arrived damaged.
Not sure which bucket you're in?
Reach out through our contact page and describe what you're seeing with a photo. We'll route it correctly. You won't lose time by picking the "wrong" one first.