If you sell wholesale to major retailers — Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Costco, TJX — you have probably encountered routing guides. And if you have ever received a chargeback from a retailer, there is a good chance a routing guide violation was the reason.**What Is a Routing Guide?**A routing guide is a retailer's document that specifies exactly how you must ship purchase orders to them. It covers: which carriers to use, how to label boxes, pallet configuration requirements, appointment scheduling procedures, and required documentation.Every major retailer has one, and they are all different. Target's routing guide is not the same as Walmart's. Costco's is not the same as Home Depot's.**What Happens When You Violate One?**Chargebacks. Retailers automatically deduct a percentage of your invoice — typically 2-5% — for each violation. Common violations include: using an unapproved carrier, missing the delivery appointment window, incorrect label placement, wrong pallet configuration, or missing ASN (advance ship notice) submission.For a brand doing $500,000 in wholesale volume, a 3% chargeback rate costs $15,000 per year. That is money that should be in your pocket.**How 3PLCity Eliminates Routing Guide Chargebacks**We maintain a routing guide library for every retail account our clients work with. Before shipping any wholesale purchase order, our B2B team reviews the routing guide requirements and verifies compliance: correct carrier selected, correct label placement, correct documentation. Our wholesale clients run at near-zero chargeback rates.If you are selling on Faire or Abound, we integrate directly with both platforms and follow their shipping requirements automatically.