Order Discrepancy Handling

What it measures

Order discrepancy handling reflects customers' assessments of how effectively their logistics service provider addresses and resolves errors, deficiencies, or quality complaints that arise after order receipt. The construct captures satisfaction with discrepancy correction procedures, adequacy of the discrepancy reporting process, and responsiveness to quality discrepancy reports. Within the LSQ process model, discrepancy handling is triggered when accuracy, condition, or quality shortfalls occur, and in turn influences overall timeliness perceptions and customer satisfaction.

Response format

5-point Likert-like scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree)

Scale items

• Correction of delivered quality discrepancies is satisfactory.
• The report of discrepancy process is adequate.
• Response to quality discrepancy reports is satisfactory.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

CR = .87–.89 across four customer segments; AVE = 69%–72%. Items reference 'DLA' (Defense Logistics Agency) and require wording adaptation for other logistics service provider contexts, as noted by the authors. Validated via multisample CFA demonstrating measurement invariance across four DLA customer segments: general merchandise (n = 1,765), textiles and clothing (n = 446), electronics (n = 530), and construction supplies (n = 215). All psychometric values are composite reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE) — Cronbach's α not reported.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Mentzer, J. T., Flint, D. J., & Hult, G. T. M. (2001). Logistics service quality as a segment-customized process. Journal of Marketing, 65(4), 82–104.

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