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Jean Thibodeau




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PostPosted: Mon 26 Jul, 2010 3:21 pm    Post subject: Re: It is finally here         Reply with quote

Michael R. Black wrote:
Well, a fedex guy just knocked on my door, and despite my earlier statements of not ever working with them again, I signed for the package. It would have been too petulant and a little crazy to refuse to sign just to make a point.

The sword and custom work are beautiful. This is one of my favorite pieces.

I'll still go with UPS or USPS whenever possible in future shipments.

Thanks to all of you for the support and comments. I'm happy to say the sword is in good shape, so there will be no need for me to deal with insurance/damage/reimbursement hassles.

Michael


Well I'm very happy for you and it must be a relief to finally have it but one need not forget the aggravation and stress they put you through ! A full explanation of what went wrong, and apology and maybe a waiving of all shipping costs would be the thing a Company valuing it's reputation would be good P.R. ( Won't happen I'm sure, but imagine how much better it would be inspiring confidence in their customer service instead of destroying their credibility ! )

Had a sword take much longer than necessary recently when they shipped it to the wrong city " Twice " ( This would be Canada Post ) after it cleared Canada Customs, but at least the tracking was working so I could follow it's " road trip " and at least know it wasn't lost but only meandering around the country for no good reason ! ( Took about 10 days more than normal to arrive " safely " )

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Scott S.




Location: Central North Carolina
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PostPosted: Tue 27 Jul, 2010 10:12 am    Post subject: Re: It is finally here         Reply with quote

Michael R. Black wrote:
Well, a fedex guy just knocked on my door...

Great to hear Michael! I was hoping to read something like that upon revisiting this thread.
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P. Cha




PostPosted: Tue 27 Jul, 2010 12:26 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Well good to hear it worked out well.

Hey andrew, your right, it was a low level manager. And he knew he messed up because he kept refusing to shift to higher management. Especially after he found out I had recorded what he said. The lawyer took the tapes to fedex lawyers and the fedex lawyers basically took care of it within 2 days. I'm guessing he got fired when lawyers got involved. The sales rep was trying to help...but they don't have the power to push a claim through if their manager isn't allowing it. But yeah people like this guy are toxic to a company.
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Tue 27 Jul, 2010 12:42 pm    Post subject: Re: It is finally here         Reply with quote

Michael R. Black wrote:
I'll still go with UPS or USPS whenever possible in future shipments.


Everybody has their own stories.

I've never had a problem with FedEx, but my big caveat is that I haven't used them often. They're expensive and their relationship with USPS (hand-offs on both sides) really does not give me any comfort.

I've had great success with UPS. They misdelivered a sword once to a forum member and never found the missing box. My insurance claim was not successful and it cost me reimbursing my buyer out of my pocket. That was the bad news. The good news is that the 100s of other packages sent and received over the years have been successful and trouble-free. Tracking and their online tools work beautifully.

USPS, for me, has been a horror story. Lost packages. Boxes left unattended despite being marked as "signature required". Their absurd and ridiculously out-of-date non-digital "system" is the most useless garbage of any large company I've ever witnessed. Their tracking system flat-out does not work and generally updates a day later than an action actually happens and often only days after a package has already been delivered. Complete garbage.

The systems are in place to make claims and insurance a pain in the butt and discourage shippers and recipients from going through the effort to follow-through with it. My own experience has been to stick with the shipper who has the best success record in my area and through my own experience to avoid any claims or other problems.

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Scott Hrouda




Location: Minnesota, USA
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PostPosted: Tue 27 Jul, 2010 12:48 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Michael, I'm so glad to hear that things worked out for you. That was quite a headache over something that should be so simple.

P. Cha wrote:
Hey andrew, your right, it was a low level manager. And he knew he messed up because he kept refusing to shift to higher management. Especially after he found out I had recorded what he said. The lawyer took the tapes to fedex lawyers and the fedex lawyers basically took care of it within 2 days. I'm guessing he got fired when lawyers got involved.
Eek! Taped conversations, lawyers, terminations ... Sounds like a B-movie. Holy cow!

I hope the shipping goes smoothly when I win that Limited Edition Knight Templar from VA. Wink

...and that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana shaped. - Sir Bedevere
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Michael R. Black





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PostPosted: Tue 27 Jul, 2010 3:50 pm    Post subject: regional differences may matter?         Reply with quote

I agree with you, Nathan. Fedex, at least for me in my current neighborhood over the last couple of years, has been pretty bad for me. A package lost, a package or two sent to the wrong address (in both cases, a neighbor blocks away chose to call me and let me know of the mistake), and now this last problem.

In my old neighborhood, also in Chicago, where I lived 7-8 years ago, I had some problems (though not as bad) with UPS. At least one lost, expensive package, and a three month wait for reimbursement (I had to prove with employment records that I was in an emergency room doing a psychiatric assessment at a hospital 34 miles away at the time UPS was claiming I'd signed for the package on my doorstep). Since moving, however, I've had no trouble with UPS at all (knock wood).

I think the problems with my package (aside from Fedex originally putting on the wrong address) may have stemmed from outsourcing. The call I placed at 4pm to inquire about my package had really bad reception, and was likely far away from Chicago. Anyone local would have known about all the flooding that happened around here that day, which kept packages from going out. I'd still have been steamed if they had told me it was not coming Saturday, but to tell me it was on the way, then tell me they could not find the package later that night when I called to re-check was much, much worse.

Michael
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Carl Goff




Location: Florida
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PostPosted: Tue 27 Jul, 2010 6:17 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Glad to hear they finally got it to you.
Oh, East of sands and sunlit gulf, your blood is thin, your gods are few;
You could not break the Northern wolf and now the wolf has turned on you.
The fires that light the coasts of Spain fling shadows on the Eastern strand.
Master, your slave has come again with torch and axe in his right hand!
-Robert E. Howard
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Marcos Cantu





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PostPosted: Tue 27 Jul, 2010 6:25 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Michael, what day did it ship and what service level was it (ground, 3 day, 2 day, overnight)? you said that they initially put the wrong address on it but the shipper is the one that places the label on the box
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Michael R. Black





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PostPosted: Tue 27 Jul, 2010 7:01 pm    Post subject: label         Reply with quote

Shipper had written the right address on the box. The person entering the address into fedex's system had a heavy thumb, and put in one extra letter on my street name. This led to a delay while the right address was sorted out (I was told it was out on the way to me Thursday, but got a delivery exception due to address issues.) I had taken time off work to be home for the package. Friday, they tried to deliver it, but I was at work. Saturday, i once again took off from work. They initially told me it was on the way, but I called when it was getting close to delivery time ending (after waiting by the porch all day) and was told they could not find it in their system. That is when I lost it (meaning my temper, not the package).

Michael
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Tue 27 Jul, 2010 7:15 pm    Post subject: Re: label         Reply with quote

Michael R. Black wrote:
Shipper had written the right address on the box. The person entering the address into fedex's system had a heavy thumb, and put in one extra letter on my street name. This led to a delay while the right address was sorted out (I was told it was out on the way to me Thursday, but got a delivery exception due to address issues.) I had taken time off work to be home for the package. Friday, they tried to deliver it, but I was at work. Saturday, i once again took off from work. They initially told me it was on the way, but I called when it was getting close to delivery time ending (after waiting by the porch all day) and was told they could not find it in their system. That is when I lost it (meaning my temper, not the package).

Michael


Have your shipper avoid analog means at all costs (ie, writing) because it then opens things up for interpretation and human error. Instead, simply use the shipping company's tools to create labels and then hand it off to the shipping company. This keeps control in the shipper's hands and avoids shared liability. In my opinion, this is a problem with the process employed by the shipper and could have been avoided very easily.

I have three boxes going out tomorrow via UPS. I went into my account on the UPS web site, entered in my shipping details and printed my labels. I then taped the labels to the boxes and have them stacked at my door waiting for the doorbell to ring tomorrow. I don't have to pay for a pickup because I already know that they'll be here tomorrow. I can see via their tracking system that I have an incoming package en-route to me and due tomorrow. When my package is delivered, I simply hand the three pre-addressed packages to the driver and he scans them and takes them on the spot. There is no additional interpretation or analog-to-digital conversion required, leaving any possible human error related to addressing and pick-up entirely within my own control.

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Jonathan Blair




Location: Hanover, PA
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PostPosted: Tue 27 Jul, 2010 8:09 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Scott Hrouda wrote:
I hope the shipping goes smoothly when I win that Limited Edition Knight Templar from VA. Wink


So do I!!! When I win that Limited Edition Knight Templar sword from VA, I'll be sure to tell you all just how smooth that shipping goes. Laughing Out Loud

"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." - The Lord Jesus Christ, from The Gospel According to Saint Matthew, chapter x, verse 34, Authorized Version of 1611
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Sean O Stevens




Location: Grovetown, GA
Joined: 22 Oct 2008

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PostPosted: Tue 27 Jul, 2010 9:03 pm    Post subject: Re: It is finally here         Reply with quote

Nathan Robinson wrote:
Michael R. Black wrote:
I'll still go with UPS or USPS whenever possible in future shipments.


Everybody has their own stories.

I've never had a problem with FedEx, but my big caveat is that I haven't used them often. They're expensive and their relationship with USPS (hand-offs on both sides) really does not give me any comfort.

I've had great success with UPS. They misdelivered a sword once to a forum member and never found the missing box. My insurance claim was not successful and it cost me reimbursing my buyer out of my pocket. That was the bad news. The good news is that the 100s of other packages sent and received over the years have been successful and trouble-free. Tracking and their online tools work beautifully.

USPS, for me, has been a horror story. Lost packages. Boxes left unattended despite being marked as "signature required". Their absurd and ridiculously out-of-date non-digital "system" is the most useless garbage of any large company I've ever witnessed. Their tracking system flat-out does not work and generally updates a day later than an action actually happens and often only days after a package has already been delivered. Complete garbage.

The systems are in place to make claims and insurance a pain in the butt and discourage shippers and recipients from going through the effort to follow-through with it. My own experience has been to stick with the shipper who has the best success record in my area and through my own experience to avoid any claims or other problems.



This mirrors my own experince as well.

I used to work for USPS... later, I was a shipping receaving manager for a Honda Dealer. Thus, I've delt with all the shipping companies, sometimes from the inside. I use UPS whenever I can. Others have told me some aweful stories... and I have had a couple issues as well... but I've shipped hundreds of boxes with them and had very few issues. I've shipped less with FedEx and had WAY more issues. Having worked for the USPS, don't even get me started on them. I only use them when shipping international because it is so much more affordable.
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Jean Thibodeau




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PostPosted: Tue 27 Jul, 2010 9:25 pm    Post subject: Re: It is finally here         Reply with quote

Sean O Stevens wrote:
Having worked for the USPS, don't even get me started on them. I only use them when shipping international because it is so much more affordable.


Yes but when it arrives in the other countries their local postal service picks up the ball: In my case when the package is in the hands of Canada Post the quality of the tracking is currently very good ..... most of the time. Wink Big Grin Canada post rarely loses stuff I don't have experience with USPS as far as inside the U.S.A. service and usually they only have " control " of my package for a day or two.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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P. Cha




PostPosted: Wed 28 Jul, 2010 12:17 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Scott Hrouda wrote:
Michael, I'm so glad to hear that things worked out for you. That was quite a headache over something that should be so simple.

P. Cha wrote:
Hey andrew, your right, it was a low level manager. And he knew he messed up because he kept refusing to shift to higher management. Especially after he found out I had recorded what he said. The lawyer took the tapes to fedex lawyers and the fedex lawyers basically took care of it within 2 days. I'm guessing he got fired when lawyers got involved.
Eek! Taped conversations, lawyers, terminations ... Sounds like a B-movie. Holy cow!

I hope the shipping goes smoothly when I win that Limited Edition Knight Templar from VA. Wink


Well I don't normally go around taping conversations...but after getting a run around for 3 weeks, I started to tape the run around I was getting. It's just good practice I found out. Yeah it's sad that I have had THAT much bad customer service issues...but I'm pretty good at knowing when I should start getting my little hand recorder ready. The laywer is actually also a friend of my boss so he was quite willing to help out for free as with what I had on tape, it was as simple enough matter of composing a letter to the fedex laywer and sending a copy of the tapes saying we intended to persue the matter in court. Had we had to go to court, I would have had to pay some legal fees, but there is no way that was gonna happen in a case where the manager was pretty much attempting to defraud me. Yeah I seem to get unlucky in this area unfortunately.

And you mean MY knight templar right Wink .
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Sean Flynt




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PostPosted: Wed 28 Jul, 2010 7:26 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

CAUTION: FWIW, I almost ran afoul of a phishing scam a couple of years ago. I tracked delivery on a package and knew exactly when to expect it. After seeing that the package was on the truck for delivery I got an email message, ostensibly from the carrier, informing me that it could not be delivered due to an addressing error. There was a link provided "for more information". I was a fraction of a second away from following the link when it occurred to me that the message had no specifics about me or my package. I tracked my package again immediately and found that it had just been delivered. The phishing scam clearly relies on a large population of eager/worried folks who will reflexively follow a link to figure out why a package is delayed or missing. You could randomly send out millions of such messages and be certain to find hundreds or even thousands of people in that situation.
-Sean

Author of the Little Hammer novel

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Hammer-Sean-Flynt/dp/B08XN7HZ82/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=little+hammer+book&qid=1627482034&sr=8-1
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Sean O Stevens




Location: Grovetown, GA
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PostPosted: Wed 28 Jul, 2010 7:26 am    Post subject: Re: It is finally here         Reply with quote

Jean Thibodeau wrote:
Sean O Stevens wrote:
Having worked for the USPS, don't even get me started on them. I only use them when shipping international because it is so much more affordable.


Yes but when it arrives in the other countries their local postal service picks up the ball: In my case when the package is in the hands of Canada Post the quality of the tracking is currently very good ..... most of the time. Wink Big Grin Canada post rarely loses stuff I don't have experience with USPS as far as inside the U.S.A. service and usually they only have " control " of my package for a day or two.



Indeed. I've shipped a few swords to Canada... I always use USPS because its a lot more affordable for me but, also, I have heard some horror stories about UPS and FedEx showing up on some of my Canadian friends doorsteps with a sword, only to say 'Uh yeah, we need to collect this extra giant pile of money or you can't have your sword.'

Its my understanding that Canada Post either dosn't do that, or they charge much less.
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Jean Thibodeau




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PostPosted: Wed 28 Jul, 2010 7:58 am    Post subject: Re: It is finally here         Reply with quote

Sean O Stevens wrote:
Jean Thibodeau wrote:
Sean O Stevens wrote:
Having worked for the USPS, don't even get me started on them. I only use them when shipping international because it is so much more affordable.


Yes but when it arrives in the other countries their local postal service picks up the ball: In my case when the package is in the hands of Canada Post the quality of the tracking is currently very good ..... most of the time. Wink Big Grin Canada post rarely loses stuff I don't have experience with USPS as far as inside the U.S.A. service and usually they only have " control " of my package for a day or two.



Indeed. I've shipped a few swords to Canada... I always use USPS because its a lot more affordable for me but, also, I have heard some horror stories about UPS and FedEx showing up on some of my Canadian friends doorsteps with a sword, only to say 'Uh yeah, we need to collect this extra giant pile of money or you can't have your sword.'

Its my understanding that Canada Post either dosn't do that, or they charge much less.


Yes UPS and FED EX charge for custom brokerage and they charge a lot even when the package sailed through Canada Customs without a problem: High brokerage fees can be justified if the package is held up for some reason and the UPS or FED EX has to do some real leg work getting the package cleared by getting documentation that might be missing or dealing with an error in classifying the shipment under the wrong tariff I.D. or country of origin etc .....

When it's just the routine " rubber stamp " non-problematic Customs clearance there is no work time involved by the broker and the fees are just a way to make money.

Canada Post doesn't charge or just charges a very nominal fee that I hardly notice.

Oh, UPS and FED EX will charge you a minimum and high brokerage fee even if you just have ordered a single paper clip worth less than one cent ! So expect to pay $35 to $50 more on top of the Government Federal and Provincial sales taxes in Canada.

On top of all this USPS/Canada Post seems to get my packages to me usually within a week to 10 days maximum. I might use UPS or FED EX if I wanted it shipped guarantied next day or a day or two for and expensive piece assuming that they are less likely to lose the package !? ( I think every shipping method can go wrong but how likely it is to happen is hard to say and a bad experience with one shipper will certainly lessen one's confidence in a particular shipper ).

Early 1970's I worked for a University doing their customs clearance ...... things change in detail and bureaucratic process and in the computerization of the whole thing but a lot is still the same in principle, so it does help when I have to talk to a Canada Customs guy to resolve an issue: At least I know what questions to ask and have experience dealing with them if they are being difficult ..... polite but firm assuming that one is right and the customs guy has misinterpreted the rules.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Steven McIntyre




Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada
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PostPosted: Wed 28 Jul, 2010 1:55 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I discovered on my last shipment from UPS that it's only their standard service that has the huge brokerage fees. Quote from their site:
"There are no Entry Preparation Fees when importing by UPS Worldwide Express Plus™, UPS Worldwide Express™, UPS Worldwide Express Saver™ or UPS Worldwide Expedited™ services."

If you go to UPS.ca they posted a pdf at the begining of the year with info on the brokerage fees.

~PER ARDUA~
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Jean Thibodeau




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PostPosted: Wed 28 Jul, 2010 4:54 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Steven McIntyre wrote:
I discovered on my last shipment from UPS that it's only their standard service that has the huge brokerage fees. Quote from their site:
"There are no Entry Preparation Fees when importing by UPS Worldwide Express Plus™, UPS Worldwide Express™, UPS Worldwide Express Saver™ or UPS Worldwide Expedited™ services."

If you go to UPS.ca they posted a pdf at the begining of the year with info on the brokerage fees.


Sort of wonder why there is a difference ? The problem would be then for the shipper to use the correct UPS service. Wink Exclamation Question

But nice to know, thanks.

I wonder if this is something new responding to complaints about huge and unjustified brokerage fees or old information that was hidden in fine print or just generally not obvious to shippers and to the person receiving the shipment, so frequently the wrong shipping service option was chosen?

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Wed 28 Jul, 2010 5:20 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

UPS just lost an incoming package due to me today. They delivered it to somebody else's door. No clue where it is but I doubt I'll ever see it again. Neat.

EDIT: GOT IT!!!

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