Tis the Season for Shipping Frustration

[robinb]

I have 3 packages "lost" somewhere in transit - UPS says they handed the packages off to the USPS on Thursday, USPS says they don't have any record of them. Last time this happened, the package never was found and it took me 3 weeks to battle with the retailer for a refund. (Packages are all gift cards from Target, Target made me place 3 orders because their system wouldn't allow more than 4 gift cards per order.)

Anyone else fighting shipping nightmares???

I have $400 worth of Disney giftcards in UPS/USPS limbo. They were last scanned a week ago.

 

[MomToOne]

Odd -- I ordered 9 gift cards from Target on Black Friday in a single order. All have arrived (all individually sent)

Mine weren't actual Target giftcards, they were TMobile giftcards I bought from Target (because they were on sale). The system wouldn't allow me to add more than 4 to my cart at a time, so I had to place multiple orders. They seems to vary it based on what specific type of gift card you buy - I can only add 4 TMobile at any given time, and they seem to have a limit of 8 Disney cards at a time.

I have $400 worth of Disney giftcards in UPS/USPS limbo. They were last scanned a week ago.

OUCH!!!! That's what kept getting me about my packages - I had over $300 in gift cards in them, and I paid for them with the Target giftcards I got at 10% off when they ran that promo, so I have no credit card protection to invoke if they end up missing in action and Target tells me "oh well". I'm not sure I'll do much online shopping anymore with gift cards - I think I will stick to using credit cards in the future.

Here's one thing you can try to get your cards moving again: if UPS says they transferred them to USPS, you can file a "missing/delayed mail" claim with the USPS. They actually appear to work these things - I've had my local post office call me once regarding one I filed, and the main sorting center in our city called me about another once. And I've had other packages that fell off the radar for an extended period suddenly get scanned within 24 hours of filing a report - too many times for it to just be a "coincidence". That alone makes me like USPS better than UPS these days - at least you have a place to report something looks like it isn't going right! Here's the link: http://faq.usps.com/adaptivedesktop/faq.jsp?ef=USPSFAQ&dest=EmailUs. I'm not saying abuse things by filing a bunch of reports any time something is a day or two late, but if a package appears to have been sitting nearby for days on end without any movement, then filing a report may help.



Now I have a new shipping glitch on an HSN order - I have a package which is now showing "DELAY" in yellow, with the activity "We have not yet unloaded the package from the trailer. This may delay delivery. / Delivery will be rescheduled." First time I've seen an activity telling me they DIDN'T do something And the really funny thing is it was on a package that they never gave a scheduled delivery date on - it always showed me a message under scheduled delivery date that was something to the effect of "we'll figure it out later" - I've had a couple of cases of that message this month too, when I've never seen it before. This package is now 70 miles away, but it's due to get transferred to the USPS for delivery soon - it will be interesting to compare how long this one falls off the radar during that transfer!

 

[Mama Steph]

I have $400 worth of Disney giftcards in UPS/USPS limbo. They were last scanned a week ago.

I have $359 in limbo. One order was delivered Saturday and the other shows it was transferred to the PO last Thursday. The supervisor at our PO is useless. He said it's obviously not there because it hasn't been scanned.

 

[MomToOne]

I have $359 in limbo. One order was delivered Saturday and the other shows it was transferred to the PO last Thursday. The supervisor at our PO is useless. He said it's obviously not there because it hasn't been scanned.

In my experience, just because UPS says it's been "tranferred to local post office", it doesn't mean it has (1) actually been transferred (I suspect UPS plays some games here) and (2) it was actually given to your local post office. They usually drop them at a USPS sorting facility somewhere in your area, then it gets transferred to your local PO from there. I know my post office makes every effort to scan everything with a tracking number - if anything, they are a bit too scan happy And once they have the package, they get the thing out within a day. So if it was my PO, I'd believe the supervisor - they probably haven't actually got it yet - it may be at a sorting facility. Of course, it is still the USPS. And while my local office seems to have their act together, I know other offices in the area don't at all!!

 

[robinb]

I have $359 in limbo. One order was delivered Saturday and the other shows it was transferred to the PO last Thursday. The supervisor at our PO is useless. He said it's obviously not there because it hasn't been scanned.

The other $2000 were delivered all at once last Friday. *sigh*

 

[dalstitch45]

I ordered merchandise from Bloomingdales on 11/21 and still haven't received it. When I used the tracking number feature, it says my package was transferred to my post office on 11/24. Contacted Bloomingdales today, and awaiting their response. I think I am just going to get a refund.

 

[ToodlesRN]

I ordered a Samsung TV that is compatible with Direct TV so a cable box is not needed.(no retailers sell these models in stores) watched the UPS guy almost drop it when carrying it, then that night went to set it up and the entire LED is shattered! its been a hassle returning the broken one and getting a new one sent. Wished they sold those particular model numbers in stores that I need.

 

[Agent7]

Not technically my problem but my bf ordered some board games for his brother as a Christmas present. He lives in an apartment and his unit is on the main walkthrough to the office/post boxes. Well normally they leave any packages with the office/make them come to pick them up at the ups store. Not this time. They left it on his doorstep. In plain view. In a busy walkway. And yep, it was stolen. Great job ups.

Not as much as a shipping nightmare but a delivery nightmare.

 

[AquaDame]

Not my shipment but we take our dog to the local field by our house to run around like a maniac sometimes and yep, saw boxes torn asunder, product boxes left strewn all over from local addresses. I guess they didn't want the medical supplies someone had ordered (and probably needed).

 

[MomToOne]

Not my shipment but we take our dog to the local field by our house to run around like a maniac sometimes and yep, saw boxes torn asunder, product boxes left strewn all over from local addresses. I guess they didn't want the medical supplies someone had ordered (and probably needed).

That is just SO wrong.

I had a problem with a package or two getting stolen so I now have a permanent note on my door asking for all packages to be thrown over my fence in the backyard. Not great when we have weather - I sometimes end up with soaked boxes from rain, but so far I haven't had anything ruined because of it. The FedEx guys especially are really nice about it and always put packages in a plastic bag before they throw it over if there is a chance of rain.

 

[MomToOne]

So I now have 5 packages somewhere in transit, most are 2-4 days behind schedule. But at this point they all seem to be moving, and haven't disappeared from tracking, so I'm OK with all of them. The funny thing is this year the packages sent strictly USPS first class (not the FedEx/UPS services that transfer to the post office for end delivery) are moving the fastest and are the most predictable!

And then there's my Dooney & Bourke order - it's been well over a week now, and it still hasn't shipped. Alot of folks are complaining on their facebook page about it. Many that finally manage to get through to a customer service agent are being told that their orders were cancelled because they oversold. The "lucky" ones are being told that their item is backordered, with shipment expected in March But the worst part of it all is that Dooney doesn't appear to be actively notifying people of either situation. I sat on hold for 25 minutes yesterday to talk to an agent, only to get disconnected at closing time. So I emailed - but there's been no response. I've had great experiences ordering from them the last two years, but after this year, I don't know that I'll order directly from them again. Thankfully, I ordered the purse as a Christmas present to myself (I'm the only one getting me anything this year ) so I don't have to scramble to find something else for someone at the last minute...

 

[amcnj]

That is just SO wrong.

I had a problem with a package or two getting stolen so I now have a permanent note on my door asking for all packages to be thrown over my fence in the backyard. Not great when we have weather - I sometimes end up with soaked boxes from rain, but so far I haven't had anything ruined because of it. The FedEx guys especially are really nice about it and always put packages in a plastic bag before they throw it over if there is a chance of rain.

In my neighborhood only USPS leaves things in a plastic bag in bad weather, and actually they are the only ones who ring the bell too. Also, every night it is a mini scavenger hunt looking around in the dark to make sure someone didn't leave or hide a package somewhere outside. And of course there is never any sort of notification when something is left, hence the hunt. Though lately no one seems to hide them anymore, I have had ones in the past not discovered till the next day. I know someone who found a package days later as it had been delivered on a rainy day so I guess the deliverer thought they were doing them a favor by placing the package under the picnic table in the back yard.

 

[Sagginit]

i got my target gcs finally. they were sent in a UPS bubble envelope, none of them had the paper backing, just a stack rubber banded and thrown in. i planned on giving some as gifts so what am i supposed to do, glue them to a card?

i also had my other shipping nightmare resolved by getting a refund and placing a new order. that new order i got in like 3 days, while the last one took fedex 3 days to try to deliver once it got to the city

i work in the industry and we joke that the behind the fence, in the bush, is the UPS easter egg hunt. it is supposed to protect people but it really is awful, i heard of someone once finding a package under a wheelbarrow in their yard days later. i have things shipped to my office to avoid this, but some websites auto correct the address removing the floor and business, which when you work in a building with 50 floors that is crucial to getting your packages.

 

[Pooh2]

I've got 4 pkgs somewhere in limbo.
Two of the pkgs are from Amazon that were supposed to be here 4 days ago with Amazon Prime. I know things are slower than usual this time of year, but the prime membership is $99/year so would expect better service from them!

 

[JanaDee]

I've got 4 pkgs somewhere in limbo.
Two of the pkgs are from Amazon that were supposed to be here 4 days ago with Amazon Prime. I know things are slower than usual this time of year, but the prime membership is $99/year so would expect better service from them!

Contact Amazon and complain about the shipping time. They will maybe do something for you (extend Prime free, etc).

 

[scard192]

Contact Amazon and complain about the shipping time. They will maybe do something for you (extend Prime free, etc).

yes, complain for sure and they will very likely give you something for the inconvenience. I have Prime and ordered a product last month that was not time sensitive. It was shipped UPS Ground from CA, I live in MA. There is no way that package was gong to get all the way across the country in 2 days! we pay for 2 day delivery with Prime and the orders should be shipped to arrive in 2 days. I contacted Amazon and they extended my Prime membership for another month. Doesn't really cost them anything and made me happy. second time the membership has been extended due a problem I had with an order.

 

[Pooh2]

yes, complain for sure and they will very likely give you something for the inconvenience. I have Prime and ordered a product last month that was not time sensitive. It was shipped UPS Ground from CA, I live in MA. There is no way that package was gong to get all the way across the country in 2 days! we pay for 2 day delivery with Prime and the orders should be shipped to arrive in 2 days. I contacted Amazon and they extended my Prime membership for another month. Doesn't really cost them anything and made me happy. second time the membership has been extended due a problem I had with an order.

Thanks for the tip! Going to try it! Still hoping to get my items soon!

 

[swilshire]

I HATE the old "package has been transferred to post office for final delivery!" When DH and I lived in our condo, every single thing we ordered ended up that way - but other people in our complex got their items delivered by UPS/Fed-Ex? (Even from the same store - the people next door to us often ordered from Kohls, as we did. Our delivery went to the post office, but UPS always delivered theirs).

It never failed that the packages would take another 2-3 days to deliver, even though the post office was on the next street. UPS said it wasn't their problem, "the item was delivered" according to their tracking. The companies would say it wasn't their problem, "the item was delivered." USPS couldn't tell us anything because "there's no USPS tracking number." If we tried to go pick it up, they knew nothing about it because "there's no USPS tracking number."

I ordered a shirt for my son to wear in my daughter's wedding. It made it via UPS to their location about 10 miles from my house, but took multiple days to get it to USPS for delivery, compounded by the fact that it was a holiday weekend. The wedding was on July 1 but UPS didn't get it to the post office until after the 4th. I had to spend half a day finding a shirt locally for him to wear. I would of happily picked it up at UPS, but of course, they have no provisions for you to do that.

Sheila

 

[angwill]

Thankfully no package problems here. The problem in the last couple of years is these new cheaper methods of shipping they designed where UPS or Fedex takes it and hands it off to the post office. The tracking info online is very deceptive. It says sent to local post office for delivery but that just means they got it at their sort center and expect to give it to the post office but that might take a week or two in our case. They can't seem to figure out where to sort it to so with fed ex it goes around and around and around from one of their centers to another and then back again. With Post office they can take a week to get it to my post office 3 hours from their sort center. Smartpost is the fedex version but it is anything but smart and Fedex refuses to answer any questions saying it is the post offices problem and the post office says call Fedex it's not their issue.

As for which is worse the post office by far. I am saying this as someone who worked for UPS for many years in the past and having a husband who worked for the post office. The post office is all kinds of messed up compared to UPS who is actually really pretty organized.

 

[angwill]

I've got 4 pkgs somewhere in limbo.
Two of the pkgs are from Amazon that were supposed to be here 4 days ago with Amazon Prime. I know things are slower than usual this time of year, but the prime membership is $99/year so would expect better service from them!

Watch the delivery time on prime purchases when you make them and contact them if it is more than 2 day and it says it is at an amazon location for shipping. I don't know why some thing that are supposed to be prime are not sent for 2 day delivery but they will upgrade it if you call them on it.