USPS mishap and other unussual ways of packaging

[s_i_t_h_l_o_r_d]

USPS is notorious for manhandling packages in fact this morning I've gotten a package from Monkey N. It contained a rare Dougram model kit and two Macross books. The box supposedly is a parcel box so it passes the mustard or whatever standards that the postal service adheres too. Anyways as they were searching for my box and minutes later they finally gave it to me all smashed up!

I said, "What happened to the box?"

and the attendant who retrieved my box said or speculated that the box might have been damaged due to the sender's way of packaging the parcel. Then I suddenly was put into a mental time-out and stared blankingly at the attendant.

"Then who do I speak too about the damages done on the box?"

The attendant goes on saying. "That's a good question. Would you like to speak to our supervisor?"

The attendant inspecting the box gave a judgment call and said it was the sender's fault for mailing such a package. She tries to shift the blame and as I was removing the contents within the box for closer inspection she helped me remove the items as well and told me how to open it because she said it was a parcel box. It didn't dawn to her at first but she condricted herself by saying it's a parcel box. Then I asked her, "If this is a parcel box then this would meet all requirements and the sender wouldn't be at fault, right?"

Then the attendant dumbfounded, tries to make all sorts of excuses, "Well if you take a look at the box. It's peforated and if the box where to be mailed off from Japan chances are the box will be damaged." BULL crap! I wish I had said that to her but she can tell I didn't buy it. As I looked at the contents luckly nothing was damaged.

I've gotten so many items from overseas and none of them suffered the damage done on this box. It had rubberbands around the package to hold the contents within from falling out and stamps all over it it saying damaged parcel or something like to that affect, I didn't take a closer look because I was in a blind rage.

Well just to maintain the topic at hand, I did say the most unussal way of packaging, well before this all hapened I recieved a package from Peru. The sender had packaged an Orguss toy I had won from him in a box but the cover packaging was made of those potato sack material almost a rough canvas. Anyways the box came in prestine but the Orguss toy's arms where shattered into millions of pieces. Luckily the sender sent another toy to repalce the one I had and same packaging and he carefully placed cushions inside the Orguss box with styrofoam peanuts and thin stuffing paper but to no avail the same damage had been done to the replacement toy.

[JsARCLIGHT]

I used to know a guy who worked in the bowels of a UPS hub... the stories he told me of manhandled packages, smashed packages, packages being thrown, opened, crushed and destroyed have left me with a newfound hate of shippers.

In reguard to Sithlord's issue, it has become the norm lately for all shippers to insist the packages they ship from you be packed to withstand atomic weapons as they know their handlers are ape-men who will destroy your parcel. They insist on things (like UPS does now) like a 3" packing material cushion around the item in the box and they make you agree that you packed the package that way before they ship it... so if the package gets buttholed in transit (which at some hubs is SOP) they can then turn around and blame you the shipper for the damage.

Because, you know, it's my fault a sweaty 4th grade educated box monkey smashed my package underneath a forklift because I did not pack my package in a lead box with kevlar bubble wrap.

Sithlord I feel your pain... but it is "the system" in the end.

[Wabbit]

Large post companies always try to sliver their way out of any blame when the parcel is damaged or lost. I've lost a parcel that was sent to me with lots of Macross toys and after a season, it's still lost and still no insureance money for the sender.

Both post offices (HK Post -> TPG Post) try to blame me with excuses like why I knew the parcel was near my house (found out two weeks later after sender sent it to me by EMS, when I called to the service number) or that the parcel was scanned out in the car of the courier (!?) when he was at my door. Which is bullshit, that fool could have scanned it out anywhere (I do the same kind of job and know when some snobby clerck of TPG is bullshitting me) and most importantly, there is no signature of the reciepiant. I have the address list of the day it should have been delivered to me here, sent to me after two investigations, which is the proof. Black on white.

But my post office isn't doing anything, even after tens of calls, promising to call me back, which they did not.

The sender's post office is reviewing the case after I wrote a letter to them, hopefully they will kick TPG's butt or so to speak and get a refund or magicaly find the lost parcel.

Edited March 19, 2004 by Wabbit

[ZorClone]

I used to know a guy who worked in the bowels of a UPS hub... the stories he told me of manhandled packages, smashed packages, packages being thrown, opened, crushed and destroyed have left me with a newfound hate of shippers.

In reguard to Sithlord's issue, it has become the norm lately for all shippers to insist the packages they ship from you be packed to withstand atomic weapons as they know their handlers are ape-men who will destroy your parcel. They insist on things (like UPS does now) like a 3" packing material cushion around the item in the box and they make you agree that you packed the package that way before they ship it... so if the package gets buttholed in transit (which at some hubs is SOP) they can then turn around and blame you the shipper for the damage.

Because, you know, it's my fault a sweaty 4th grade educated box monkey smashed my package underneath a forklift because I did not pack my package in a lead box with kevlar bubble wrap.

Sithlord I feel your pain... but it is "the system" in the end.

ROFL, that was hilarious

sith, sorry about your stuff man.. you now know why the people who work in those shipping warehouses are called "tossers"

[Angel's Fury]

Sorry to hear that sith!

[LtStick]

I've been very fortunate using USPS priority mail for both sending stuff out and having stuff delivered. I've never had anything damaged. there were a few occasions when something would show up a day or two later than it should have but other than that no proglems.

[Southcross]

I've been very fortunate using USPS priority mail for both sending stuff out and having stuff delivered. I've never had anything damaged. there were a few occasions when something would show up a day or two later than it should have but other than that no proglems.

I never use USPS (or similar) if possible... I have had so many problems with them in the past I avoid them like the plague!

Rule of thumb "you get what you pay for"... cheap shipping means low paid, untrained, uneducated, monkeys. I will only use UPS(domestic and internation)/Fed-Ex(domestic only)/DHL(international only), unless they specifically request so. In that case I will practially "demand" they pay the insurance, otherwise it arrives as-is no returns/exchanges if damaged in shipping.

[Nani?!]

yep,

USPS is a double edged sword when it comes to shipping. In my personal experience, they've been both the fastest and cheapest shipping option, and in some cases, a group of karate masters practicing their judo chops on my boxes. I think all shipping companies have their own set of disgruntled employees. The only company I didn't have problems with (also the least used company) was Fed EX.

my two cents

[Jawjaw]

While I haven't had any trouble with USPS packages, I despise the post office near my house. The have mastered the technique of making you wait for what seems like an eternity no matter how many people are in line. Half the time, there is someone in the corner arguing with one of the USPS workers over something.

[Roy's Blues]

I have sold a crapload of toys, comic, and collectables on Ebay. After 4 years and some trial and error with all the major shipping companies, I have found FED EX ground to be the best. You get tracking, speedy service and 100.00 worth of insurance to boot.

[Memphis Egyptologist]

It's a hit or miss affair with any shipper. A month ago I ordered a preassembled diecast F-117A from a seller on eBay. It arrived via UPS in a box too big and not cushioned inside the package enough. Needless to say, the tails were broken off and the nose smashed ! I contacted the seller and got a replacement. Now, I haven't had anything arrive damaged via the USPS, but I make sure to have insurance at all times.

Edited March 20, 2004 by Memphis Egyptologist

[jwinges]

I know this guy who bought a computer from Dell and had it shipped via airborn express. The guy come home from work and finds the box left outside his door (they didn't even bring it to his housing complex's office...by the way this is in the middle of Phoenix!. Worse though is the fact that it was the middle of monsoon season and his computer was soaked. Literally filled up with water. Scratch one $3,000 computer.

I recently bitched out my UPS man for leaving a DVD I ordered (it came in one of those padded envelopes) under my doormat. I almost walked right on top of it. I flipped out on the guy then called his super. Super says he'll be repremanded. I get another similar package a week later and the a-hole does it again.

I loath UPS.

[Mechafan]

UPS is a rip off. My old job used UPS and we had missing or stolen packages all the time. I got tired of filling out missing package forms. I would get boxes sent to me banged up and torn. Some with out right holes in the box.

USPS only one bad experience. I had a Gakken Alpha shipped to me off of EBay and the right arm got broken off durn the shipping. It was double box and had paper inside. The seller was willing to refund my money but I found a way to fix it kept it.

[JsARCLIGHT]

Speaking of crappy shipping... just today I almost lost a USPS package sent to me from Best Buy. I ordered a copy of Metroid Prime online for the fiancee and kept checking my shipping tracking and watched to go from "it's almost there" to "it's there" without getting a package in my hands. Turns out the brain dead mail carrier delivered it to the people the next office over (400 south) when clearly on the package it had my office address (410 south). He walked through a door marked with a different business name on it to deliver a package to someone they have delivered tons of packages to before the next door down.

The package even had signature confirmation on it and some doorknob in the next office over signed for it and just left it on his desk for two whole days. I finally had to send my gopher all over the building trying to track down my package and he comes back with it in his hands, opened with that story. I have no clue who to be mad at... the stupid mailman who can't read, the lamebrain that signed for the package and opened it (nice federal crime there, buddy) or the failure of signature confirmation as a safeguard to insure the package is received by the right people.