A Purolator GOTCHA! (Long)

[email protected] wrote in news:[email protected]:

*snip*

> I also report Ebay shipping gougers, such as $0.99 starting bid with
> $69 shipping on a item that should sell for about $25 and ship for
> $15. The last time I reported one of these, the seller and all his
> listings were gone from Ebay in a couple of hours. If he hadn't been
> so greedy, I would have purchased several items from him.
>
> John

Sad thing is, this is an easily solved technological problem. eBay
obviously feels it's in their be$t intere$t to let it continue.

Puckdropper
--
On Usenet, no one can hear you laugh. That's a good thing, though, as some
writers are incorrigible.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

UH HUH... I tracked a FedEX order, showed out for delivery.
It was delivered the next morning, Sunday. Checked status again, showed
delivered 8:30pm previous day. Amazing!

"Bob Haar" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> Stop depending on email. Pick up a phone and call Mastercard. And follow
up
> with a written letter - you know, the obscure medium called paper.

<g> Your advice made me think about how I, (we've) gotten used to instant
gratification. It's nice when you can use email or similar to respond to
someone or something and get a reply back almost as fast. And now that I,
(we've) become so accustomed to that instant gratification, it sure is a
bear when it fails to perform as expected.

I'd almost forgotten what it's like to mail a letter of complaint and then
have to wait and wait for results or some type of reply days, weeks or
months later. Some of the good old days I certainly do NOT miss.

Mark & Juanita wrote:

> DGDevin wrote:
>
> It is not the job of credit card companies to vet those for whom it
> processes charges. If charges of fraud, abuse, or illegal activity are
> brought to the attention of a credit card company, they will cooperate
> with the appropriate legal authorities as required, but the credit card
> companies are not investigative services beyond the expected fiducial
> responsibilities to ensure that the entities with whom they do business
> are able to meet their financial obligations.
>
>
>> Occasionally they make a show of cutting off
>> illegal music download sites in Russia or kiddie porn websites etc.
>
> Huh? How would a credit card company cut off websites? Methinks you
> are
> thinking of Internet Service Providers, not credit card companies.
>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AllOfMP3

Note they didn't actually cut off the website, but MC and VISA made it hard
to do business with the company.

--
Froz...

"basilisk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> When they absolutely positively can't deliver by 10:00 the next day,
> they just stick it on a shelf and wait for you to come pick it up.

Hey, I'd be happy to go pick it up. It would mean that I knew where the
damned thing was. As I said in another message, it's usually not the money
that's the most important to me, it's the customer service and not wasting
my time. And this experience has been a colossal waste of time.

"Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> > Lew, you obviously aren't shipping or receiving cross-border. UPS
>> > in Canada is unbelievably awful.
>>
>> Not any more.
>
> I guess it depends on what you consider awful. Using UPS shipping in
> Canada
> has always by my experience, resulted in expensive cross border duties,
> even
> recently when the Canadian buck was valued more than the US dollar.
> They've
> always charged some type of handling fee and some Canadian duty is
> obviously
> added onto that. Not so with many other shippers.
>
> I refuse to buy when a dealer insists on using UPS into Canada. My
> preference is to use US Postal service. Occasionally the surcharge has
> been
> $5, more frequently there has been no surcharge at all and once I've been
> hit with approximately a 25% charge. I figure over last five years, I've
> had
> shipments sent to me about a dozen times. Truly, not a great amount using
> USPS, but definitely a noticeable pattern when it comes to having to pay a
> surcharge.

We have done a lot of importing and some exporting. Sending items to the US
from Canada is just as bad, there are a million little rules you must
document so that US customs will accept the item, worse than Canada customs.

Only when desperate will we accept UPS Ground items from the US, as we have
learned that their customs broker charges through the nose for everything.
The charge is rarely under $30.00 for whatever the item is, even for a
$10.00 item. UPS freight is somewhat better, UPS Air or next day is OK.

We find that FedEx works better, the charges for customs brokerage is
reasonable and they don't take much time. FedEx Next Day is great and the
charge includes brokerage.

When you have time, go for USPS Expedited, when it gets to Canada, Canada
Post will process the item for $5.00 plus taxes most of the time. Plus we
get delivery to the door (you may not), unless the delivery guy is lazy and
takes it to one of the franchise outlets instead. You can even pay the taxes
and processing fee by credit card right on the doorstep with their handheld
computer.

"Bob Haar" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> Stop depending on email. Pick up a phone and call Mastercard. And follow
up
> with a written letter - you know, the obscure medium called paper.

Buy.com responded to my email after I threatened to challenge the order with
Mastercard. (one of the benefits of using a credit card). The matter has
been escalated and I agreed to give them a week to find a solution to my
satisfaction. Failing that, I will contact Mastercard and challenge the
charge.

"EXT" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> from Canada is just as bad, there are a million little rules you must
> document so that US customs will accept the item, worse than Canada
customs.

Well, their reasons are slightly different for their cross border rules than
ours in Canada. They changed significantly after 9/11 and I can't really
blame them for that.

> get delivery to the door (you may not), unless the delivery guy is lazy
and
> takes it to one of the franchise outlets instead.

They do come to my door with the imported stuff, almost every time. It's
when I order something locally, that I frequently experience the lazy guy
drop off at the franchise outlet. To add to my ire, I've often arranged my
day around being at home to receive a delivery that never reaches my door.
And this is confirmed by my finding an attempted delivery notice down in the
lobby of my apartment building. I did call and complain about it at one
point which significantly curtailed the lazy guy syndrome for a period.

On Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:30:34 -0600, "Leon"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>UH HUH... I tracked a FedEX order, showed out for delivery.
> It was delivered the next morning, Sunday. Checked status again, showed
>delivered 8:30pm previous day. Amazing!
>

One of the local UPS drivers was marking things as "delivered at
12:10PM" (online status) while he was apparenly eating lunch and the
package wouldn't be at my door for another hour. You have to be
careful of us old retired people - we do both physical (check the
porch) and electronic (check the web) monitoring ;-)

The physical deliveries are now coming much later in the day (2 -3
hours later) and no online updates appear before the packages arrive,
so I suspect there have been some changes ;-)

I also report Ebay shipping gougers, such as $0.99 starting bid with
$69 shipping on a item that should sell for about $25 and ship for
$15. The last time I reported one of these, the seller and all his
listings were gone from Ebay in a couple of hours. If he hadn't been
so greedy, I would have purchased several items from him.

John

On 12/30/08 4:44 PMDec 30, "Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote:


>
> I email the Buy.com and explain my problem. And, that's where I sit waiting
> for a response. My next step will be to email Mastercard and tell them my
> card has been billed without their completing the order.
>

Stop depending on email. Pick up a phone and call Mastercard. And follow up
with a written letter - you know, the obscure medium called paper.

"Leon" wrote:

> UH HUH... I tracked a FedEX order, showed out for delivery.

My vendors are all aware that we only accept shipments from UPS.

Have had too many problems with the other shippers. Life is too short
to screw around with losers.

Lew

Mark & Juanita wrote:
> DGDevin wrote:
>
>> Upscale wrote:
>>
>>> I also imagine that their business reputation with the credit card
>>> company is of great concern too.
>> The credit card companies will happily process charges from the slimiest
>> businesses imaginable, they develop morals only when bad publicity and law
>> enforcement come into play.
>
> It is not the job of credit card companies to vet those for whom it
> processes charges. If charges of fraud, abuse, or illegal activity are
> brought to the attention of a credit card company, they will cooperate with
> the appropriate legal authorities as required, but the credit card
> companies are not investigative services beyond the expected fiducial
> responsibilities to ensure that the entities with whom they do business are
> able to meet their financial obligations.
>
>
>> Occasionally they make a show of cutting off
>> illegal music download sites in Russia or kiddie porn websites etc.
>
> Huh? How would a credit card company cut off websites? Methinks you are
> thinking of Internet Service Providers, not credit card companies.
>

They can cutoff the ability to conduct financial transactions for their
illegal activities.

>> But
>> the fact that they will do business with such vermin for years and only
>> stop when it becomes publicly embarrassing would seem to indicate that
>> they don't worry much about what their customers are doing so long as
>> their checks clear.
>
> See above.
>

In article <[email protected]>, "D O'Heare" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>
>> My vendors are all aware that we only accept shipments from UPS.
>>
>> Have had too many problems with the other shippers. Life is too short to
>> screw around with losers.
>
>Lew, you obviously aren't shipping or receiving cross-border. UPS in
>Canada is unbelievably awful.
>
>Why? They charge extra to the US shipper for priority delivery to Canada,
>which is not available. They charge the recipient in Canada a premium price
>for delivery/clearing, while telling the US shipper that it's all included.
>It goes 'way downhill from there.
>
On top of that, they don't publish their charges for customs brokerage fees,
and will not disclose them in advance either to the recipient or to the
shipper. As a shipper, the only way I can find out what the brokerage fee will
be is to ship the package _first_, then call UPS with the tracking number and
ask them. NOT!

Upscale wrote:

> I also imagine that their business reputation with the credit card
> company is of great concern too.

The credit card companies will happily process charges from the slimiest
businesses imaginable, they develop morals only when bad publicity and law
enforcement come into play. Occasionally they make a show of cutting off
illegal music download sites in Russia or kiddie porn websites etc. But the
fact that they will do business with such vermin for years and only stop
when it becomes publicly embarrassing would seem to indicate that they don't
worry much about what their customers are doing so long as their checks
clear.

"Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> December 14, I place an online order with Buy.com Canada. They had a
> decent price for the Logitech Harmony RF Wireless Extender that I
> intended to use with my new Yamaha receiver. I figure it will be great
> to be able to run my sound system from another room with the included
> second remote control.
>
> December 16, my Mastercard is billed, the order is shipped through
> Purolater and I get a tracking number so I can watch my prize make its
> way into my eager hands. I watch gleefully while that same day, the
> order is tracked through the sort centre, then goes into transit and
> leaves the depot for shipping to me. I figure a few days at most and
> I'll have it.
>
> December 17, the order is tracked as being on the truck for delivery
> that same day. Great I think, fantastic service. I guess I'm too
> gullible. Later that day, the order is tracked as "address correction
> required". Figures, I'm thinking, some twit didn't address it
> properly.
>
> December 17 - December 23, the order is scanned another 8 times, all
> with "address correction required".
>
> Yeah, I left it too long, but finally on the 23rd, I contact Purolator
> support and ask what the problem is with my order? I get a quick
> response, the order needs a buzzer code for my apartment. I
> immediately email them my buzzer code, but it's too late to do
> anything about it because of Christmas and everybody is gone from
> Purolator customer service until December 27.
>
> So, there I am fuming over the next few days. In frustration, I
> eventually get around to emailing their customer service an email
> asking why their delivery people are unable to read the buzzer code
> from the menu index in the lobby of my apartment building? I'm very
> careful not to ask about the mental capacity of their delivery people,
> but the implication is there nevertheless. ~ no reply.
>
> December 29, I'm happy again because my order is tracked as being on
> the truck for delivery to me. That happiness was a complete waste. Two
> hours later, the package is tracked as "new tracking number assigned"
> and no new number emailed to me. Ok I thought, I don't care what
> number it has on it, just as long as it gets here.
>
> December 30, (today), the original tracking number I have shows the
> package delivered to Missisauga and taken by some guy named Andrew at
> the Ingram shipping dock.
>
> I'm pissed now. I'm getting no further responses from Purolator
> customer service. I phone the customer service at Buy.com (using the
> customer service number they gave me) and tell them my order has
> failed to arrive. 22 minutes on hold before I get to a live person. 17
> more minutes while she takes all my information and makes inquiries
> about my order, frequently placing me on hold.
>
> Final answer, we can't help you she says, you need to contact the
> CANADIAN division of our customer service. NO, I do not have their
> phone number. What do I do now I ask? WELL, I can forward your problem
> to our solutions department. How long is that going to take I ask? You
> SHOULD hear back in a few days.
>
> I email Buy.com Canada division again and finally get an email
> response. Damien says to click on the link he's give me and fill out a
> "no delivery" form. I click on the link, enter my email address, input
> my password and get a "page cannot be displayed" message.
>
> I email the Buy.com and explain my problem. And, that's where I sit
> waiting for a response. My next step will be to email Mastercard and
> tell them my card has been billed without their completing the order.

You should call Mastercard and state that your order billed on Dec 16 in
the amount of xxx ordered from Buy.com Canada on so and so date has
failed to arrive and to please credit you with the charged amount since
Buy.com Canada cannot give you a satisfactory answer after you spoke
(finally, after much routing around) with Damien, who gave you a wrong
webpage address.

I have had both good and not so good experiences with Buy.com, so I am a
little hesitant to bite when they appear to have a good deal.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

"DGDevin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> I've done chargebacks with a couple of companies that failed to deliver.
It
> gets their attention because not only is the customer's money refunded
(and
> the merchant has nothing to say about it if the bank believes the
customer)
> but they get hit with a service charge as well.

I also imagine that their business reputation with the credit card company
is of great concern too.

"D O'Heare" wrote:

> Lew, you obviously aren't shipping or receiving cross-border. UPS
> in Canada is unbelievably awful.

Not any more.

There was a time we represented some Canadian firms in the US, long
before the web.

Back then Canadian customs was the total PITA group.

Lew

"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > Lew, you obviously aren't shipping or receiving cross-border. UPS
> > in Canada is unbelievably awful.
>
> Not any more.

I guess it depends on what you consider awful. Using UPS shipping in Canada
has always by my experience, resulted in expensive cross border duties, even
recently when the Canadian buck was valued more than the US dollar. They've
always charged some type of handling fee and some Canadian duty is obviously
added onto that. Not so with many other shippers.

I refuse to buy when a dealer insists on using UPS into Canada. My
preference is to use US Postal service. Occasionally the surcharge has been
$5, more frequently there has been no surcharge at all and once I've been
hit with approximately a 25% charge. I figure over last five years, I've had
shipments sent to me about a dozen times. Truly, not a great amount using
USPS, but definitely a noticeable pattern when it comes to having to pay a
surcharge.

"Lew Hodgett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> My vendors are all aware that we only accept shipments from UPS.
>
> Have had too many problems with the other shippers. Life is too short to
> screw around with losers.

Lew, you obviously aren't shipping or receiving cross-border. UPS in
Canada is unbelievably awful.

Why? They charge extra to the US shipper for priority delivery to Canada,
which is not available. They charge the recipient in Canada a premium price
for delivery/clearing, while telling the US shipper that it's all included.
It goes 'way downhill from there.

Dave O'H
dave.oheareATgmail.com

And I thought it was just Fedex, the address correction,
illegible,unknown or too stupid to find is a favorite of Fedex.

When they absolutely positively can't deliver by 10:00 the next day,
they just stick it on a shelf and wait for you to come pick it up.

basilisk

"Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> December 14, I place an online order with Buy.com Canada. They had a
> decent
> price for the Logitech Harmony RF Wireless Extender that I intended to use
> with my new Yamaha receiver. I figure it will be great to be able to run
> my
> sound system from another room with the included second remote control.
>
> December 16, my Mastercard is billed, the order is shipped through
> Purolater
> and I get a tracking number so I can watch my prize make its way into my
> eager hands. I watch gleefully while that same day, the order is tracked
> through the sort centre, then goes into transit and leaves the depot for
> shipping to me. I figure a few days at most and I'll have it.
>
> December 17, the order is tracked as being on the truck for delivery that
> same day. Great I think, fantastic service. I guess I'm too gullible.
> Later
> that day, the order is tracked as "address correction required". Figures,
> I'm thinking, some twit didn't address it properly.
>
> December 17 - December 23, the order is scanned another 8 times, all with
> "address correction required".
>
> Yeah, I left it too long, but finally on the 23rd, I contact Purolator
> support and ask what the problem is with my order? I get a quick response,
> the order needs a buzzer code for my apartment. I immediately email them
> my
> buzzer code, but it's too late to do anything about it because of
> Christmas
> and everybody is gone from Purolator customer service until December 27.
>
> So, there I am fuming over the next few days. In frustration, I eventually
> get around to emailing their customer service an email asking why their
> delivery people are unable to read the buzzer code from the menu index in
> the lobby of my apartment building? I'm very careful not to ask about the
> mental capacity of their delivery people, but the implication is there
> nevertheless. ~ no reply.
>
> December 29, I'm happy again because my order is tracked as being on the
> truck for delivery to me. That happiness was a complete waste. Two hours
> later, the package is tracked as "new tracking number assigned" and no
> new
> number emailed to me. Ok I thought, I don't care what number it has on it,
> just as long as it gets here.
>
> December 30, (today), the original tracking number I have shows the
> package
> delivered to Missisauga and taken by some guy named Andrew at the Ingram
> shipping dock.
>
> I'm pissed now. I'm getting no further responses from Purolator customer
> service. I phone the customer service at Buy.com (using the customer
> service
> number they gave me) and tell them my order has failed to arrive. 22
> minutes
> on hold before I get to a live person. 17 more minutes while she takes all
> my information and makes inquiries about my order, frequently placing me
> on
> hold.
>
> Final answer, we can't help you she says, you need to contact the CANADIAN
> division of our customer service. NO, I do not have their phone number.
> What
> do I do now I ask? WELL, I can forward your problem to our solutions
> department. How long is that going to take I ask? You SHOULD hear back in
> a
> few days.
>
> I email Buy.com Canada division again and finally get an email response.
> Damien says to click on the link he's give me and fill out a "no delivery"
> form. I click on the link, enter my email address, input my password and
> get
> a "page cannot be displayed" message.
>
> I email the Buy.com and explain my problem. And, that's where I sit
> waiting
> for a response. My next step will be to email Mastercard and tell them my
> card has been billed without their completing the order.
>
>

Bob Haar wrote:
> On 12/30/08 4:44 PMDec 30, "Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>
>> I email the Buy.com and explain my problem. And, that's where I sit
>> waiting for a response. My next step will be to email Mastercard
>> and
>> tell them my card has been billed without their completing the
>> order.
>>
>
> Stop depending on email. Pick up a phone and call Mastercard. And
> follow up with a written letter - you know, the obscure medium
> called
> paper.

I find that it works best if the letter goes first then call and ask
if the person to whom you addressed it got it.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Mark & Juanita wrote:

>> Occasionally they make a show of cutting off
>> illegal music download sites in Russia or kiddie porn websites etc.
>
> Huh? How would a credit card company cut off websites? Methinks
> you are thinking of Internet Service Providers, not credit card
> companies.

No, I'm referring to the credit card companies announcing they would no
longer process charges for illegal music download sites based in Russia.
Done without a court order too, imagine that.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15323093/

ROTFLMAO!!

I'm sorry, but that is funny!

Happy new year.


On Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:44:22 -0500, "Upscale" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>December 14, I place an online order with Buy.com Canada. They had a decent
>price for the Logitech Harmony RF Wireless Extender that I intended to use
>with my new Yamaha receiver. I figure it will be great to be able to run my
>sound system from another room with the included second remote control.
>
>December 16, my Mastercard is billed, the order is shipped through Purolater
>and I get a tracking number so I can watch my prize make its way into my
>eager hands. I watch gleefully while that same day, the order is tracked
>through the sort centre, then goes into transit and leaves the depot for
>shipping to me. I figure a few days at most and I'll have it.
>
>December 17, the order is tracked as being on the truck for delivery that
>same day. Great I think, fantastic service. I guess I'm too gullible. Later
>that day, the order is tracked as "address correction required". Figures,
>I'm thinking, some twit didn't address it properly.
>
>December 17 - December 23, the order is scanned another 8 times, all with
>"address correction required".
>
>Yeah, I left it too long, but finally on the 23rd, I contact Purolator
>support and ask what the problem is with my order? I get a quick response,
>the order needs a buzzer code for my apartment. I immediately email them my
>buzzer code, but it's too late to do anything about it because of Christmas
>and everybody is gone from Purolator customer service until December 27.
>
>So, there I am fuming over the next few days. In frustration, I eventually
>get around to emailing their customer service an email asking why their
>delivery people are unable to read the buzzer code from the menu index in
>the lobby of my apartment building? I'm very careful not to ask about the
>mental capacity of their delivery people, but the implication is there
>nevertheless. ~ no reply.
>
>December 29, I'm happy again because my order is tracked as being on the
>truck for delivery to me. That happiness was a complete waste. Two hours
>later, the package is tracked as "new tracking number assigned" and no new
>number emailed to me. Ok I thought, I don't care what number it has on it,
>just as long as it gets here.
>
>December 30, (today), the original tracking number I have shows the package
>delivered to Missisauga and taken by some guy named Andrew at the Ingram
>shipping dock.
>
>I'm pissed now. I'm getting no further responses from Purolator customer
>service. I phone the customer service at Buy.com (using the customer service
>number they gave me) and tell them my order has failed to arrive. 22 minutes
>on hold before I get to a live person. 17 more minutes while she takes all
>my information and makes inquiries about my order, frequently placing me on
>hold.
>
>Final answer, we can't help you she says, you need to contact the CANADIAN
>division of our customer service. NO, I do not have their phone number. What
>do I do now I ask? WELL, I can forward your problem to our solutions
>department. How long is that going to take I ask? You SHOULD hear back in a
>few days.
>
>I email Buy.com Canada division again and finally get an email response.
>Damien says to click on the link he's give me and fill out a "no delivery"
>form. I click on the link, enter my email address, input my password and get
>a "page cannot be displayed" message.
>
>I email the Buy.com and explain my problem. And, that's where I sit waiting
>for a response. My next step will be to email Mastercard and tell them my
>card has been billed without their completing the order.
>

On Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:44:22 -0500, "Upscale" <[email protected]>
wrote:


>I email the Buy.com and explain my problem. And, that's where I sit waiting
>for a response. My next step will be to email Mastercard and tell them my
>card has been billed without their completing the order.
>

Man, I feel for ya!
It's issues like these that illuminate the insignificance of the PC
vs. Mac pissing contest. Good luck on getting your package and try to
put aside the angst so you can enjoy the ringing in of the new.

tb

Upscale wrote:

> Buy.com responded to my email after I threatened to challenge the
> order with Mastercard. (one of the benefits of using a credit card).
> The matter has been escalated and I agreed to give them a week to
> find a solution to my satisfaction. Failing that, I will contact
> Mastercard and challenge the charge.

I've done chargebacks with a couple of companies that failed to deliver. It
gets their attention because not only is the customer's money refunded (and
the merchant has nothing to say about it if the bank believes the customer)
but they get hit with a service charge as well.

DGDevin wrote:

> Upscale wrote:
>
>> I also imagine that their business reputation with the credit card
>> company is of great concern too.
>
> The credit card companies will happily process charges from the slimiest
> businesses imaginable, they develop morals only when bad publicity and law
> enforcement come into play.

It is not the job of credit card companies to vet those for whom it
processes charges. If charges of fraud, abuse, or illegal activity are
brought to the attention of a credit card company, they will cooperate with
the appropriate legal authorities as required, but the credit card
companies are not investigative services beyond the expected fiducial
responsibilities to ensure that the entities with whom they do business are
able to meet their financial obligations.


> Occasionally they make a show of cutting off
> illegal music download sites in Russia or kiddie porn websites etc.

Huh? How would a credit card company cut off websites? Methinks you are
thinking of Internet Service Providers, not credit card companies.

> But
> the fact that they will do business with such vermin for years and only
> stop when it becomes publicly embarrassing would seem to indicate that
> they don't worry much about what their customers are doing so long as
> their checks clear.

See above.

--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough