Shipping Cavaclade of Failure

July 28th, 2010 by Potato

Wow, what a week for shipping.

First up, as you all know now, my preorder for SC2 didn’t arrive on time (and then the copy I picked up to tide me over wouldn’t activate!). That was with Canada Post.

Two weeks ago, I shipped via FedEx a gift for my mom. It was guaranteed to get there the next day by 5pm, and it didn’t. So, I started the process of getting a refund with FedEx’s money back guarantee. Things on the FedEx end were going fairly well, until they asked for my tracking number. I had dropped the package off at PostNet here in London, a retail store that will send out packages for both FedEx and Purolator, and never got a tracking number at the time. They said they’d email me one later when it went out, but they never did that either. The helpful rep at FedEx tried to look up the package for me in their system, and couldn’t find it. Finally, we found that it was in there with PostNet listed as the sender, not me. We got the ball rolling on the refund process, but they said I’d have to call back after the package did arrive so they knew whether to refund it as a lost or late package.

This week, I called FedEx back to finish that process off, and they tell me the refund’s already been issued. “What?” I say, “There’s nothing on my credit card.” You’ve probably guessed this next part: they issued the refund to PostNet. So now tomorrow I’ve got to schelp on down there and try to get them to forward the refund on to me. Any guesses as to whether or not that’s going to be an easy process, if I can get it done at all?!

Today, I get a call from the Purolator robot: there’s a package for me to pick up at their depot by the airport. First up, I hate the stupid Purolator depot by the airport. It is so ridiculously far from the rest of the city. The busses don’t go anywhere near there, so I don’t know how they expect people without a car to get their packages, and even with a car it’s a 10 minute drive each way to the very edge of the city. Second, they never even tried to deliver it to my house. I was home all day waiting for my StarCraft delivery, so I know the Purolator guy never came either, and there was no “missed delivery” note on the door.

Anyhow, once I get there, this really rude lady tells me I can’t get my package with just my ID & address, I need the tracking number. Their computer system can’t look up by name or address! So I have to phone myself to pick up the message — several times to get all the digits of the tracking number down. During this time 3 other people come in and all get the same treatment — no tracking number, no package. One of them, having driven all the way out to the boonies by the airport with his ID in hand, is sent home to go look up the tracking number because they don’t have internet there for him to check his email. Then I get the package and see a note pasted on in confirming my suspicions: “construction on street, did not attempt delivery”. Seriously, there is construction on my street, a block away, but come on, it’s summer. Construction happens, and it’s not like it was anywhere near blocking the ability to get to the house, or even park the truck on the street here!

5 Responses to “Shipping Cavaclade of Failure”

  1. Ben Says:

    That FedEx one is particularly brutal, having to deal with TWO different customer service situations for something that should be so straightforward. Good luck getting that money back…

  2. Potato Says:

    So an update: PostNet told me that I was supposed to have called them when my package was delayed, not FedEx directly. They’ve got my information and are going to have to “sort it out with FedEx” and will get back to me in a few days…

  3. Ben Says:

    lol what’s to “sort out”, they already got the money back…

  4. Rachelle Says:

    I once tried to send a package via Fed-ex three time to the states. They sent the package back once because I had filled out the wrong custom form. It took me like 4 days to figure out how to use the US customs site.

    They ask the stupidest questions… for instance I had some rawhide dog bones from the grocery store. Who is the manufacturer? What is the US custom’s code for rawhide dog bones. This for every single item. I get it done.

    Then I sent it AGAIN and they sent it back 2 days later. It was sent back because I had not removed the original send back tape that was put on my package by them.

    Then I sent it again and it was turned back because my custom’s form was stale dated.

    Every time I paid them to ship the damn box to the states. 45$ all this box ever did was go to the depot in Mississauga. I paid them $135, they blamed me because I didn’t do it right and the box never got there. I was so mad I called them and asked for a refund which I never got. They sent me a bucket of candy. Cost of “gift” about $2. They could have spent a whole 5$ LOSERS.

  5. Potato Says:

    Update again: PostNet has gotten back to me and refunded me in full. So it all worked out!