Robyn, any time you offer a service to the public and anything arrises, big or small, people will want answers. What you may not realize is that they want them answered on their terms, not yours. These people could be past, current, or future customers, or those who toss the idea around of using your service.
When people post emails that you have sent out that show odds and percentages of what the chances are of their package being confinscated,it can be misleading and some believe through your choice of verbage, that you are suggesting to continue using your service to ship snakes. The things you say in an email and the things you say in a public forum don't appear to be worded the same from what I have read in several discussion forums out there. I know you can't be held accountable for an email like you can posting publically so your choice of words will be different.
To me if a service was actually on the level from the get go, I would think the main computer system would have notations that clearly state that snakes are allowed through your service. UPS is a multi billion dollar corporation and they can't have something in the system for all UPS delivery personel to see that these kinds of shipments are allowed? I know other reptile dealers that have a UPS waiver and the shipping company never questions one of their packages they even have in store pick up from the drivers who are well aware there are snakes being shipped out. I would tend to believe it is because they are in the system and anyone can look it up. To me it would be extremely unprofessional of UPS to not have a system in place for easily accessable account information.
You called your service a pilot program. Maybe you had a verbal from someone high up who you could contact if there was an issue and they could get it straightened out, and the package back on track. Seems odd that a multi billion dollar corporation doesn't have your account information for the package from start to finish.
Having a friend post publically that they read your contract doesn't prove anything. I saw that post, and it proves nothing.
If an individual goes down to any shipping company and ships a prohibited item, they are taking that risk by themselves. If a person ships something prohibited through a middle man and is led to believe it is fine, and then ends up not being fine, that is just plain wrong. All the middle man wants is to make money on others.
Here is your number game. Lets say 1000 packages go through the system, and 2 of those get confiscated and you even refund the money. You are still way ahead of the game financially because of all the others that made it through.
You are being hit hard with questions, comments, and alligations because the reptile industry has been fooled before by a shipping middle man.
If you go back in this thread, you will see that you posted. If you had just taken a few minutes to answer some questions then, before this thing snow balled, it would have been laid to rest already.
Understand, people can be demanding, that is natural. People can be disrespectful, and you have been as well as some of us. I have been disrespectful, and so have you. I can take the feed back for my actions, and you should too.
And I will say, thanks for coming back.