UPDATE ON SHIPPING

HI ALL!

OKAY, HERES WHAT I KNOW SO FAR.
AT THE END OF JULY ALL THE SHIPPERS THEY HAVE BEEN
TRACKING WILL BE REVIEWED FOR PERFORMANCE, REVENUE,
PROBELMS, COMPLAINTS, ETC.... AT THAT POINT THEY WILL
DECIDE WEATHER OR NOT TO TRY TO CHANGE THEIR POLICY.
FOR NOW, MY UPS REP IN TULSA SAID THAT THEY CANNOT
STOP ANYONE FROM SHIPPING SNAKES. WHY YOU ASK? SOME
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DENIED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, THEY HAVE SUED SINCE THEIR COMPETITORS WERE LEFT ALONE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THEIR "VOLUME". EVERY CASE THEY LOST IN COURT OR SETTLED OUT OF COURT. ONE CASE
THERE WAS ALMOST 100,000$ AWARDED. spam_MY REP SAID THAT
MOST AREA MANAGERS ARE LEFT TO DECIDE IF THE PERSON OR BUSINESS THAT IS SHIPPING IS GOING TO BE A "RESPONSIBLE SHIPPER". spam_THE PROBELM WITH THIS IS THAT
MOST OF US INDIVIDUALS OR spam_"GARAGE SHOPS" SHIP THE SAME WAY OR EVEN BETTER THAN THE "BIG BOYS". SO WHEN
SOMEONE IS DENIED , THEY CAN SUE, PROVE THEY USE RESPONSIBLE SHIPPING METHODS JUST LIKE THEIR COMPETITION , AND SO FAR UPS HAS HAD TO PONY UP SOME SORT OF SETTLEMENT EVERY TIME. NOW THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS ALL THE DARN HASSLE YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GO THROUGH. spam_AS LONG AS THE SIDE OF THE BOX IS MARKED WITH THE QUANTITY, SPECIES SCIENTIFIC NAME, AND COMMON NAME, PACKED CORRECTLY AND SECURLY, NO ONE
SHOULD HAVE ANY REAL PROBLEMS EVEN AS OF NOW ACCORDING TO MY REP. UNLESS THEIR IS SOME REASON FOR
SUSPISION OF EXPLOSIVES ETC... THE PACKAGE WILL NEVER BE X-RAYED OR OPENED. STANDARD UPS POLICY WHEN A SNAKE IS FOUND IS FOR THE PACKAGE TO BE RETURNED TO SENDER IN THE FASTEST POSSIBLE WAY.
spam_NOW IF YOUR AREA UPS MANAGER GIVES YOU GRIEF WHAT MY REP. RECOMMENDS IS THIS: IF YOU DONT HAVE A UPS ONLINE ACCOUNT, GET ONE. INSTEAD OF PUTTING "YOUR SNAKES" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, TRY TO USE YOUR COMPANIES INITIALS. MAKE SURE THE PACKAGE IS PACKED
CORRECTLY!! USE THE DROP OFF AT A DISTIBUTION CENTER IF YOU CAN OR A DROP OFF POINT THAT IS IN A COOL PLACE OF BUSINESS. FIND OUT WHEN UPS USUALLY PICKS UP AT THAT DROP OFF POINT AND TRY TO DROP YOUR BOXES OFF A
HOUR BEFORE SO THE PACKAGE SPENDS MINIMAL TIME THERE.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE DAILY PICK-UP, GET FAMILIAR WITH YOUR DRIVER WHO DOES THE PICKING UP. TAKE A FEW
DAYS TO MAKE "SMALL TALK" BUT BE VERY NICE NO MATTER
WHAT. IF HE/SHE ASK ABOUT WHAT YOUR SHIPPING ALL THE TIME, spam_DONT BE SPECIFIC, PULL OUT A BEARDED DRAGON OR SOMETHING VERRRRY DOCILE SO HE CAN SEE AND GO "OH HOW CUTE". spam_SHOW HIM SOME "SUPPLIES" THAT ARE LARGE
AND LEAVE IT AT THAT. USUALLY THEY'RE IN TO BIG A HURRY
TO ASK MUCH THOUGH. spam_FOLLOWING THESE STEPS SHOULD
LEAVE YOU HASSLE FREE. EVEN IF YOU HAVE BEEN BUSTED BEFORE OR HASSLED TRY PICK-UP INSTEAD OF DROP-OFF OR
VISA-VERSA. IF YOUR CURRENT ACCOUNT HAS BEEN "TAGGED"
OPEN UP A NEW ONE USING INTIALS OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IF YOUR AREA MANAGER STILL GETS WIND AND GIVES YOU GRIEF, EMAIL ME PRIVATELY.
spam_WITH ALL THIS IN MIND, REMEMBER THAT IT IS NOT ILLEAGEL TO SHIP THROUGH UPS AS LONG AS YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE ON THE BOX MARKED WITH SCIENTIFIC, COMMON NAME, AND QUANTITY (LACY ACT REGUARDING INTERSTATE SHIPPING OF REPTILES). I USUALLY PUT ALL THREE IN A ROW WITH NO SPACES IN BETWEEN. spam_spam_

WELP, THIS IS ABOUT ALL I KNOW RIGHT NOW. SOON AS
I GET ANY MY WORD I'LL BE SURE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW.

GOD BLESS TO ALL!!!
BEN SPARKS <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> spam_<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> spam_<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

thanks ben, great info! &nbsp;looking forward to the results.

HI EVERYONE!!

WELP, I GUESS TODAY IS THE BIG DAY!! I GOT A CALL THIS
MORNING FROM UPS AND WILL BE MEETING WITH THEM
AT 11:30 THIS MORNING TO GO OVER WHAT THEY HAVE COME
UP WITH. spam_SOON AS I GET BACK TO THE BOX I'LL LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT THE NEWS IS (HOPEFULLY GOOD!!&#33<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>
WE WERE SUPPOSE TO DO THIS AT THE END OF THE MONTH
BUT ITS BEEN BUMPED UP TO TODAY SO I DONT KNOW IF THATS GOOD OR BAD, AT ANY RATE THOUGH WISH ME LUCK AND SAY A LITTLE PRAYER : ) !!

GOD BLESS!!
BEN SPARKS <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> spam_<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

HI EVERYONE,

WELL, I WISH I HAD BETTER NEWS BUT I'LL LET YOU KNOW ALL THAT I DO.
&nbsp;UPS HAS DECIDED THAT THEIR POSITION IS GOING TO BE TO
HANDLE EACH SHIPPER ON A "INDIVIDUAL" BASIS. THEY BASICALLY SAID THAT THEY ARE GOING TO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO NOT LET SOMEONE SHIP REPTILES WITH THEM IF THEY FEEL THEY ARE NOT SHIPPING IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER. &nbsp;THERE HAS BEEN A FEW INCIDENTS OVER THE PAST
6 MONTHS THAT I WAS UNAWARE OF THAT THEY INFORMED ME ABOUT. I BROUGHT UP OF THEIR PREVIOUS LAWSUITS AGAINST THEM FOR ALLOWING CERTAIN COMPANIES TO SHIP AND NOT OTHERS GIVING ONE A MARKET EDGE. THEY HAVE PREVIOUSLY LOST OR SETTLED OUT OF COURT ON ALL OF THESE THAT I KNOW OF. THEY SAID THEIR LAWYERS FELT THAT IN THE FUTURE AS LONG AS THEY ALLOWED "RESPONSIBLE SHIPPERS" TO USE THEIR SERVICE
THAT THE ISSUE WOULD NOT COME UP AGAIN. IT MAY COME UP FOR POLICY REVIEW AGAIN IN THE FUTURE OR IT MAY NOT. &nbsp;I WISH I HAD BETTER NEWS BUT I FEEL I'M AT THE END OF A LOOOONG ROAD RIGHT NOW AND DONT SEE ANY FORKS IN IT. I APPOLOGIZE IF I GOT ANYONES HOPES UP AND I'M SORRY I DIDNT GET BETTER RESULTS FOR THE HERP INDUSTRY. IF I CAN COME UP WITH ANY OTHER IDEAS ETC...
I ASSURE YOU I WILL CHECK THEM OUT.

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND EMAILS AND
AGAIN I'M SORRY I COULDNT DO MORE.

GOD BLESS TO ALL OF YOU!
BEN SPARKS <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

Ben,

that is too bad that it didn't work out this time around. &nbsp;And don't worry about not doing anything, you have done more than most of us in the industry can or would have. &nbsp;

However, I do see their point one way and of course the opposite in another. &nbsp;For one, it is those irresponsible shippers that caused the "incidents" that made them leary. &nbsp;I can't blame UPS really for not wanting to make it generally acceptable for any joe schmoe to ship herps. &nbsp;But of course, what is it that you can do to become "responsible" in their eyes? &nbsp;Wouldn't you have to actually SHIP some live packages through them to gain that distinction? &nbsp;Or would it become like Delta and they come to inspect your house and collection to make you a "known" shipper? &nbsp;That is an aweful gray area to me.
And of course there are those companies that are getting a business edge if they are allowed to ship through UPS while others are not. &nbsp;I am allowed to ship herps through them, but then there are several others here in town that aren't. &nbsp;Why am I allowed to and they aren't? &nbsp;To tell the truth I have no clue other than it may have something to do with the particular rep that you get. &nbsp;

Anyway, let's not give up people. &nbsp;As long as we continue to pack our animals responsibly and safely, we will eventually get to the end of that long road and have no more problems shipping!!!

Cheers! &nbsp;And thanks Ben for all the hard work!

THANKS ROB,

THEIR MAIN PROBLEM AND WHAT SEEMED TO BE THE BIGGEST
SET-BACK WAS THAT THE INCIDENTS WERE NOT WITH THE
JOE-SCHMOE SHIPPER, IT WAS WITH LARGE WELL KNOWN COMPANIES IN THE INDUSTRY. &nbsp;TAKE LLL REPTILE FOR EXAMPLE AND THE STUNT THEY PULLED . AND YOUR RIGHT ABOUT LOOKING AT BOTH SIDES, ITS NOT LIKE THEIR DECIDING ON WHETHER TO LET PEOPLE SHIP HOT-WHEELS OR SOMETHING. AT ANY RATE THOUGH WE WILL PERSIVERE !!!

GOD BLESS
BEN SPARKS <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

Ben,

I know you've posted this information before, but could you please tell us with whom it was that you met today? &nbsp;That way, when I go to my local UPS office I can at least have some information to let them know that I am one of those "responsible" shippers. &nbsp;Thanks for trying what you have, and thanks for the information!

Darin

THE UPS REP THAT HELPED ME SPEAR HEAD THIS IS AMANDA
HARDWICK. I MET SOME OF HER SUPERIORS BUT SHE WAS THE ONE THAT "WORKED FOR ME". SHE REALLY WENT OUT OF
HER WAY TO TRY AND MAKE IT WORK. I GAVE HER SOME TEDDY BEAR HAMSTERS WHEN SHE CAME OUT TO OUR HOUSE
AND YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THEY WERE GOLD PLATED.
ANYTHING I DO AT UPS I'LL DO THROUGH HER.

HOPE THIS HELPS!
BEN

Just wondering, what was the "stunt" that UPS pulled? I've ordered from them in the past, and have thought about ordering more in the future, but if they've done something to jeopardize our shipping rights, I won't buy from them again. Could someone fill me in?

i would also like to know about the stunt LLL pulled but more importantly, what can an individual do to prove that they are a responsible shipper? &nbsp;do we pack the herps up directly in front of them to get their approval in shipping? &nbsp;thanks ben, you have done more than anyone in this industry (definitely recently and maybe even ever) to get herps to a level of legal shipping! &nbsp;your efforts have not gone unappreciated!