Need Help!!! UPS screwed up order

[StickyTongues]

UPS did me in good this time. They said they left a UPS red package on my front porch without a signature. Well the package is not there. Guess what was in there? A het albino female boa. I also put a signed note on the front door asking them to deliver the package to through the back door and call me on my cell if there was any problems. Now why in the world would they disregard my note, leave it on the front porch when I asked them to take it to the back, and not call me or ring my door bell?

Who is responsible in this case? Should I contact UPS and file a claim or should the shipper? I don't want to bother the shipper and she did her part in shipping the snake on time, thanks Erin Urban. I don't blame her one bit. She had always been there to answer all my questions and was always friendly and curteous.

How do I get reimburse by UPS without telling them what was in the package? Am I, the receiver, suppose to file a claim or does the shipper have to do it. If so how long does the whole process take.

Again UPS said they delivered a package with no signature to back themselves up. They ignored a signed note by the receiver. I've never had any problems with UPS before. They've never left anything anywhere without a signature unless otherwise told to. The shipper did not waive the signature. There was no reschedule delivery note. NO indications that they were even there except some neighboors saying they saw a UPS truck drive by.

My concern is that if they left her at the front door and maybe someone ran off with it. I can picture their face when the open up that package to find a large, cold, probably aggressive, from the stress of being shipped, in the box. I just hope I don't find her dead somewhere. I will be checking the bushes around my block to see if she shows up. Its been getting in the low 60's at night around her so I don't she would survive long in this kind of weather.

Anyone had any experiances similar to this? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Sam Leam
[email protected]

 

[shrap]

Who is responsible in this case?

Ultimately you are. If you knew a live animal was coming you should have been there. Period.

First talk to Erin and verify that she had required a sig from the receiver for delivery.

Secondly, UPS is under no obligation to follow instructions taped to your front door. Special instructions are to be given by the shipper at the time of pick-up. A note on a door means nothing.

Like I said, ultimately, this is your screw up.

 

[StickyTongues]

That is very mean of you to say this is my screw up. How many time do you sit and wait at your front door for the delivery guy to bring you your package. I was there. I was not sitting in my living room hopelessly staring out my window but I was home until 5PM when I had to leave for work. I only had them go to the back since I figured I would be there most of the day tending to my other snakes. I did not instruct them to leave the package in the back or the front. I had them deliver it to the back and call me on my cell if they had trouble with anything. Regardless if they didn't have to follow my taped instructions at the door, don't they have to get signature for the package UNLESS they were instructed not to?

If you didn't click on the shipper release (delivery without signature) box or checked it wouldn't that mean they had to get a signature? Everytime I ship something from UPS I never had to do a request for them to get a signature. It should be common practice for them. Thats why there is an option to waive the signature and not an option to require them to get a signature. A ring or a call would have been nice. Not to just leave a package at the front door without anything. What happened to professional curteousy? What ever happened to caring about customers. Get your facts straight. Thank you!!!

Sorry for being soo rude but I'm just too pissed right now.


Sam Leam

 

[Bringerofdoom]

wow ups screwedup. i had a messedup experience with fedex here. i ordered $30 for some crickets and some waxworms. i woke up a little late to find a note from fed ex saying i missed my shipment and had to go get it at the main place at 6:00 at night. i drove 15 miles to there to find out they dont have my package, they told me someone named T.clark signed for it.

i exclaimed i dont know who this person is and why fedex allowed him to sign for it in front of my house and walk off with my package. i didnt know where the person even lived, so i thought i got screwed out my crickets. i was getting angry with fedex, cause they didnt have an adress for the guy. fedex didnt even seem to really care about it, which was making me mad cause i needed the crickets that day.

needless to say i left fedex to race home to my neighborhood to go walk down the street banging on doors. finally 2 doors over i was knocking on a door and was able to see into the persons house, turns out he owns a bunch of herps too. i assumed this was who snagged the package, he didnt answer so i left. 20 mins later i comeback and he finally answered and gave me my stuff, to my amazement he didnt open it.

needless to say i wasnt happy with fed ex to let people walk over 2 doors away from me and sign for packages i pay for. i also wasnt happy for the way fed ex acted towards me at the main place. if they cant understand missplaced and stolen packages makes a customer mad, then they need to make it happen less. after they explained to me how they long recovery process takes, i got mad that somehow after about 2 weeks they expect they would still be able to recover 1,000 live crickets and 500 waxworms.

im sorry to hear about your problems though sticky tounges, what did she claim was in the package when she shipped it? you can always claim it was what she claimed it was when you file for lost package. i would blame ups 100% though, scince they normally require your to sign for it and your note probably stated you werent going to be home to sign so take it to the back and leave it. i would say they broke your agreement how to leave the package. as much as ups ships packages they should know about the problems with leaving packages on front doors.

i only whish carriers would let you ship snakes, cause you wouldnt be having this problem. i mean it would drive me out of my mind knowing there is a perfectly good snake that was suposed to be in good hands thats out somewhere with some thief who probably dont know 1 thing about it (and obviously to poor to take car of it, if he would randomly steal a package off a porch). if you would tell ups what was in the package, they would give you a hard time about shipping snakes rather than hunting the living creature down before it gets killed.

 

[Clay Davenport]

To my knowledge, FedEx is the only carrier that requires a signature by default. I have never signed for a UPS package and I get an average of one per week.
I've so rarely used UPS for shipping I may be incorrect about it, but I just know they've never once asked me to sign for anything.
You actually have to sign a waiver form with FedEx to get them to leave packages without signatures unless the shipper waived the requirement.

As for filing a claim, unfortunately you're most likely screwed there. UPS carries $100 in insurance on every package they ship, additional insurance has to be purchased.
Even with normal claims I've heard repeatedly getting them to pay up is like pulling teeth.

IF they did actually deliver the package to your door, then you are responsible. You can leave a note on the door hoping it will be read, but you shouldn't actually expect it will be. The drivers are on a tight schedule going to a couple of hundred places a day, they're not very concerned about individual service. It's up to you to check periodically to see if it has arrived when you know it's due to be delivered.

It is possible though that it was never actually delivered, not to your house anyway. Its a rare occurance but it happened to me.
I sent a snake to a customer and the tracking number reported it was delivered. The customer called that evening and said they had been watching all day and hadn't seen the driver.
It was actually delivered to the exact same address in another town an hour away. Luckily for us her number was on the package and the person who received it called her and she was able to go get it with no harm done. Freak accident, but it happens.

Either way you're not going to get UPS to take responsibility for it. If their driver says he delivered it, that's the end of story for them. You won't even get the shipping fees back.

 

[shrap]

I can completely understand you being upset. I am not trying to be mean saying that it is your fault, just stating my opinion on the matter.

EVERYTIME I have an animal coming I stay home until it arrives. EVERYTIME. I owe it to that animal to be there. It is my responsibility.

If a sig was required then they screwed up. That is why I said to verify with Erin that she required a sig. I have no way of knowing if she waived that or not. But that is the first step I would take. Then gather all other relevant info so when you call them you are prepared.

Like I said dude, I am not trying to be mean. But imho, you should have been there.

 

[Bringerofdoom]

don't they have to get signature for the package UNLESS they were instructed not to?

i would say so, if they decided to follow part of your note and leave a unsigned package at your door, then they should have followed the rest of it.

are you shure it came at all? have you called and verified everything, tracked it and called ups to make shure they did deliver it there.

i know ups goofs up all the time, they might have sent your package to another adress, had someone else sign for it or something else. heck they might have discovered the snake in the package and is holding it there till you contact them.

i know they did in the case a python escaped its box as my local ups. they had to de-contaminate the entire ups shipping area, cause of it. after they have animal control contain it there they held it and made the package owner personally pick it up and gave him earfull.

i am just afraid that things like that and idiots shipping hots through ups will forever keep snakes from being legally shipped through them.

 

[Bringerofdoom]

Clay Davenport, you should then tell your ups carrier you want signatures, if you want to sign for them.

they are required to get signatures, but wont do it mostly to home adresses. after having ups leave several packages on my door step to only have them stolen i left a big note to my door that adressed all package carriers to not leave a package without a signature. ever scince then i didnt have them leave a single package lay.

i order alot of computer parts, so when i dont get a package it makes me mad. my customers would also get mad, cause it would push their pc repairs and upgrades waaay back. luckily the companies were understanding and would send the package and take it up personally with ups.

if your package has tracking numbers on it, its normally insured as well. part of their insurance agreement is to get that signature, if they dont get your sig they violate their own policy.

if ups was to deliver to a business they will get a signature, they feel that its somehow safe to ignore the policy when leaving packages on residential addresses. they dont even live in the area where the package is left, so how do they know its truely safe sitting out in the open.

 

[StickyTongues]

Hey Mike! Yeah I should have realized UPS wouldnt even take the time to read my note. I was home all day. All the note that I left said was..

"Dear UPS,

Please deliver packages through the back and call 773-***-**** if there are any problems.

Thanks!

Sam Leam
signature"

I know I should have been more thorough with my note but I never had a problem before. I always get my snakes and send them through UPS. When I leave a note like that before they would bring the package to the back and knock on the door or ring the bell. I was home until 5 PM that day. NO door bell no knock no package.

After I tracked it when I got the tracking number form the seller it said delivered 9:40 AM. I know damn well I was home a I was waiting for them to arrive. For those of you thinking I was not there and that its my fault for not beign home... Again I was there. I was just a little preoccupied with other duties. The only time I left the house before going to work at 5PM was at 12 to get lunch.

I would never not be home intentionally when I know I'm waiting for any shipment for that matter, live or not.

Clay,

Not sure if the required signature is UPS policy but I do not for a fact that they have an option to waive the sig when you ship through them. They either have to check it to waive or they are suppose to get a signature. Whether or not if they actually wait for a signature before leaving a package anywhere unattended, I would say maybe they are accustomed to not needing it.

To me if on their shipping labels has a clear option to waive a sig wouldn't that mean the standard was to require a sig? Maybe I'm wrong. Either way Im screwed. Screwed screwed screwed. Money or not that poor snake is out there somewhere and probably cold.

Sam Leam

Sammy,

Erin did not request a required sig since it is not a special request to require one. Its only a special request to waive the required sig. One last time over anyone who is still not sure if I was home or not when the package was delivered. I was home all day with the exception of 30 minutes for lunch at 12. The package was scheduled for delivery by 10:30 AM. I left the house at 5 PM.

 

[shrap]

Sam,

If it says it was delivered at 9:30, then I believe you when you say you were home at that time. I went on the assumption that it was delivered after 5:00. My apologies.

It could have been stolen or it could have been delivered to the wrong address. Either way, I think you will have a hard time getting your money back out of them. But do your homework and see what options you do have.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Bringerofdoom]

After I tracked it when I got the tracking number form the seller it said delivered 9:40 AM. I know damn well I was home a I was waiting for them to arrive. For those of you thinking I was not there and that its my fault for not beign home... Again I was there. I was just a little preoccupied with other duties. The only time I left the house before going to work at 5PM was at 12 to get lunch.
[/B]

it dont have the thing where you can look at the sig for the package online?
i would definatly call ups then to find out what happened. i know for a fact they have been known to deliver to wrong adresses. they also have not been able in certain cases to retrieve the stuff either.

i would also call the shipper to see if they waived the sig. i would doubt they would when shipping a live reptile though.

 

[Bringerofdoom]

also if indeed it was stolen or delivered to the wrong adress, try calling animal control to see if they didnt have any call ins to pick it up. scince if it was stolen the person was probably not expecting that. if it was mis-delivered then the person definatly might have been frightened and called it in.

 

[StickyTongues]

Mike,

I trust Erin that she would not have given UPS the waiver for a sig. Just doesn't make sense to do so and its also an added step as you have to tell them you want to waive it. I hope they didn't deliver it to the wrong address. Called UPS and they confirmed the right address. Maybe they did screwed up.

I will check with animal control as soon as I find out how. I have a UPS account and do ship often with them for my unrelated herp stuff. I'll give them a call and threathen to close it. They probably won't even care if I did or not. Right now I'm leaning towards it being stolen.

Since I've moved in to this place my friends care had been broken into 2 times in the past 2 months. I wouldn't be surprised if someone just happened to stroll by and saw the nice package on the front door unattended. In that case I hope she bites them in the face when they opened the box. Sorry for being soo cruel.

I will be going snake hunting tomorrow in the back alley and will be searching through bushes for her. Wish me luck!

Sam Leam

 

[Bringerofdoom]

good luck, i hope you can recover it. i dont think that comment was cruel either, you get what was coming when you do stuff like that. probably could do better damage to the person than you legally could do

 

[StickyTongues]

Shes ALIVE!!!!!

After I got home from work around 8 am, I went looking for her around the front porch and nothing. Checked around bushed within my immediate block. People were staring at me until I told them I was looking for a snake, that made them walk the other way. LOL. Anyway I didn't find her there.

I went to the back alley and saw a small box next to my garbage can. Opened up the soggy box, it had been raining earliar, and there she was out of her snake bag.

Looks like they slightly ripped open the box and opened the bag and found a snake and closed it back. They ddin't bother to tape the box back up just did the criss cross thing with the flaps. I'm glad she didn't escape. Not sure what they did to her if anything. Not sure how long she had been out there. Could have been there from the time I left for work until the time I came back. Over 12 hours!!!

I checked the alley before I left to work so she was not there before. I have her in my quarentine cage right now. She was a little stiff at first but her tongue was still flickering. Her cage was already warm and had fresh water with reptisafe in it ready for her a day before.

After she curled up on top of the heat tape I went to bed. 5 hours later I went to check up on her and she seemed fine. Looking around moving her head when I tapped on the cage. As I was cleaning my other boas cage, AGAIN after just one day, I thawed out a rat for one of my other quarentines boa.

I put the prozen rat under a heat lamp I was using and I guess my new boa smelled it and starting moving around looking for it. So thats a good sign. I'll wait a few days before feeding her. I dont want her to have any complications and regurge or anything. She doesn't like she needs a meal right now anyway. She is a beautiful snake and thick.

I am so happy that they didn't just throw her in someone elses garbage can and just left it near mine so I can find it. Just one more day and the garbage man would have picked her up.

I will post some pics of her just as soon as I can find my camera. Thanks everyone for your kind words and support. New lesson learned: Request signature tracking from UPS even though it makes no sense that it cost extra or is considered an extra service. Thats just full of crap!!! Anyway thats how I will be shipping and receiving my snakes from now on.

And yes UPS is suppose to collect a signature from anyone at the receivers address unless otherwise requested from the shipper. That is their policy. They can not just leave a shipment there and call it a day. They have to take the package back and reschedule delivery if no one is there unless otherwise notified beforehand.

Bringerofdoom,

what do you mean when you said, " i dont think that comment was cruel either, you get what was coming when you do stuff like that."

What did I do besides be home within the appropriate time frame of the expected delivery time? Anyway I'm happy. Shes safe. I'm calling off the hounds.

Oh and one last thing. UPS customer service is a piece of crap. What a joke. Should be customer disservice. They just blamed me like some people on this post for not sitting on the front porch waiting for them until they got there. Oh well.

Sam Leam

 

[shrap]

Excellent Sam!!!!

That is great news. I could not be happier for you...and your snake.


I think Bringerofdoom was referring to your comments about the snake biting whoever stole it. It was not mean of you to say it. Meaning since they stole something they deserve to get bit.

 

[StickyTongues]

Gotcha. That'll teach me not to read my own post. LOL.

Sam Leam

 

[Bringerofdoom]

glad to hear you got it, you should rip ups a new one now. and yea, shrap is right on what i meant.

 

[StickyTongues]

UPS didn't gave a damn. Said they would investigate and the most they said they would compensate me was 100.00 if they were at fault. I don't care anymore. I'm just happy she showed up. I'll post some pics of her so everyone can see what a beautiful animal she is. Thanks guys!

Sam Leam

 

[batgrrlx]

grr.. UPS

I had a problem with UPS just yesterday..
I ordered 5 corns for Suncoast herp (great snakes btw and great service++++) and they were schedualed for devliery the next day by 10.30am. Ups apparently had a malfunctioning airplane (I thought they fixed that problem) and had delayed it... John and I found out it got to redmond wa at 10:45 and apparently "didn't make it on the truck."
they reschedualed for the next day, we both called and ripped UPS a new one.. me personally demanded to talk to that station, of which they had to call me back in an hour. I told the lady that it was imperative that the information get to me ASAP.. so they called me at work where the snakes were to be delivered.
I guess my phone number insisted some haste, either that or it scared the **** out of the person calling me back.
-An irate Microsoft Chick is NEVER a good thing. *grin*
Needless to say they put them on a truck and was delivered at 4pm.