Should all e-cig vendors offer insurance? I got screwed by the post office!

[John Phoenix]

I now understand why people Go Postal !

(BTW If you haven't GONE POSTAL lately I strongly suggest you do so Today by playing the awesome Postal 2 video game by Running With Scissors http://www.runningwithscissors.com/postal2/news or see the awesome Postal Movie! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_(film))
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I'm waiting for my starter package a Riva 510 SE kit. Yesterday the tracking information ( via the PC) I have said the package had been sorted in my local post office and put on a truck for delivery. I was concerned when the mail man didn't bring it (when he came at 2:30), so I called the post office. I was told that no the post man would not bring it but it would come on a big truck before 5 pm. (Lie 1) 5 pm came and no truck. At 5:02 I called the post office( 1800 number). I was told that sometimes they don't get to deliver all the packages in one day and that I should expect the package to arrive tomorrow. This morning I looked up the tracking info on the PC again. It said "We attempted to deliver your item at 4:07 pm on April 27, 2011 in METAIRIE, LA 70006 and a notice was left. You may arrange redelivery by visiting www.usps.com/redelivery or calling 800-ASK-USPS, or may pick up the item at the Post Office indicated on the notice." (Lie 2)

I called the post office (local 10: 30 am), spoke to the Delivery Supervisor and explained that I was waiting on my porch yesterday and no one came nor did anyone put a notice on my door with any delivery instructions- they must have put on someone else house. She asked if I wanted someone to bring the package out to my house, I said Yes and asked her what would be the latest time be that I should expect the package, she said 3 pm. (Lie 3) 3pm came and no package. I called the post office (3:05pm local) and was told by another "Delivery Supervisor" that they don't know which driver took the package and he would look into it and call me back. ( Lie 4) I gave him my name and number and I did not get a call back. At 4:30 I tried to call back only to find the local post office was closed. I called the 1800 number. They gave me a local number to bypass the post office and was assured something would get done to fix the situation. The number given to me was an automated message saying that this I was transferred to an automated system but the extension ( that I was given) does not subscribe to the service and it hung up ! (Lie 5) I called back the 1800 number and they double checked the numbers I was given and was assured they were correct. It is assumed that they may be closed for the day but no one at the post office has that information.

Now I have to try that number again in the morning and my post office also in the morning. Tomorrow is Friday. If they cannot find my package some Heads are Gonna Roll !! Needless to say the post office has driven me to smoke.

Edit:

It's not yet tomorrow but I notice my package tracking information now says, " Your item was delivered at 11:13 am on April 28, 2011 in METAIRIE, LA 70006. " ( LIE 6) !!!

No It Was Not!! Heads are gonna roll if they delivered it to someone else!

But that's just what it looks like happened! I bought from Liberty Flights, ( I'm not blaming them, I know it's not their fault but my package wasn't protected by insurance either)

Consider this trouble a seller had when selling on Ebay:

Up until now I've been using the U.S. post office to ship all of my eBay packages. I bought a cheap postal scale from eBay and I've been using it in combination with PayPal to ship packages without having to wait in line. So far I've shipped about 10 items this way.

But last week I received an email from an eBay buyer who never received the item she purchased. I logged into my PayPal account, typed in the delivery confirmation number, and sure enough found that the item had not arrived. I asked the buyer to wait a couple more days, but when the status didn't change I called the post office to find out what happened.

First, I called the 1-800 number and was informed by a very pleasant postal employee that my package had "fallen off the grid." He asked me all sorts of questions, which lead me to describe what was in the envelope, how much the item was worth, where the package was going, and what the package looked like. Then he informed me that I'd receive a call from my local post office after they spent some time researching the issue.

An hour later I received a call from another very nice postal worker who informed me that the package had left my local post office and was never seen again. By the way, this is essentially what I found when I typed the tracking number into usps.com. She asked me to try to track the package myself by calling the post office corresponding to the buyer's address. I was a bit surprised that the post office would ask me to call another post office. I assumed that one postal worker would call another to find the package, but when I mentioned this to the postal worker she just laughed. The woman directed me back to the 1-800 number, rather than provide the number to the post office I needed to contact.

So I called the 1-800 number and received the phone number of the post office where the package should have been delivered. The postal worker entered the tracking number I gave him and said "yup it never got here." I asked if he could look around the post office to see if it had gotten stuck in the wrong bin or something. He laughed and said if the computer says it never got here than it never got here. He then gave me the number of a claims department. I called and the number rang and rang. No one picked up and I couldn't leave a voice mail. I tried calling for three days.

Today I gave up. Because the item wasn't insured the post office wouldn't allow me to file a claim. Even if they won't give me the value of the item, I assumed they would give me a refund the price of shipping. Nope. No such luck. So I refunded the eBay buyer the full amount and sucked up the loss of the item and the shipping.

Next time. I think I'll ship UPS.

One Frugal Girl: The Post Office Lost My Package

It looks like the same thing is going to happen to me and I'm not happy about it at all. I'll know tomorrow, but what do you guys think?
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[nerak]

One thing I was please about on my REO purchase is the fact that all mods must be signed for on delivery. It can be a hassle if you are not home a lot. But they leave a notice and you get another delivery attempt. Or you can pick it up at the Post Office.

 

[ShannonA]

I agree that it would be nice to offer the optionto buyers at our expense.

 

[Bamrz]

...but what do you guys think?

I'm a postal worker, and you did ask for opinions.

First of all, it already seems that you have worked yourself into a tizzy. Take a few deep breaths and try to relax a bit.

Second, I honestly don't see any relevance in the quoted issue from eBay. Really, we could all "what if" ourselves into some major stress related illness if we tried.

Lastly, you really aren't going to know what happened to your package until the PO finds it for you. It's quite possible that the address printed on it could be either incorrect, or hard to read for some reason. Would it be possible for you to go into your PO and talk to the delivery supervisor (preferably early in the morning)? If not, try calling them early, before about 8 am, so the supervisor can speak to the carrier before they leave for their deliveries. Make sure to take the tracking number with you.

I'm sorry you're having problems getting your package, but we really do want to help you!

 

[John Phoenix]

I'm a postal worker, and you did ask for opinions.

First of all, it already seems that you have worked yourself into a tizzy. Take a few deep breaths and try to relax a bit.

Second, I honestly don't see any relevance in the quoted issue from eBay. Really, we could all "what if" ourselves into some major stress related illness if we tried.

Lastly, you really aren't going to know what happened to your package until the PO finds it for you. It's quite possible that the address printed on it could be either incorrect, or hard to read for some reason. Would it be possible for you to go into your PO and talk to the delivery supervisor (preferably early in the morning)? If not, try calling them early, before about 8 am, so the supervisor can speak to the carrier before they leave for their deliveries. Make sure to take the tracking number with you.

I'm sorry you're having problems getting your package, but we really do want to help you!

Yep. I'm in a Tizzy. I do plan on going in first thing tomorrow. I do not understand how the tracking info can just lie to people like that. Who enters this information? Who double checks that the addresses are correct? If they did deliver it to someone else, and the package is not insured, what recourse do I have?

It seems that most people who have this problem like the girl above don't get happy resolutions from what I've read. Around 10:30 this morning the delivery supervisor said they were sending it to me. she must have seen the package and looked at it - when she asked me for the address, she said Hold on.. A minute later she came back then asked if i wanted her to deliver it - i assume she was locating the package before she offered to send it to me. At 11:13 they claim it was delivered. If a driver or someone just stole the package, how can I fight that - the info is on their side!

Tracking Info:

Bullet Delivered, April 28, 2011, 11:13 am, METAIRIE, LA 70006
Bullet Notice Left, April 27, 2011, 4:07 pm, METAIRIE, LA 70006

Both of the above I Know are right out lies. How can it say that which is clearly not true? I don't understand.

Bullet Out for Delivery, April 27, 2011, 8:51 am, METAIRIE, LA 70002
Bullet Sorting Complete, April 27, 2011, 8:41 am, METAIRIE, LA 70002
Bullet Arrival at Post Office, April 27, 2011, 6:53 am, METAIRIE, LA 70002
Bullet Processed through Sort Facility, April 27, 2011, 3:04 am, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70113
Bullet Processed through Sort Facility, April 25, 2011, 5:14 pm, SAN DIEGO, CA 92186
Bullet Electronic Shipping Info Received, April 23, 2011

The "relevance in the quoted issue from eBay" is that I am going through the same as she.. making all the same phone calls and getting the same run around.. down to the same special number they gave her - like me - that didn't answer..This is that number: 504 589 1314
Go ahead call it and hear the message then listen to it hang up on you.. this is the people who are supposed to help and this recording says they don't even have an account with the service.. very odd.

How else am I supposed to feel? It's hard to say calm when you have already tried contacting the people several times and get nowhere.

I know you are just trying to be helpful, I'm not coming down on you.. just explaining why I feel I have a right be frustrated.

 

[jlarsen]

I have noticed that while I've had a few things lost in the mail, I've also noticed that nothing that I have sent or had sent insured has ever gotten lost.

 

[mwa102464]

I've had two pkg's stolen by postal workers (fact) two delivered to wrong addresses (fact) and I believe it should be offered, it is cheap, and especially on a larger order it would be dam nice to have piece of mine. The USPS offers it so INS should be offered on everything in my personal opinion only !

 

[permafrying]

i deffinetaly think it should be offered. maybe a week ago the mail man showed up rang the door bell and i came out there was 3 packages sitting there and he was bringing two more up, they were all for the wrong adress if i wouldnt have told him or wouldnt have been home to get to em first someone would have been out a lot of stuff

 

[bigtimeweb]

I know your woes. I had a terrible time with my previous addresses. The phone is never a really good option. You need to go somewhere where you can look someone in the eye and speak to them.

Where I am now, I LOVE my post office. I have a habit of running in after hours on Saturday and using the self service machine. In in TX - sent two packages a couple weeks ago one to WI one to NY - both 1st class - and those effers were delivered on MONDAY! They wormhole my packages from FSUSA in AZ to me. I just love these guys...been wanting to leave a pressie in my box but I dont want her to think Im a creeper haha

 

[OldDragon]

Have you contacted the vendor yet? When I had problems the vendor resent the package. About a week later it must have fallen back into the sorting machine and made it to my door. My understanding is that the vendor should start an inquiry to find the package. Hope it comes soon.

 

[John Phoenix]

I'll see what happens at 8 am. If they cannot help me I will contact the vendor. It's kinda of ashamed I even may have to get Liberty Flights involved cus I know they did nothing wrong.

Does anyone know - when Liberty Flights ships something can you tell whats in the package? I'm thinking if it was stolen it may be because someone saw Electronic Cigarette on the package?

I got everything else in the mail but the e-cig itself. I ordered 80 bucks worth of DIY stuff but that's the most important thing - it's all useless without the cig.

 

[OaklandCA]

It will work out. Around here (you don't list your city) it's all scanners--no one enters anything. they run the package in front of a laser scanner (like the grocery store) and every now and then--usually well after the fact) that information works it's way into the cocmputers. the supervisor is probably NOT seeing the actual package bt rying to figure out the latest twist in the computer program to look up an address or shipping tracking number.

so much of our social order is run like this now--recently i had a phone guy out who had no idea what his route was for the day...everytime he finished one job the computer popped up a new address and off he went no router,,no dispatcher--no continuity of service to a neighborhood.

at least i usually see the same mail carrier but the truth is one of the things i hate about PVs over cigs is that the electro digital corporate capital world run's the whole thing--sure there are a lot of nice individual business owners rnning little shops but they buy the stuff from a factory in china and then put it into the automated maw of USPS (not too efficient) or (FedEX awfully pricey) and the workers involved in 90% of the packaging and shipping don't know you or your package from shinola.
good luck. I have had a few berserker moments waiting for ecigs, atomizers and juice and in fact last year had a good long relapse to analogs out of frustration.

this too shall pass.
good luck--don't go postal it's not worth it.

 

[Elphaba13]

I'd wait and check the address info on the actual parcel was correct before I started accusing postal workers of theft!

 

[dspin]

I've had two pkg's stolen by postal workers (fact) two delivered to wrong addresses (fact) and I believe it should be offered, it is cheap, and especially on a larger order it would be dam nice to have piece of mine. The USPS offers it so INS should be offered on everything in my personal opinion only !

That's exactly right. I've had packages of mine (with delivery confirmation) delivered to the neighbor's house. Also had other people's mail delivered to me. The post office has real issues anymore, I don't care what anybody says. UPS is bad too. My sister just got a package that had a nice slit in it and no items in it. UPS delivered a large 3 foot wooden crate to me, left it in the middle of the driveway. Had a neighbor come over to watch me unscrew it to open(yes unscrew it) and view the contents. I figured as heavy as it was, he threw it off the back of the truck (right again) We opened it up and it was broke. Cost UPS 3000.00 for an idiot driver after much arguing. They finally took the written affadavit from the neighbor. Thieves and imbeciles are everywhere I say.

To JohnP - if the post office records show it was delivered, as far as they are concerned, it was scanned and delivered. Don't matter where the postman was at when he scanned it. Might be was down the road at someone else's house.

 

[John Phoenix]

Just got back from the post office. They said the regular mail carrier would have been the one to deliver the package, not a big truck as the 1800 number told me, this info was incorrect. ( the 1800 number telling lies, imagine that)The regular mail carrier was off yesterday. The person who delivered the mail must have delivered it to the wrong address. They are going to knock on doors with the same address in my area and see if they can find who it may have been delivered to. They have my number and I have theirs so I can call and check their treasure hunting progress. My only hope is if they perhaps get in touch with the mail carrier who delivered the package and if he/she remembers the package can remember who he delivered it to, then hope that person gives up the package. Legally if the mail delivers a package to you by mistake you can keep it and they have no legal recourse to force you to give it up.

I just have to keep my fingers crossed.

Update!

I found it! The post office could not find it. I reasoned they must have missed someone in my area, because it had to be delivered to someone around here. I started knocking on doors and Happy Day! One of my neighbors had it.. He was going to bring it over he said but was waiting on some folks to show up at his house to do some work.

Now.. back to the discussion. Should more vendors offer insurance?

Next time, I might not be so lucky.