Damn, one of Buy.com's sellers delayed a shipment to me of a OtterBox for my Splurge, and they gave me a $5 credit. Step up Amazon!

UPS is the devil.
I refuse to shop online with anyone who uses them exclusively.

You realize UPS isn't going to give a crap about your letter, right?

In all fairn

@

I order from Amazon regularly and they usually do skimp on the padding a little more than I would. Usually 3 of the 6 sides of a rectangular/square product will be touching the box, with those plastic air bags filling in the rest of the space. I think Amazon assumes that most products are boxed by the manufacturer to withstand the shock of shipping with or without extra padding. It must be cheaper for Amazon to occasionally replace items and issue credits then it is to modify their shipping process.

@Viciouspixie: I don't know...I try to avoid shopping with anyone who uses the USPS exclusively. UPS and FedEx handle packages that get to my door much better. I've never had a smashed or mangled box.

So is he still complaining about the crummy-looking shipping of his product that apparently arrived on time and in perfect condition? When people who post comments on blogs are in agreement that you have too much time on your hands, it's time to just move on. Give it a rest.

@mrlogical: What gets me is that he called to get an apology. The first thing they do is apologize - it's just what they do. Sincerity is another thing, but it's par for the course for ALL customer service reps to start off the call by apologizing for their mistake or for the delay or whatever problem you have. What would the OP have done? Say "thanks, that's all I needed" and hang up? I'm not quite understanding just why he called if he didn't actually want something.

Amazon, that's lame!

Mixed metaphors! One shoots at storm troopers with a blaster, not a laser.

(please note the last 4 characters of my commenter name...)

@cordeduroi: The last time I ordered something from Amazon that required an actual box (as opposed to those folding media envelopes for DVD box sets that are thin, small books or CDs) it was sealed so well that I practically needed a saw to cut it open. And the box had not a dent or a scratch or a scuff on it. It bordered on suspicious, as if perhaps Amazon had a mysterious, invisible fulfillment plant in the area and someone just grabbed it off the shelf, put it in a box and walked it over.

@pecan 3.14159265: My beef is that for cross border shipping, UPS is the only one that seems to slam you with fees on top of customs and duty.

Ship something via any UPS ground option from the US to Canada and the receiver will get hit with a MINIMUM of like an extra $25 in UPS brokerage related fees over and above any normal government taxes on the import. At least when something comes by USPS I don't have to worry about paying anything over and above what my government wants to charge me.

@pecan 3.14159265: My UPS delivery guy tends to like to throw my electronic equipment onto my concrete patio. I used to have a nice delivery woman who would wait until I got home around 4:30 to deliver packages to me, but apparently she's working a different route now...because all of my packages are tossed on my patio. I don't mind so much when it's my tea, but when it's electronic equipment, I make sure it's FedEx or the USPS that delivers it.

@femme_dork: Ahh, that's the difference then. I live in an apartment complex with a concierge, so UPS and Fedex delivery people (with the exception of pizza delivery) aren't allowed inside our buildings. They couldn't get in anyway, you need keycard access. So the UPS and Fedex people go to the concierge office and drop off the packages there. That doesn't give them nearly as much opportunity to mishandle packages on the way to the door, unless they want to risk angering the 250 pound linebacker type guy who works the front desk in the afternoons.

@GitEmSteveDave_FeelsLikeABurningAngel: Your comment hurts my brain thinker.

Consumerist has turned into a forum for people to whine about shipping mishaps and burgers that included pickles when they were specifically requested to be omitted.

Sometimes shit gets messed up in transit. That's just all there is to it.

How about more stories about consumers being screwed and leveraging the power of exposure to stand up for the powerless? Or is there just not a shred of journalistic instinct left around here?

@pecan 3.14159265: I distrusted that as well. It's okay to admit "I felt slighted and thought I should receive compensation". There's no need to downplay it into just wanting an apology.

@mrlogical: Yeah, this has happened to me many times but I have never thought to call in when the product is in perfect condition. I really don't care how the box looks as long as I get my product on time and in perfect condition. Amazon plans for UPS's abuse of packages by using larger boxes and those air bubble things.

@JanDuKretijn: Agreed.

@goodcow: Yep, since their customer is Amazon, not the OP, he can't even file a claim.

Hey, that's exactly what happened to my package too. I should have taken pictures. I was very disappointed, but the item was just plastic swords for my son's Halloween costume so I didn't think anything of it. I hate UPS, but whatcha gonna do? they have like 70% market share.

I am surprised that amazon didn't do the thing that the do with a lot of books and DVDs where they basically shrink wrap the item to a piece of cardboard the size of the box, and then pack that in with some air pockets.

@Viciouspixie: I am about to go that same route.

A few weeks ago I had a UPS driver (not my regular driver) deliver 3 boxes to me. After I signed his electronic device he started to walk away when I noticed one of the boxes had been damaged. I asked him to note the damage and he said he couldn't. That is contrary to what UPS has told me in the recent past.

I then told him I was refusing the package. When he went to take it I asked him to remove it from the list of the tracking numbers for which I had just signed. He told me, in a very arrogant manner, he was in a hurry and he'd "do it later". That was not acceptable to me since I didn't know if he would do so or just keep the package for himself, so I then refused to give it back.

After he left I called UPS (my actual center, not the 800 number) and filed a formal complaint about him. I also told them I would not allow this person on my property again. When I was told what I asked for could not be guaranteed I let the person know I would request FedEx shipping from all of the companies I deal with.

FYI while I receive quite a few packages every day from places my business deals with in addition to personal shipments not related to my business, I realize that UPS doesn't give a damn about losing one customer. I'm simply going to do this for my own satisfaction.

Some years ago I barred FedEx from coming onto my property, for about a year. The companies I dealt with during that time were made aware that I didn't want anything shipped via FedEx. The places that couldn't ship that way weren't used for any purchases. After I started using FedEx again I also allowed the companies to ship to me that way again. Since then I haven't had any problems with FedEx.

I worked for UPS for a quick minute helping the drivers during Xmas, and well... don't ever ship anything fragile.

It's not always the driver's fault, but they tend to judge what's inside the package with a spit-second method of weight and shaking, and if they feel it will survive the impact, they'll toss it around the back of the truck.

BTW, if you ever see a bottle of yellow Gatorade in the gutter, just assume it's not Gatorade.

One question...did the product work when it arrived? The box could have looked like Hiroshima but if the iPod worked, what's all the complaining about?

Amazon does have a packaging feedback page. I use it often to communicate my pleasure or displeasure with the amount and method of packaging.

I also have called Amazon customer service to ask them to add extra padding for certain products I knew were fragile. They happily obliged every time.

@bhaughey:
"don't ever ship anything fragile."

When I was there, I seen people specifically kicked and threw package just because it said fragile.

Even though it most likely wasn't Amazon's fault that Lucas's iPod arrived in a hippo-flattened package, a company rep stepped in and gave him a $10 credit to say sorry.

Horse Hockey Pucks. As a commercial shipper I can honestly say the crushed packaging is entirely the fault of the shipper. The box is inadaquate per UPS guidelines and the fill did not prevent the box from being crushed.

PS: I love to blame UPS for their farkups. This is not their error.

@JanDuKretijn: You forgot pricing errors at Target.

@StanTheManDean: Exactly, I'm not letting UPS off, but if you send a small item in a big hollow box, that will go on a truck with big solid boxes, you have to share the blame.

The $10 was nice, since the iPod still worked, but still, packing a box like that is pretty much a guarantee that it will be damaged.

@bhaughey: You can pack fragile items, it just has to be packed very well.

Lucas:

Debbie Curtis-Magley with UPS Public Relations - hoping to offer some help. Our driver shouldn't leave a package in that condition.

We'd like to follow-up with you. Please send me your contact details to upsfeedback@ups.com.

I also noticed a few other folks sharing their UPS frustrations at this site. Please know that UPS employees like me do value the trust and business our customers give to our company. I hope you'll consider giving us another chance to regain your trust.

Debbie Curtis-Magley
UPS Public Relations
upsfeedback@ups.com

@goodcow:
I don't understand why he's making such a big deal out of this. By his own account, his item was in perfect working condition. He needs to let it go.

@H3ion:
Read the article. The item worked fine. And he, apparently, complained to Consumerist BEFORE even bothering to test the iPod to make sure it was fine. Next.

@Bogart's Falcon is Looking for Friends:

Yeah, all my experiences with USPS especially cross border shipping to Canada were pleasant, no crazy fees, packages arrived in one piece. UPS on the other hand once charged me horrendous handling fees for an over the border shipment, and another time claimed that they came to deliver my package at a time I was actually standing in the vestibule of my house waiting for a buddy to pick me up.. so.. yea I never got that package.
I complained to both UPS and MAC and MAC was nice enough to resend the package again to me at no cost.. however UPS didn't even bother to comment.

Fedex isn't innocent however I'll take them over UPS any day.. but really overall Canada Post and USPS all the way ^^