Newegg wants everyone who lives near our reader Deaf Mute to know that he just bought a Sony Blu-ray player. It arrived from their warehouse last week in its bright blue retail packaging, with a shipping label slapped on it. “If I lived in a worse neighborhood and/or my father didn’t see it,” he writes, “Someone could have stolen it. Not only that, but the gift recipient may have had their gift spoiled.” [More]
SHIPPING
It's Hard To Do Your Christmas Shopping Online When The Items Arrive In Their Retail Boxes
By 12.16.09
Walmart Overcharges Soldiers Stationed Abroad For Shipping
By 12.16.09
The idea behind military mail is to allow people in a given country to send mail to their loved ones stationed anywhere in the world, for the same price as mailing a letter or package to any other destination in the United States. However, the military paper Stars and Stripes reports that some retailers are increasing prices for customers with APO/FPO addresses, claiming “higher transportation costs.” The biggest offender? Walmart. Surprise! [More]
Obtain Free Shipping Supplies From The USPS
By 12.11.09
It’s the time when people start mailing out gifts, so we thought we’d remind you that you can obtain free Priority or Express Mail supplies from the USPS. [More]
Biz Owner Says FedEx Added 85 Pounds To Package Weight
By 11.25.09
Ross has a small business that routinely ships 10-pound packages, but says he was horrified to find out that FedEx has charged his account with a 95-pound package shipment. [More]
See Which Retailers Offer Free Shipping
By 11.20.09
The website istobe offers a daily free shipping report for over 500 online retailers, where you can quickly see whether there’s a minimum purchase requirement or if the retailer offers free shipping at all. It’s a good resource to use as you compare prices, and istobe says they update it daily.
Customer Says OnTrac Is Ruining His Amazon Prime Membership
By 11.13.09
Brian paid for an Amazon Prime membership in order to expedite shipments. Unfortunately, the company contracted to deliver the goods to him doesn’t seem up to the job.
Here Are Your Shipping Deadlines For Christmas 2009
By 11.6.09
If you’re planning on spending the next 6-8 weeks pouring cash into Mammon’s gaping maw—and really, who isn’t? it’s how we love each other—then here are the shipping deadlines for over 100 online retailers, courtesy of CouponSherpa. In today’s UPS/FedEx world you can frequently wait right up until Christmas week, but you might want to double-check the list if there’s a retailer you absolutely have to shop from.
Vonage Sends 14 New Modems To Replace Customer's Broken One
By 10.21.09
My Linh’s Vonage modem stopped working, so she called to request a replacement under the terms of her service agreement. Vonage was happy to oblige. So happy, in fact, that they sent her 14 modems instead of one via UPS—but then couldn’t figure out how to get UPS to come pick them up again. Hey, they do VOIP, not logistics.
Where Has This UPS Envelope Spent The Last 14 Years?
By 10.3.09
This week, Paul received a package back from UPS that had somehow never reached its destination. That’s not so unusual. What was unusual was how long it had wandered off for. He had mailed the next day air envelope at least fourteen years ago.
Your New Computer's Free Windows 7 Upgrade? Not So Free, Actually
By 10.1.09
Not many people really want a computer with Windows Vista. The sensible thing for customers who need a computer—but not right away—to do is wait until the launch of Windows 7 and then buy a computer with the much-awaited OS pre-installed. Vendors realize this, and are trying to get Vista-laden machines off their shelves with the promise of a free upgrade to Windows 7 when it comes out. A free upgrade that is not, in fact, free.
UPS Now Delivers Bonus Junk Mail Packages
By 9.25.09
What does the United States Postal Service do for you that UPS doesn’t? Deliver junk mail, you say? Not anymore! Next week, UPS will test market delivering solicitations along with your packages in a few lucky, lucky markets.
Guess What Happens When Amazon Keeps Sending Shampoo In Same Box With Book
By 9.18.09
Reader Len recently found out that it’s sort of impossible to order shampoo and a book from Amazon at the same time. They’ll just keep sending you a shampoo-covered book until they eventually give up and refund your money. Trouble is, Len didn’t want a refund. He wanted a shampoo-less book.
Banana Republic Sends Customer Mysterious Package Of Security Tags
By 8.26.09 — Updated: 6.24.13
Jonathan’s wife ordered some clothes from Banana Republic, and was confused when another, similarly-sized box arrived on their doorstep from Banana Republic a week later. This box was clearly not destined for her, since she had not ordered the exciting new “Open Your Own Banana Republic” playset.
HP Throws In Free Wooden Pallet With Every Power Cord Purchase
By 8.21.09
We know not all of our readers agree on our stupid shipping gang posts, but here’s one we can all get behind: you probably don’t need to deliver a ten-foot power cord in a large box on a wooden pallet.
UPS Driver Charged With Stuffing About $30,000 Worth Of Jewelry In His Shoes
By 8.4.09
An end of shift security check of a San Antonio, TX UPS driver led to the discovery of items intended for delivery to a jewelry store. According to the AP, the driver had apparently been stuffing the jewelry into his shoes instead of delivering it.
Inside A Netflix Shipping Center
By 7.23.09
HackingNetflix was invited to tour a Netflix shipping center where 50 employees process as many as 90,000 discs a day. Pretty cool.
UPS Sends Your Monitor To "Gladys" In Wichita, Dell Tells You To Pick It Up. You Live In Boston.
By 7.23.09
Reader Bret doesn’t particularly feel like buying a monitor for Gladys, a random woman who lives in Wichita, KS. Explaining this to Dell and UPS, however, is about as fun as you think it would be.
