Big shipping problum.

Bear Foot Inc

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
408
Hey every one. I have a problem that just happened with shipping some roaches. A guy bought 30 adult hissers from me, I shipped them the next day with USPS priority mail like i alwais do and i have never had a problem. Well i get an email from him a week or two later saying he has not received them and do i have a tracking number. So i replied with the tracking number and this was his response. What should i do? I dont want to have to resend him $30 of roaches because of something that was mostly his fault though i will if that is what it comes down to. Any help would be great. Here is the email i got from him in response to my one with the tracking number:



Thanks for the tracking number. We found the package on the 26 th. It was in our mailbox, which we had not checked in a while. According to the tracking number it arrived on the 16th. 4 days after it was shipped. All the roaches were dead. I was under the impression it would be delivered by UPS or Fed-x. I would not even dream of shipping anything perishable with the US postal service. They deliver it when ever they get around to it, whether it is marked 2nd day or not. So we never even thought to check the mail box. So what do we do? The roaches are no good to me dead.
I am at a loss what to do,
~Samuel
 

Zarathustra

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
106
So, the roaches were in his male box on the 16th, but he did not look there until the 26? What a dumb ass.

I would tell him that the roaches were probably alive on the 16th, but were certainly dead by the 26. It is not your responsibility to remind him that he should look in his mail box when he is expecting a package, regardless of who the carrier is. UPS and FedEx will leave a note there if they were unable to deliver. Seriously, who does not check their mail for 10 days? This is clearly the customer’s fault. The most I would do is offer him a good deal on another group of roaches, a map from his house to his mail box, and a piece of string he can tie to his finger so he’ll remember to look in it.
 

spydrhunter1

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
641
First...I always USPS and have had no problems. He then contacts you a week or two later to inquire about the shipment. If don't hear about packages I ship or receive in three days I contact the buyer or sender. What was this guy thinking. My opinion it was his responsibility to contact you a whole lot sooner.
 

Aquanut

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 31, 2005
Messages
127
Did the two of you discuss the method of shipping and approx date of arrival?? It would seem odd to not know how and when, when ordering something. Also seems weird to Wait so many days before checking on there status if you were expecting them in 2 days. I know that express shipping is a very common way to ship, especially for roaches which are fairly tough. I didn't feel that you are responsible for the bugs dieing if he left them in his mail box for 10 days for what ever reason.
 

Bear Foot Inc

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
408
That is sort of how i feel too. At least he should have sent an email sooner then the 22 which is the first i found out that he did not receive them. I replied with the tracking number and said it shows its delivered. I also said i was going away till the 28th and gave him my yahoo adress for him to contact me if need be. I never heard from him. When i got back i found an email that looked like he never got my one with the tracking number, so i resent it and got the reply above. I shipped them priority mail and said 2-3 days. I told him i sent them Monday and he should get them by Thursday. Yet i did not hear from him for a whole week... I forget if i said they are going out USPS but i think i did, or it was on my web site.
 
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Aquanut

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 31, 2005
Messages
127
Every reputable dealer i have every ordered from (bugs, corals and fish) that guarantees alive arrival requires you to notify them immediately if there is mortality and return the corpses with in a few days. He's not even close. I'm all for being reasonable, but that goes for both parties. Even if he didn't know how they were being shipped he knew when they should arrive. Politely tell him to piss off.
 

Bear Foot Inc

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
408
Ok i explained that to him nicely :) and said i could give him free shipping if he wanted to order again. Hope he is not mad...
Thanks every one.
~Samuel
 

OldHag

ArachnoHag
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 8, 2003
Messages
1,711
Thats a lot nicer than I would have been!! It was completely his fault in this situation. You shouldnt be out 20 bucks shipping for his mistake! If he takes you up on the free shipping then shame on HIM for being dishonest!
I swear, people need to just own their own stupid mistakes and not whine and try to shift blame and get free stuff UGH!!... K, Im done :D
 

Bear Foot Inc

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
408
LOL thanks hag. That made me feel a lot better about not giving the guy a refund... :D
I shipped priority so it only cost me $5 anyway. Have not heard back from him so he might just "disappear"
Those were the first hissers i had ever sold and i would have not liked to have to send the guy more. He got 20 females and 5 males one molt from adult for $30 shipped so i would not be mad to have to give him free shipping to sell 35 more for 25 bucks. :}
~Samuel
 

KJE

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 21, 2004
Messages
808
I totally agree with everyone else. You don't owe him anything! I know that we all try to make sure we make our customers happy, but sometimes that's impossible. I really would like to know who this guy is so I don't sell anything to him. I don't want any of my bugs dying in his mail box while he "forgets" to look for them. I also send a lot of things priority. Most people have a policy that if they are sent priority there is no live arrival guarantee. It's just a risk you take when shipping them that way. Good luck!
 

Bear Foot Inc

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
408
Yea i know how that is and i usually say that too. Here is his info: Kenneth Brumleve www.jenesco.com

Thanks again for the roaches. They are doing great!!
~Samuel
 

P.jasonius

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 19, 2006
Messages
422
LOL thanks hag. That made me feel a lot better about not giving the guy a refund... :D
I shipped priority so it only cost me $5 anyway.
Wait, in your first post you said you sent them next day. Did you send them next day or priority? Next day is express, priority is 2-3 days.
 

Bear Foot Inc

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
408
I said i shipped them the next day (meaning right away :D). Using priority mail. Sorry for the confusion.
~Samuel
 

Stylopidae

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 7, 2005
Messages
3,203
I've sent roaches 3 day shipping before and have yet to have any problems. Whenever I'm expecting a package with live animals, I check my mail the day after I send the money. All of my bills are paid automatically, so everything I get is junk. I check my mail once a month, sort through it and then toss it.

With business, people will walk all over you if you let them. I see this all the time at work.

Give him whatever discount on shipping you said you would, but do no more beyond that. This is his fault and he's an idiot if he thinks you should do anything more than what you have. You've sent your animals on time, properly packed and notified the customer of arrival (giving him a shipping number so he could check the package's progress as well). That's all you need to do. The live arrival guarantee only goes as far as common sense.
 

Bear Foot Inc

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
408
I guess it would be called delivery confirmation. Its that number you get when you click the check shipment bottom on your paypal account. All i will give him is free priority shipping if he wants to reorder the hissers. And only because i'm getting a good amount of money on them. If he wants more or starts to get all mad i'll just have to tell him sorry.
~Samuel

edit. You type faster then me KJE :)
 

Taceas

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
May 12, 2006
Messages
658
If I'm reading what you wrote correctly, if you sent them USPS Priority Mail that is guaranteed transit time of 2-3 days, according to the tracking number it was delivered in 4 days.

I'd say at the very least you owe him a shipping refund and nothing else. It's his own damn fault it took him 10 or so days to check his mailbox (who actually DOES that?). You can't think for your customers and send them telepathic notions to check their mailbox.

As for discussing the method used for shipping, its something the seller should explicitly state on their webpage or the buyer should ask about when making the purchase. I always ask what method the seller is using, because I don't want to get stuck with DHL and have my stuff die in transit.

I also like sellers that provide me with the tracking number when they confirm the order shipment. That way I can tell what method was used if I forgot to ask. So if you didn't do that, its something I always find nice and helpful.
 

Bear Foot Inc

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
408
Just wondering why i would owe him shipping because it took 4 days? I would bet 50 bucks that they were alive on that 4th day and if he would have checked his mail on that day he would have had them safe and sound. They had food and water in there box and had plenty of room, good air holes and were packed tightly so they would not get flipped around. If he would have got them on the 4th day and they were dead i would have sent him more free (and i told him that) but not 10 days later I usually give tracking numbers but somtimes i forget if the buyer does not ask though i alwais do if they ask. It was stated Priority mail on the page but not right at that paypal buy now button.
Thanks for the input. I'm just getting started and i want to make sure i do everything right.
~Samuel
 
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