Got A Problem With An Online Retailer

[Pokey]

Looking for some advice. I'm going to describe a situation in general terms.

I checked out an online retailer who claims they're one of the largest distributors of unique and exclusive knives from a very famous American knife company. I verified this through that very famous American knife company, they said, yup, they're legit.

I emailed the retailer a few months ago and asked whether they could ship via FedEx. They responded that yes they could but for a small up-charge. Their website even mentions something about totaling up the shipping charges "for the shipper of your choice." I'm ok with that.

Last month I ordered a knife from them and put a note in with the order to send the package via FedEx because the shippers that start with "U" don't work for me. FedEx for me only, this is a rule I have that's non-negotiable. I paid an extra $10 for their expedited shipping and expected it to come via FedEx. They shipped the package with one of the "U" shippers. Had they responded to me that they were going to ship it with the "U" shipper I would have canceled the order, but they never responded. I guess their response was by shipping it with "U" anyway. As soon as I saw the "U" tracking number I emailed the retailer to stop "U" from picking up the package and to cancel the order. I even called "U" and told them to not pick up the package. No response from the retailer, and "U" picked it up and off it went.

I filed a request with "U" to return the package to the retailer, which they did. The retailer even has cheery words on their website that they'd cheerfully refund the purchase amount if the box wasn't opened, it would take X number of days to see the refund, blah, blah, blah. Before it reached the retailer I even sent them another email outlining the issue, that I had not received the package, it was headed back to them and that I was requesting a full refund. No response from the retailer.

The package made it all the way back to "U's" facility in the retailer's city where the address was updated. "U" is sending the package back to me. I have again contacted "U" to have the package returned to the retailer.

I have never taken possession of the knife, I do not want the knife delivered to me. I want the knife returned to the retailer and to be issued a "cheerful" refund.

Any suggestions as to what I should do?

[sovereign]

Does your address not receive "U" shipments? As in, when it arrives at "U's" hub in your location it will be marked as undeliverable and returned to sender?

ETA: And it will be really helpful if we know whether "U" is UPS or the postal "service".

[Pokey]

Does your address not receive "U" shipments? As in, when it arrives at "U's" hub in your location it will be marked as undeliverable and returned to sender?

ETA: And it will be really helpful if we know whether "U" is UPS or the postal "service".

It is UPS.

UPS will bring it to the 420 unit apartment complex where I live and attempt to place it in a "community package delivery room" with hundreds of other packages strewn about on shelves. This room is described as "safe, secure and convenient." (aka, a package thief's dream come true.) I have tried to use UPS' website to have it delivered to my apartment, but it puts a crimp in their quota for the day so they refuse to do that.

When the driver scans the package using the tablet at the door of the delivery room a message appears that says something like, "We have no record of this person living here," and an unlock code won't be issued. This is essentially telling the driver that it's undeliverable. History has shown that the driver will use a code issued from another package and accidentally drop the package in the room. I don't get any notification from the company that owns the delivery room because they have no record of me living there so there was no record of the package being delivered.

When I use FedEx all of this is drama is circumvented because I can have the package held at another location, for free, and I can pick the package up at my convenience. I work nights, so this is a much more secure way to receive packages and it works 100 % of the time.

As I said above, the package was returned once to the retailer, but it's a bit of a mystery to me why UPS changed the delivery address and sent it back to me. And, why is the retailer ghosting me after the initial email a few months ago?

[SpyderEdgeForever]

This is terrible. I cannot give you an answer at this time but I will check with a person who works with major retail shipping.

Question:
During this entire process, you dealt with the retailer, not the American knife company that produced the knife. Correct?

I also agree that that communal package area is a dangerous target for theft. Sadly we are in the midst of a nationwide problem with this crime.

[sovereign]

Does the company answer the phone? As the shipper they are the ones who have contracted with UPS. Perhaps they can make a request to have it returned to them that will stick.

[Naperville]

I now live in an apartment and we have a somewhat secure area for packages. But it is wonky.

If you pick up more than one package to check for a delivery name it goes Defcon III. I ordered many packages, and if I do not soon get them I'll assume they were stolen.

I'd call the retailer. Just remain calm and explain the issue. Everything should be ok.

[zhyla]

Any suggestions as to what I should do?

Call you credit card company and have them issue a charge back.

Unless you’re selecting the shipping carrier during checkout I think you’re just asking for trouble expecting a large retailer to do anything out of the ordinary.

[Pokey]

Does the company answer the phone? As the shipper they are the ones who have contracted with UPS. Perhaps they can make a request to have it returned to them that will stick.

No, there’s no phone number on their website. I did call that famous American knife company where they buy a lot of their exclusives from and they did give me the number of the gentleman to talk to. So far crickets. The knife manufacturer didn’t know of any issues with the retailer. Their customer service rep thought this was very odd, though.

Shippers can allow the sender to place restrictions on what a customer can and can’t do. The UPS customer rep said they didn’t know of any restrictions.

[Pokey]

Any suggestions as to what I should do?

Call you credit card company and have them issue a charge back.

Unless you’re selecting the shipping carrier during checkout I think you’re just asking for trouble expecting a large retailer to do anything out of the ordinary.

They only offer two options: Free ground shipment or $10 for expedited 2-3 day. No mention of who the carrier is, but in light of what they said in their email to me a few months ago and what their website says about, “your choice of shipper,” it sounded like they’d honor my request for FedEx for the extra $10 I paid them.

I’m getting to the point where it may be time to call the credit card company when UPS returns the package to their home town and see if that lights a fire under them to accept the return.

[zhyla]

They only offer two options:

Man, this just isn’t a thing anybody wants to deal with. Companies just want to ship stuff. Amazon must use 5 different carriers to send me stuff just let this kind of stuff go. If you don’t like shipping to your residence find another option. It’s just not worth it.

[rangefinder]

Have you tried this? Maybe too late now, since it sounds like they've already tried to deliver it. But it might be something to do in the future.

https://www.ups.com/us/en/fragments/sup ... -pickup-ss

"""
Self Serve
FASTEST
You can have a package held for pickup before we make the first delivery attempt through UPS Delivery Intercept.
To get started, track the package, then click 'Change My Delivery' and select 'Hold at UPS Location.'
Note: This option may be unavailable if there are no nearby UPS locations.
"""

[Pokey]

They only offer two options:

Man, this just isn’t a thing anybody wants to deal with. Companies just want to ship stuff. Amazon must use 5 different carriers to send me stuff just let this kind of stuff go. If you don’t like shipping to your residence find another option. It’s just not worth it.

I know especially when FedEx works so well. I’ve actually saved money and aggravation when a company responds to my question as to what shipper they use. If they reply with one of the “U” company's I say thank you and buy locally if I want it badly enough.

[Pokey]

Have you tried this? Maybe too late now, since it sounds like they've already tried to deliver it. But it might be something to do in the future.

https://www.ups.com/us/en/fragments/sup ... -pickup-ss

"""
Self Serve
FASTEST
You can have a package held for pickup before we make the first delivery attempt through UPS Delivery Intercept.
To get started, track the package, then click 'Change My Delivery' and select 'Hold at UPS Location.'
Note: This option may be unavailable if there are no nearby UPS locations.
"""

It's too late for that, UPS has already attempted a delivery, and they want an additional $7 to hold the package at another location when it is possible to opt for it. FedEx does it for free.

[Doc Dan]

Honestly, though it would aggravate me, too, it's not worth getting high blood pressure over. Let it come. If there is a problem, then go ballistic.

[benben]

Man in my world I'd take UPS over Fed-Ex everyday of the week, but I do live in a house, so I can see your dilemma.

Fed-Ex here is terrible!

[Manixguy@1994]

Man in my world I'd take UPS over Fed-Ex everyday of the week, but I do live in a house, so I can see your dilemma.

Fed-Ex here is terrible!

Same here , UPS is great but Fed X is a pain . On my street it is East and West addresses so we get and they get wrong packages frequently. I have had wrong address packages for almost a week on porch even after calling . We have both delivered to each other . UPS no issues . MG2

[Pokey]

Honestly, though it would aggravate me, too, it's not worth getting high blood pressure over. Let it come. If there is a problem, then go ballistic.

Well Dan, if I do allow it to be delivered and then there's a problem, I'd have no recourse with UPS or the retailer. All UPS would say is, "It's been delivered, we've fulfilled our contract with the shipper." The retailer would say, "Sorry, UPS marked it as "Delivered", take it up with them." At that point, for what it's worth I could just go out and howl at the moon and get the same result.

Today, UPS doesn't deliver to a person anymore, they deliver to an address, even if it's to a package delivery room where they don't have access. I've always figured that they could just slow down out on the street and toss the package out on the lawn then keep going. It would be just slightly less secure than the package delivery room here and it wouldn't slow the driver down or affect their quota for the day.

I contacted UPS this morning to find out why the retailer didn't accept the package when I returned it to them. They said for me to call the retailer, (who doesn't have a phone number,) and tell them to call UPS to allow the package to be returned to them. How do you get a response out of a retailer who so far hasn't responded to me? I contacted the package delivery room company and said, hey this is going on here. They say UPS shouldn't be opening the door on the delivery room without an access code. So, UPS says to contact the retailer and they should do such and such, and the package delivery room company cries "foul" on UPS; I've told both companies that they have no control over what another company does.

I've sent another email to the retailer making it clear I want to return the package and get a full refund per their Shipping and Return policy. I don't really expect to hear from them.

[sovereign]

Have you tried this? Maybe too late now, since it sounds like they've already tried to deliver it. But it might be something to do in the future.

https://www.ups.com/us/en/fragments/sup ... -pickup-ss

"""
Self Serve
FASTEST
You can have a package held for pickup before we make the first delivery attempt through UPS Delivery Intercept.
To get started, track the package, then click 'Change My Delivery' and select 'Hold at UPS Location.'
Note: This option may be unavailable if there are no nearby UPS locations.
"""

Yes, they want an additional $7 to do this. FedEx does it for free.

Can you not just pay the $7 in this instance and be done with it? This must be an expensive knife?

And at this point you should let us all know who this company is. They sound horrendous.

[Pokey]

Have you tried this? Maybe too late now, since it sounds like they've already tried to deliver it. But it might be something to do in the future.

https://www.ups.com/us/en/fragments/sup ... -pickup-ss

"""
Self Serve
FASTEST
You can have a package held for pickup before we make the first delivery attempt through UPS Delivery Intercept.
To get started, track the package, then click 'Change My Delivery' and select 'Hold at UPS Location.'
Note: This option may be unavailable if there are no nearby UPS locations.
"""

Yes, they want an additional $7 to do this. FedEx does it for free.

Can you not just pay the $7 in this instance and be done with it? This must be an expensive knife?

And at this point you should let us all know who this company is. They sound horrendous.

In totality, what I was told in their original email, what their website says about how they'll handle the whole process, and how they've actually performed, I would have to agree with you, they're pretty bad.

Given that I've rambled on here about what has actually happened it may be a real heads-up for you readers. So, as a PSA, an awareness or an education into how this retailer works I will tell you. The company is Copper+Clad. Buck Knives was the famous American knife company I contacted months ago to see if Copper+Clad is legit. I recently called Buck to see if they had any contacts at Copper+Clad that I could talk to. Buck did provide me with a phone number of a person at Copper+Clad who hasn't returned my phone call. (Surprise!) The Buck employee I spoke with was scratching her head over my Copper+Clad experience. Incidentally, they are a Spyderco dealer, if anyone's interested.

They have a very nice, slick looking website, (except for the dark background on some fields.) They do outline how the purchase and return policy works, and how their customer service dept. is happy to help you, but in my experience they haven't followed through on any of that for me. I think they've got a slick e-commerce website that runs autonomously.

Buyer beware.

[Pokey]

During this entire process, you dealt with the retailer, not the American knife company that produced the knife. Correct?

I've tried to, correct. So far they have been non-responsive since an initial question I had for them 3 months ago.