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Disappointed and $35 poorer: USPS and Tack of the Day

Eventing
#1

So, I’ve never had this experience before and I don’t know if there’s anything I can do about it.

I ordered a shirt from Tack of the Day and received a UPS delivery notice via email last Tuesday 2/18 at 2:56 PM. It said the package was delivered at 2:12. Since I happened to be working from hope that day, I checked the front porch as soon as I got the email–which was a few minutes after receive it. No package. I thought maybe it takes a while before it actually arrives at my house. Waited until the next day. No package.

On 2/20, I contacted UPS who said the USPS made the final delivery and to contact the sender. Emailed help@tackoftheday.com. No response. Emailed again on 2/24. No response.

Jumped through hoops to find the USPS tracking number and called the post office. They contacted the carrier who said she remembers delivering the package and that someone must have stolen it… in the 20 minutes between the drop-off and my checking. Not buying that. IMHO this is clearly a USPS error.

USPS said the shipper had no insurance and that I’m just out of luck on whatever I paid the shipper.

I don’t know if I try to pursue further through the USPS, since it’s basically the carrier’s word vs. mine. We’ve been getting a number of wrong deliveries lately, but I don’t want to aggrivate this person who carries my mail and risk additional “errors.”

I expect as much from the USPS, but I’m really surprised at the lack of response from TOTD. It’s not necessarily their fault, but I would have expected some acknowledgement–a offer to look into it or even just to say sorry we can’t help you–particularly given UPS’s direction to contact them.

Thoughts? I order lots of things online–in fact, I probably do MOST of my shopping online–so am I at this kind of risk every time I order? Do sellars and delivery companies typically stand behind delivery/insure packages, or do we risk the price of purchase every time we order something online?

At least I’m only out $35 this time… but I recently ordered and received (thankfully!!!) an new pair of tall boots. I’m sure happy they arrived as expected.

#2

I have had great customer service from TOTD with several issues over the years. I bet they are busy at Rolex. If you cannot reach someone at their email. Call Bit of Britain (their parent company) and ask what you can do.

1 Like
#3

If you only ship with tracking, yes.

I have a friend who went through a similar issue with SmartPak, but an even shorter timeframe (minutes) between the “delivery” time and the time they realized the package was not in fact there. SmartPak was less than helpful and probably lost a customer because of some of the things they said to her. Turns out, it was delivered to the wrong address and she got her package when they drove it by later that day, but if they had not–it did not sound like SmartPak was going to raise a finger to help her. Tracking showed it was delivered, so it wasn’t their responsibility.

Delivery companies only stand by so much, depending on what sort of add-on products you purchase. Tracking will prove the package was “delivered” (although it doesn’t address delivery mistakes). Signature confirmation will prove someone actually had hands on the package. Or you upgrade so only you can sign for the package. Insurance covers whatever it says it covers. Every carrier is slightly different; you have to look at what they offer and decide how much you are willing to risk vs. how much you really, really want to guarantee the package will be in your hands at the end of the day.

Whether or not a seller offers all these options depends on the seller. You can look at their policies to see what they will and will not cover in terms of shipping, but for the most part it’s not going to be any more than what the carrier is covering. So if tracking is all you have, once the carrier shows the packaged was “delivered,” you’re pretty much out of luck on both the seller and carrier fronts.

It sounds like you are having a ton of problems with package delivery to your home, anyway, so you may want to think about just changing where/how you get all your mail delivered. Try a post office box or a Mail Boxes Etc or similar. If you can receive packages at work, ship the most expensive stuff there and see if that is more reliable.

1 Like
#4

I’d try calling TOTD (BOB). I suspect if you talk to someone in person they’ll contact USPS and see if the package can be traced.

#5

I agree it sounds like it was dropped off at the wrong house. Have you asked your neighbors? We sometimes get neighbors mail or packages and bring it over to them and vice versa but doesn’t hurt to check

#6

Sellers do not insure packages unless it is a stated part of the shipping fee. Insurance would protect you if an item was lost in the mail or stolen from your doorstep. TOTD does provide instructions to contact them if you want special shipping. My guess is that you will pay extra for those services because TOTD is charged extra by USPS. In fairness, items to get stolen off doorsteps or get lost in the mail. I have had it happen. It is unusual but there have been few instances in my life and no I never received the packages. If you are having an issue with mail being misdelivered, then I would certainly request that someone sign for the package and/or the package is insured for the time being. That means you’ll need to be around to receive it.

#7

This really sounds more like a case of where the package got delivered to the wrong house. The postal carrier is saying it was delivered because they put it on some porch, just not the right porch.

2 Likes
#8

We had lots of trouble with lost packages with USPS at Christmas time. I try to always use UPS or FedEx. I avoid UPS /Sure Post since our missing packages were reportedly delivered by UPS to our post office, and then went missing.

#9

I was in Logistics for a major equine wholesale distributor, and let me tell you how challenging it is to fight with USPS, UPS, or FedEx when it involves a customer’s shipment. Yes it went under our account and I had tracking information, but once it’s been delivered to the end destination, that’s about all I could do. I always put in claims for our customers and fought with our reps to get credits, but the carrier would always have to backtrack with the person it was supposed to be delivered to (in your case, you). There is not much we can do to fight the shipping company on whether or not something was delivered if a carrier states that it was with the driver’s signature.

That being said, we stood by our customers and tried to always replace items, whether or not we were reimbursed by the carrier. Cut TOTD some slack, they’re a small part of a larger operation (I used to work with them at my old job) and have limited items which is why they can cut the pricing so much. I would still try to be in contact, but I bet they’re doing what they can for you and please understand their hands are probably tied.

In this case, I would have a chat with your local USPS and UPS/FedEx (whatever you usually ship) and see if they can hold packages for you to pick up at the nearest location. I know this is a huge inconvenience and totally agains the point of having things shipped to your house, but sounds like you’re having some trouble in the neighborhood with stolen packages. Your other option is to require signature for FedEx or UPS (this won’t help with USPS) so packages are only dropped off when you answer the door and they’re physically handed to you.

2 Likes
#10

AGREE!! That’s why I was surprised that I didn’t hear back… but makes sense that they are busy at Rolex. Well, thanks for the thoughtful comments.

My guess is that it went to the wrong house and is just taking a while for the situation to resolve. In future, I will be upgrading my shipping for higher-priced items. However, it is nice to have the lower-cost option that TOTD offers.

#11

I have had delivery notifications texted and emailed to me over 12 hours AFTER delivery, and sometimes 2-3 hours BEFORE the item was delivered. I have also had packages left in dumb places - one $200 package was somehow inserted into a locked electrical cupboard and I didn’t find it until 6 months later!

#12

Was it on a credit card? If the card company disputes it, it may get you further.

#13

I’ve had troubles in the past with USPS. They claimed my package was delivered but based on the data they initially provided (ie location of the scan etc), I’m fairly certain they delivered it to the wrong address. Unfortunately the individual who received my package decided not give up the package to me. I’ve had this happen once before and luckily the individual that time who received my package was honest enough to let me know they had received it.

The incident where I didn’t get my package it was whole chia seed from Equine Chia and it was a pretty big order so I felt sick about the whole thing. I had posted a note on the communal post office box area (I live in a condo) hopingI someone would come forward with it. In my case, I was lucky and Equine Chia was fantastic to deal with! They sent me a new shipment which I received with no problems. I was very happy with how they responded, fantastic customer service!!

#14

I had an issue with a former mailman who would mark packages as delivered, then leave them in his truck. Got super annoying super fast.

2 Likes
#15

I am just having this issue with USPS for an Amazon package. The tracking says “delivered at mail room” but I live in a house and don’t have a mail room… given the regularity with which we receive other people’s mail, I’m sure it went to my house number on a street with a similar name (similar being starting with the same letter, but I digress). Good luck with getting this resolved… I’ve been selling a fair amount of tack lately and shipping USPS, so I am ever nervous about running into this type of problem!

#16

Hi Earsup! Please email me at Chantel@tackoftheday.com. With your order details. I’m the shipper- if we can’t find the package we will replace it or refund you. I am sorry you haven’t heard back from us, but we will make it right.

15 Likes
#17

See, I knew that TOTD would come through!

1 Like
#18

The whole UPS plus USPS delivery system is awful. UPS only tracks until it gets to your PO and I swear the PO takes it out on the packages that they then need to deliver to the door. I think they also may use non-regular mail deliverers to do it, the way the Sunday deliveries work. The only time mail gets delivered by sticking it between my front storm door and front wood door? UPS/USPS. They don’t use the mailbox and are not familiar enough with the house to use the side porch we use to get in/out of the house.

I think UPS bamboozled USPS into doing the home delivery portion and USPS is not psyched about it.Glad TOTD came through for you!

1 Like
#19

It drives me absolutely batty when UPS and FedEx transfer a package to the post office for final delivery. It adds like 3 unnecessary days to the whole process, plus another week because my PO won’t deliver packages to my house, I have to pick them up from the post office. They’re open 930-120 and 130-4 M-F. I have a job.

When I moved to Florida, my employer in Ohio shipped me an internet phone. She paid extra for 2-day post, USPS. It literally took them 2 weeks to deliver my first “notice of package” slip, and they refused to refund her a dime.

I cannot stand the post office. I wish no one would ever use them for a single package, never ever never.

2 Likes
#20

I HATE THE USPS/UPS SurePost crap…

HATE IT! It adds an extra day and I don’t like to have to pay UPS $3.50 to make their job easier by having me pick up the package that is at the facility less than a mile from my house.

I did hear that UPS may be discontinuing the partnership. Could be just a rumor though.
I think USPS was the instigator in this partnership.

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