07-25-2010, 02:22 PM
I think everyone would always rather have the items they've paid for (or think they have) than to get their money back. Here in England using Fedex (or many other international parcel services) is a big mistake. I once ordered a package from Japan (Guaranteed 3 day) which I tracked online (although the updating of that was slow). The first time the package came from Japan to Hawaii through mainland US to Iceland to England where it was left without being signed for (though it should have been) at an incorrect address Birmingham (120 miles away) after an honest person returned the package to Fedex the package returned to Japan from where once again it set off to England via mainland US. This time the package was left at an address in Nottingham (once again a signature was not asked for) 70 miles away, where once again it was returned to the Fedex depot and it was flown back to Japan via Iceland and mainland US. At this point I received (via Royal Mail) 2 customs invoices for 2 packages which I didn't receive. I contacted Fedex about this but they didn't want to cooperate in the subject. Finally after 6 plus weeks the package arrived in England for the final time and was successfully navigated to my address after a half an hour long phone conversation with the driver giving very explicit directions. The package arrived in a bit of a state but the contents were in perfect condition even though they had had a 32 thousand mile plus journey. The day after I got 3 more letters from a debt collector (delivered by Royal Mail) demanding over £240 in costs plus the £16 customs duties immediately or I would be summoned to court. After I got one of my people on the case and had them explain to Fedex the situation after a 2-3 hour long conversation Fedex not only called off the debt collection but they also paid the customs duties for me (even though that was only charged as they charged me on the cost of postage not the cost of the items!). Not a good example of delivery. I once at another time ordered a $22,500 item from Japan which was to be delivered by UPS. Even though the package was coated in "FRAGILE" and "THIS WAY UP ONLY" etc when the delivery men came to deliver it (I watched the vehicle drive up my driveway) they didn't ring my doorbell or knock on the door they just opened my door and threw it in and left. The contents were destroyed and I had to have lots of conversations with lots of people not only to get the destroyed item picked up (which I had to do from an alternate address) but to get it returned and replaced. Which it finally was. These are the two major delivery cock ups I've had in the last decade but there are also over 10,000 good deliveries I have received in that time so who can complain? The only serious problems I have with Royal Mail is when they try to fit 10 or 12 inch records in a 7 inch postbox or one time they fed a £120 item to my dog. Usually a good dealer will know to best way to get his items to you and will also be sending you just what you asked for. The Bulgarian mail service seems to be very reliable!
