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Post by Brad on Jul 10, 2008 18:05:40 GMT -5
I know this isn't chocolate related, but right now I'm seething mad, and given the amount of small packages being bought and shipped by people on this site, I want to share this unique experience with you: For the past couple of weeks I have been negotiating the purchase of a significant amount of custom made packaging from a company in China. On Monday they finalized the samples, packaged them up and had a courier company pick them up for expedited delivery to me here in Canada. The courier company was TNT. After being delayed by customs officials for 2 days, the package finally arrives here in Calgary and gets put on a truck to my residence. The driver shows up while I'm out, and instead of A) Calling the number on the big bold note on the door for instructions, OR B) leaving the package in the foyer (such as what Fedex, or UPS do), OR C) taking it back to the depot and leaving a sticky on the door (such as what Purolator or DHL do)... The idiotstick driver leaves no indication that he was here, takes the package back to the depot, AND PUTS IT IN THE CANADA POST MAIL!!!!! WTF? I called the courier company, and they said it's their policy. Who ever heard of such an assinine policy? I mean people PAY EXTRA to use a courier because they need the product right away. I am absolutely blown away by what is now the epitome of stupidity at a corporate level.
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Post by reelchemist on Jul 12, 2008 5:36:17 GMT -5
I feel your pain Brad, I import skimboards from the USA as part of a sideline business that I run. I have over the last 3 years had many shipments and I can say this without it being a lie that with every shipment there has been a different problem ......every time. From lost packages to pallets of hundreds of boards sitting in warehouses with no notice given to us, to public holiday delays, to bureaucratic bullshit, over charging, customs crap etc etc. I literally wait with anticipation for the next problem....I sware it is different every time!!! Oh, yeah did I mention in the last month that shipping has almost doubled for air freight!!! I must say though I have never had a problem with shipments from John and I am very thankful. Oh I did have a customs problem once but I think they have to hold up a certain number of shipments that come through and they saw mine as a good excuse I think. Shipping does my head in
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Post by Brad on Jul 13, 2008 0:12:17 GMT -5
Funny you should say that. In the last 3 months I've experienced EVERY incident you've mentioned - some of them combined in one shipment!!! Air freight is a killer. I just flew 32 molds here from Italy. A 1.5 cubic foot box cost me $256 to have shipped here. Ready for this one? I air freighted a ton of beans from Brazil last month for the measely sum of $4,800 - that that was just shipping!!! I also agree that John has done a great job with getting his product to people in the past. I've personally ordered several thousand dollars worth of product from him, and he's been 100% professional. He should approach the courier companies and put on educational seminars on customer service!
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Post by reelchemist on Jul 14, 2008 7:01:09 GMT -5
That air freight sounds about right, we haven't gotten any big orders in for about 6 months as it is the off season but our last pallet cost around $2400 so doubling is about right there. At least the USA dollar has gone through the floor to offset that. We will still be making the same margin as before. As usual the money just seems to disappear into some void.
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