XL H1 left at front door but not tapes

[Mike Teutsch]

This sounds like a totally ridiculous thing for these companies to do, but there is a very simple explanation why they leave the package.

I have talked to drivers etc. many times over the years, especially when I was in business. If these companies, FedEx, UPS etc. had to actually follow their own rules and procedures, they could not deliver all of the packages they do. It is more cost effective to replace lost goods than to slow the drivers down getting signatures and redelivering packages another day.

One benefit we as customers get out of this practice is that losses and damages are more likely to get paid to us, without much hassle. Technically, all boxes should be opened and the contents examined before the driver leaves. Just can’t happen! So they tend to assume the customer is almost always right! :)

Mike

P.S.: I write this while I sit here and wait for my latest package from B&H. :)

Mike

[John Hudson]

That's funny

When my DVX100 was delivered back in 2003 FED EX merely left it on the doorstep. $4000.00 just sitting there all friggin day. My wife was home; the story is they rolled up, dropped it off and bailed, not even bothering to see if anyone was home.

After few minutes my wife went to see what she thought was a noise out front in the driveway and door and sure enough my camera was there but no signature required apparently.

I find UPS and FEDEX to be too big for their brithces (and their drivers have the customer service skills of an android)

[Adam Bray]

I bought a gun off the internet one time and had it shipped to my brother who is an FFL (Federal Firearms License) holder with signature required obviously.

UPS left it on his door.

[Heath McKnight]

I just remembered quite possibly the strangest thing--a company left a $30,000 199-something DVCPro camera in front of my friend's business (this was in 1997 or 1998, I can't remember). It wasn't there when they showed up (they didn't even know it had been left) and their neighbor, another company, brought it over. I bet he had a heart attack, because he never would've had known it was stolen, if that was the case, until he called the delivery company.

heath

[Paul Jefferies]

A few months back I found a parcel in my back garden, soaking wet. Apparently, the delivery guy, when he found no one home, had gone round the side of the house and just thrown the parcel over the wall into my garden. Best thing was, the parcel wasn't even for me - it was for a similar address several miles away. Thats why I don't buy things off the internet - it may be the 21st century way to shop but its still delivered as if it was the 19th century

[Philip Williams]

Originally Posted by Vincent Rozenberg

<snip>Am I glad that here in the Netherlands the standard procedure is that if you're not at home they deliver it at your neighbour..<snkp>

Would be nice if they did that here too. Right now its just so much hassle to steal the neighbor's packages :)

[Vincent Rozenberg]

Haha, Well they do have to sign for it as well so you and the postal service have proof the they got it... ;-)

[J. Stephen McDonald]

There seems no limit to horror stories about deliveries. Did anyone say that they'd actually lost something big that was left unguarded? Maybe the thieves that might break into a house, see the package sitting out there and figure it's a trap?

I've solved my insecurities about deliveries by posting a large message on the front door, telling them not to leave any packages, but to return them to their depot, where I'll pick them up after hours.

My own best story is when I was expecting a $3,000. camcorder. I instructed the dealer to send it to my place of work, which was open for business 18 hrs. a day. When it didn't show up on the scheduled date, I thought little of it, as I rarely get anything on time. I almost never used my front door at home, as I parked around back and used that door. Two days later, a neighbor phoned and told me a package had been sitting on my front porch all that time. So, I opened the door and found the camcorder still there, but no thanks to the delivery company. Even though the shipping order had my work address on it for delivery, they brought it to my home (the billing address) and dumped it.

I have similar trouble with my bank. Whenever I need to order new blank checks, I instruct the bank to have them sent to the nearest branch, where I will pick them up. Every time, they send them to my home mailbox, despite my request, which they say they will follow. Imagine the misery you'd have if thieves got a box of 200 personalized blank checks. When this bunch of checks runs out, a new bank will be found.

[James Emory]

Sometimes it's not people that you have to worry about, but the neighborhood dogs that like to carry your stuff off. When I went inside to get something, the dog from next door came down and actually swallowed one of the sockets from my socket set. He ate rocks too because of a mineral deficiency. I recovered my socket shortly after it went through his system. Anyway, FedEx left my $1500 Denecke slate on the front door step that is rarely if ever used. I just happened to see it. So, if it had been there too long the dog could have gotten it.

[James Emory]

Originally Posted by Meryem Ersoz

i've had so much equipment delivered that the UPS guy, who i love, gave me a copy of his schedule, so that if i miss him, i can chase down his truck later. he's the best! his son is going to film school.....

Yep. I occasionally intercept the UPS truck when I absolutely, positively cannot wait!