Missing Jersey
 

For my birthday, a ladyfriend of mine gave me a gift certificate to Longs Cyclery. I ended up choosing to get a jersey with it and ordered it online.

http://longscycle.com/media/images/p...jersey-251.jpg

And that's when the comedy started. First, they forgot to include the certificate number that I'd need to redeem the gift certificate when they sent me an email telling me of the gift. So they had to send a second email with the certificate number.

I ordered, with the gift certificate number and my VISA to cover the difference, and a few days later, got an email saying that they were ready to ship, but they didn't know what I had ordered. So I sent them an email telling them again what I had ordered and soon after got a tracking number to follow my shipment.

After a couple of weeks nothing had arrived and I checked the tracking and apparently, the package had been delivered a week before. I then noticed that my apartment number had not been included in the address. I checked with the apartment office, it's a large complex so its not likely that the postman could have guessed at my address.

But the apartment office said that they hadn't received it. I emailed Longs asking them for confirmation on whether I had somehow forgotten to include my apartment address when I ordered, but they only said that they sent it to the address listed on the package tracking notice. I took that as an unspoken admission of error on their part.

I went to the post office and talked with the counter clerk, who gave me the number for the carriers. I phoned and talked with the supervisor of the carriers who said that there had been some turnover lately and that the carrier on the route was new. Apparently the carrier who would have been on duty then was no longer at that post office. The supervisor guessed that since the tracking slip actually said that the package had been scanned as unable to be delivered, and 30 minutes later it was scanned as delivered; that probably the tracking entry that said that it had been delivered was a mis-scan, and that actually the package went "Return to Sender"(cue Elvis Presley ;) ) and should be on its way back to Longs Cyclery.

I know that Return to Sender items are the lowest of the low on the post office delivery priority, so it could take several weeks to get back to them. But so far, Longs says that nothing has shown up.

So the question is, what do I do now? Buy another jersey and pretend it is the original, or tell my ladyfriend that her gift just disappeared and no one knows where it went to? Or just be patient and naively trusting. :twitchy:

Gotta love the USPS...or any of them for that matter. :rolleyes:

I don't think I would burden your friend with any information she can't do anything about...it would just stress her probably. I guess I would just tell her what I have to...and not mention anything about it unless quizzed.

We could lose Jersey and nobody would notice, except it would be a long drop from the GWB.

When in doubt, tell the unvarnished truth. It simplifies life.

If she asks tell her you ordered a jersey and you are still waiting for delivery. Sorta like Retro Grouch said.

I guess you could buy another one so she would know what she got you and then if and when the original one came send it back?

First, let me compliment you on your choice of jersey - very nice!

Second, since Long's made the error, it should be their responsibility to resolve the problem, without delay.

I'd really lean on the seller, for not taking proper precautions......... You shouldn't have to wait....

Third, contact your CC company, to put the problem in dispute........

That's a great looking jersey. I would order one if you were not having so much trouble.

When you talk to them again mention that the way your order has been so mishandled has cost them at least one sale.

+1

ANd if aksed, by the individual giving you the certificate, I agree with KR32. It's been ordered but has yet to arrive.

Nice looking jersey. Sorry to hear you lost it. :(
I had a similar thing happen to me when I returned a jersey to Velowear. I sent it USPS. Somehow it ended up in the twilight zone because no one at the post office can find it and Velowear says they have looked everywhere and have no record of it ever arriving at their facility.
I'm a fast learner and now ship only via UPS with sufficient insurance just in case. :rolleyes:

I work for a courier company, and 99% of lost items are ones where the label has become defaced or has come off, such items get routed to a special department that deals with such items, the first thing they do is see what information is available on and in the box. If they can figure out where it is supposed to go, then it gets routed to the proper facility for delivery. If they can't then it gets logged and goes into storage, if it isn't claimed within a certain amount of time, usually a year, it's sold off in huge lots.

Every package you send should have 3 labels, the carrier label, your own label and a packing slip inside, all three should include the tracking number, don't let the carrier staff put their label over yours. If the carrier label is defaced or destroyed (it happens, more often then you think) they can use your label to either recreate the carrier's label or to simply deliver the item, depending on where the item loses the carrier label. If returning an item to a vendor, always call or email and ask about their returns procedure, if calling write it down, you need to follow it exactly. Some companies use RMA#'s and will refuse items without one, some companies accept collect shipments, some do not, some use a specific carrier and have a special account for returns, some will use a different address for returns, some companies will send you a special label for a return.

Use tape to reinforce all edges. When closing a box, use tape to wrap it both ways all the way around the middle. For long narrow boxes, wrap the narrow dimension around several times over the longer dimension. If sending an item that is fragile, wrap throughly in bubble wrap then use shipping peanuts to suspend the wrapped item in the middle of the box, you want to slightly overfill the box with the peanuts, if you shake it there should be no sound. Never count on anyone seeing the word fragile on a box, or that if they do see it, that they can pay attention to it.

Please let us know if you get it resolved as I'd order one. I agree with those who say the seller should resolve this. After all, you gave them the apt number and they didn't put it on the order.

I agree with the people who say lean on the seller.

If there is even a kernel of fault from the seller (incomplete address on package in your case), the seller should send out a replacement ASAP.

Most likely, either the first package will be returned to the seller or if the 1st package is eventually delivered to you, I would trust you would return the duplicate item to the seller.

Dan

Nice jersey. No, Great jersey.. I'd wear it proudly.. Sort of looks like a "Primal Wear design.".. Pass it by on the rack, I'd have a hard time not snatching it up..

That is a nice jersey. I hope it shows up.

Too bad it is being sold by such a screwed-up company

You would be shocked at how common this is, what I find appalling is that the USPS doesn't have a process in place for this, Canada Post does, there is a rubber stamp applied, that has a check box for missing apartment number. Items that have tracking numbers, should be scanned at all points during the process and there would be a code for an improperly addressed item. It really comes down to this, it's not between the customer and the shipper, it's between the shipper and the carrier. If the shipper is sending items that do not have tracking numbers, then they should simply reship the item as lost. If it does have a tracking number, then they should get the carrier to check that tracking number to see when and where the item was last scanned and what the status is on it. If somebody signed for it, other then the intended receiver, then there should be a name for the person who signed. Probably 2% of items going to apartments are missing the apartment number. If the carrier has time, they might check the register for the same name, fine if it a name like Tchaikovsky where the chances that there are more then one apartment with that name is fairly low. If it's a name like Singh where there can be 25 of them in the same building then it should be returned by the carrier to his depot for resolution or return. If this isn't USPS policy then there should be a senate inquiry.

That's because it is.
http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/173...ing-Jersey.htm

The responsibility is with the seller to supply. It is no skin off their nose to resupply as they will claim from the Shipper.

Mate of mine had parts not turn upp within 10 days of ordering and he was reswupplied the next day--and 4 months later when the original turned up. He contacted the supplier to collect and he was told to keep it. The "Lost" items had been re-imbursed by the shipper.

Well, I just got off the phone with Mark at Longs Cycle. He has promised to send me a jersey, to my P.O. Box this time. So hopefully next week, I will be wearing a little green frog.

It came, it finally came! The jersey is more of an orange than red, but otherwise as advertised. It was nice that after so much trouble with the first one, the second one was almost pain-free. :thumb:

And I'd like to thank the forum members for their encouragement, that led me to be bolder in dealing with Long's and ensuring the delivery of a jersey.

Glad it's resolved. :thumb:

Be sure to thank lady friend!

Did that last night, as well as a note to Mark who expedited things on Long's end. :D

It's nice that you got it after all the hassle. Wear it proud.

Oh and I never told you, it is a nice looking jersey too.

Longs used to have one of the worst websites on the planet but they upgraded not long ago and it's much better. Several orders with them, and havent had any issues - usually very fast. Glad to hear you got it all sorted.