The UPS incident

I should have listened to the advice that no online shopping if the shipping method is UPS.

Anyway, to take advantage of the 20% off sales from the HA site, I placed an order for a very old rubber stamp which was on my wish list for long time. And I don't seem to find it elsewhere. Then I also order another kit so total of $24US. Shipping is about $13.

Since UPS offers tracking, I anxiously wait for the shipping day and I even went back home during lunch hour to see if I'm able to catch the delivery. Too bad the delivery didn't come during lunch hour. Around 5:30pm I got a phone call from the delivery guy that I miss the package. I quickly returned the call and asked if he can drop off around noon the next day so I can actually get it personally. The delivery guy is ok about that and I'm happy, until I got home. There is a yellow slip on my door regarding reschedule the delivery. When I called that number, I found out that I am owing UPS $21.99 brokerage fee. Gosh, my package only worth $24 and the brokerage fee is $22?? That's just ridiculous! I first called UPS and see if it's possible for me to clear the item at custom myself. That would avoid the brokerage fee. The service rep first says ok but then later she mentioned that the item is declared high value and therefore I can't clear myself. This is so BS! $24 package is considered high value?? Gotta be kidding! She mentioned that once the item is inspected (opened) by the custom it's considered high value. Still it makes no sense to me. Then, I decided to email the seller that actually the invoice contains the original price but not the discounted price (that might affect the brokerage fee). And if they are able to re-deliver the package to US address. The shipping to US address is only $5.99! Since I'm not getting response before noon (when the re-delivery occurs), I decided to call UPS the early morning to "complain". Luckily the customer service rep I got this time is helpful. He's trying hard to help me and he finally says he's reverting my brokerage fee. And I'm only need to pay the tax portion (which is about $4.xx). However, since the adjustment may not go through right away, he suggested me to get the package two day later, so to let this adjustment appears on the UPS invoice as well. Otherwise the UPS invoice would still be $21.xx.

Since I have waited so long, I wouldn't mind waiting two more days for the package. And I also change the delivery address to office (so that I would am able to get it personally).

However, the next day (Wednesday), I got the package early morning, and the invoice is still $21.xx. I am quite pissed at that point but if I don't pay, I wouldn't get the package. In the end I still paid the $21.xx.

Let's go back a bit, that morning I wasn't feeling well so I go to get some prescription drugs refill. At the cashier, I realized that I got no wallet! I thought I leave it at home since I always bring different handbag so it may just be inside another handbag or leave on the desk. I called home and asked my husband to check and he returns a bad news that he couldn't find it! That moment my heart just stopped! I don't have too much cash inside the wallet but I have loads of cards! So I try to rewind and think about where the wallet may be. Then I know that I did go to gas station and buy some stuff on the way to work. It must be left at the gas station then! At that point my heart sunk further more. So I quickly drove back from the office parking lot back to the gas station. I don't care if the big boss saw me leaving the office parking lot at 9am. I have to go. So as I got to the gas station, luckily, the gas station sales lady kept it for me. It's such a relief...At least it's found.

But for safety purpose, I still decided to cancel my credit card and get new ones, including the one I just paid for the UPS charges. So...too bad for them, if they didn't put through transaction, they won't get the $.

And during the process of cancelling my cards, I realized that I did the wrong online payment so I actually over paid one card and didn't pay another one...oh well. Interest incurred...oh well.

Everything seems to be over until 1 month later, I got the UPS invoice letter that I'm owing them the $21.xx. So I have to call them again, explaining that I'm only going to pay the $4.xx instead. The service rep this time doesn't seem to care much. He just said the request of reversing the brokerage fee is not gone through yet (although should be soon). I just went ahead to pay the $4.xx only.

It has spanned over a month and still seems not end yet...

Actually, I do expect to pay brokerage fee. If it's around $10 (like 30% of my package cost) I would gladly pay for it. But it's almost 80% of the total cost. It's called over charged!

Lesson learned: I am not going to use UPS shipping for any US online order ever again!