That's Not How This Works

[AmbrosiaWriter]

So, some people might be wondering, "Hey, if you never physically see or handle the package, how does your company deal with people who lie about dimensions?"

And I would reply, "That's a very good question, young Grasshopper! You see, we have a contract with a big International Shipping Company that gives us lower rates due to the bulk that we ship in. They pick everything up, ship it, do all the fancy stuff, we just set the shipments up. We have a clause in our contract that states the big International Shipping Company is going to weigh and measure your box, and if you lied, we can and will charge the difference on the credit card provided to us!"

This helps us in two ways;

A) If you don't care how much it costs, don't want to bother with weight/measuring, or just can't (for whatever reason) this means we can get an accurate price and charge you correctly.

B) If you tried to scam us, giving us smaller dimensions and weight than what it is, we've got your ass in a sling.


Anyway, why is this important?

Some guy just disputed the second charge on his credit card (you know, the one that makes up the difference between the original quote - that he lied about - and the actual cost of shipment.)

He sent us an e-mail informing us of that dispute, and that he refuses to pay the additional charge.

Me: That's so not how this works. /le sigh and proceed to put together all the paperwork that says we are owed this money because he agreed to it, etc etc, to fax to the credit card company./

What makes it better, is that he didn't tell the credit card company WHY he is disputing the charge, other than "They double charged me for one transaction."

I can't wait to get his e-mail flipping out at us. There was such a huge difference in the size of the box that the second charge was quite a hefty sum.

People are jerks.

[Andara Bledin]

Heh. We've had these charges come through because somebody in our own company was an idiot.

Then again, we've also contested a few of these charges because the carrier was the one trying to pull a scam. >_<

^-.-^

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Then again, we've also contested a few of these charges because the carrier was the one trying to pull a scam. >_<

^-.-^

Oh, we've have issues with our contracted company making a mistake on the dimensions. It's very easy to contest it (but you have to do with THROUGH US, not through the credit card company or we will fight back!)

Just send us proof of the dimensions (easiest way is to take a picture of the package when it arrives with something in the frame as a reference.) We will send that to the shipping company saying "HEY! CHECK YO STUFF!"

Once we get refunded the difference, we will then refund the client the difference as well.

If you can't prove it, then we have no choice but to believe the contracted shipping company.

[emax4]

How hard would it be for offenders like that to be forced into setting up an accounts payable where they put so much money into it ahead of time, and you guys take it out when they ship?

[AmbrosiaWriter]

How hard would it be for offenders like that to be forced into setting up an accounts payable where they put so much money into it ahead of time, and you guys take it out when they ship?

That would work if it happened with people who ship with us constantly, but for the most part we work with one shot shippers who are like "My daughter is in India, we need to send her clothes to her" etc. and so forth.

[suburbandecay]

So, some people might be wondering, "Hey, if you never physically see or handle the package, how does your company deal with people who lie about dimensions?"

When I worked at FedEx, there was a a scanner on all of the unload ends that would automatically calculate the dimension weight (dim weight) on any package and attach that to it's scanned label. They would then charge for whichever weight was heaver (dimmed vs. actual). One night, I caught a pile of file folder boxes marked 0 actual weight going through our system and alerted management. When I left that night, they had around 20+ boxes going onto the scale and were still pulling them off the belts. I imagine that customer was a little miffed when their shipping bill tripled...

[mharbourgirl]

When I worked at FedEx, there was a a scanner on all of the unload ends that would automatically calculate the dimension weight (dim weight) on any package and attach that to it's scanned label. They would then charge for whichever weight was heaver (dimmed vs. actual). One night, I caught a pile of file folder boxes marked 0 actual weight going through our system and alerted management. When I left that night, they had around 20+ boxes going onto the scale and were still pulling them off the belts. I imagine that customer was a little miffed when their shipping bill tripled...

This interests me. We ship through FedEx at work, and I regularly set up packages online. I have never been able to submit a shipment without putting *something* in the weight box. It won't go through and I get bright red text on the screen insisting that I fill in the box. (It's a big form, sometimes I tab past the weight section when I'm rushed. ) I'm really surprised that someone managed to make that work.

[Mriswith]

I'm really surprised that someone managed to make that work.

Well, almost...

[gremcint]

Well, almost...

and now it's 10 to 2 in the morning and I'm sitting here trying to figure out how the hell to pronounce your username.

[RealUnimportant]

Mur as in "mrow" (cat noise)
is
wiff.

My oldest friend used to use the same name in Yahoo chat 13+ years ago

[suburbandecay]

I'm really surprised that someone managed to make that work.

I never knew how they did it either. I do know that they weren't printing on label paper. The labels were printed on 8.5x11 and put in a plastic envelope on the box. They had gotten away with it a couple times actually. That last time I caught them, we just happened to have a packaging engineer in the building that I could alert. Most of our regular managers wouldn't have given a damn (another slew of stories completely)

[AmbrosiaWriter]

I never knew how they did it either. I do know that they weren't printing on label paper. The labels were printed on 8.5x11 and put in a plastic envelope on the box. They had gotten away with it a couple times actually. That last time I caught them, we just happened to have a packaging engineer in the building that I could alert. Most of our regular managers wouldn't have given a damn (another slew of stories completely)

I wonder if putting in a weight amount less than 1 might allow the shipment to go through, but the computer automatically rounds it to zero? I know most places automatically round UP, no matter what you are at (like .01 still rounds up) but it could've been a glitch in the system.

[dalesys]

I...could've been a glitch in the system.

They got ahold of a test code? Or a code for special no-charge, or in house use? and copied that.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

What makes it better, is that he didn't tell the credit card company WHY he is disputing the charge, other than "They double charged me for one transaction."

A friend of mine pulled that on FedEx once. Once FedEx was informed that the charges were in dispute and that it was unlikely that the shipping fee was going to be paid by the credit card company, the package was taken off of whatever means of transportation it was on and left in the facility that it was last at.

FedEx informed him that it would remain there until the shipping fees for an item of that size and weight was paid or until my friend presented himself at the facility (now 5 states away) and picked it up in person.

As this was a three-thousand dollar eBay transaction, I chuckled at the thought of my friend getting pwned because he couldn't be arsed to pay a $50 shipping fee.

[Not Lillith]

Don't F with the people who make your food...and certianly don't F with the people that have your stuff.