The Doll Forum

Just a heads up for anyone shipping packages. I went in to a UPS shipping center today to ship a doll, and the clerk told me they had to open my package, that it was a new rule they just enacted as a result of the recent crash of one of their planes. Thankfully it was a Teddy Babe, fully clothed, but still a bit embarrassing..

Mods, I wasn't sure where to post this, but thought it was pretty important for anyone shipping through UPS

Thanks for letting us know about it. I feel like we all are part of the same family here because even such a little thing like this becomes a new topic to share the views.....

First: One would think they would want to inspect the contents of a package before they ship it. Obviously, if they are in possession of it for delivery, it was not a package that had caused problems.

Second: Isn't the inspection of packages a job for Customs, if not another LEA (Law Enforcement Agency)?

Maybe it's just me, but something smells a little too fishy.

B

Early determination points to a mechanical failure or possible pilot error ... UPS sucks

UPS= Useless Parcel Service

That can't possibly be legal.

Capt_B wrote:First: One would think they would want to inspect the contents of a package before they ship it. Obviously, if they are in possession of it for delivery, it was not a package that had caused problems.

Second: Isn't the inspection of packages a job for Customs, if not another LEA (Law Enforcement Agency)?

Maybe it's just me, but something smells a little too fishy.

B

Capt_B, this was an inspection before shipping.. I was bringing the doll in to send to another member of TDF

We ship with UPS at work, and I can assume, companies in the USA do too, and if the drivers who pick up the parcels have to check the contents with each package they need to ship, that'll be quite a task...

Personally, if this happened to me, I would think this was a smart UPS clerk, who just wanted to see a "Plush doll"
All parcels go through x-ray before they enter the plane, anyway...

I have more dolls to adopt out too. They will all be fully clothed anyway, but now I think I will wrap them in an opaque shrink wrap and call them a mannequin..


it's sad, like Alex said they are all run through an X-ray machine anyway...

they had a sign right on the register stating the new rule... open all packages and see I.D. also...

stacy718 wrote:That can't possibly be legal.

Sadly, I am pretty sure it is. UPS is a privately held company, they can set policy how they see fit. It is up to what their customer base will put up with an accept.

I know for a couple of years now many companies (including my wife's) has stopped using them for a couple of reasons.

1. USPS has come out with flat rate shipping. (good for small stuff, especially if it's heavy).

2. Fed Ex has gotten more competitive with their pricing.

3. UPS keeps customer records for an undetermined amount of time. This means they have your name on file, who you did business with, when you received a package ... see where this is going ... Fed Ex does Not keep customer information.

If this is true, (and can only be regarding their brick and mortar stores) then they are enacting this new inspection policy, (using this recent tragic event) to further their control and information database on what you are doing. Big Brother is watching ...

Everyone needs to tell them to F off and that you will be using USPS or Fed Ex for your shipping needs.

I'm a long time UPS customer doing over 10 years of business with them. If they are enacting this policy, it must be for people who walk-in off the street. They are not doing that to us since we have a daily pick-up of packages, all of which are small. And no way in hell would they get away with trying to do that to us.

You are probably better off taking your business elsewhere in this case. I'm sure Fed-Ex and the USPS will welcome it,

SkillZ, my mistake. I misread your original post.

B

Abyss ships UPS. On small packages, I don't think they would continue if this was the case.

Open my pkg at the store? Nonsense...thats like saying uncle Bob, with no legal credentials, requires me to open my box. Aint gonna happen.

nukem wrote:I'm a long time UPS customer doing over 10 years of business with them. If they are enacting this policy, it must be for people who walk-in off the street. They are not doing that to us since we have a daily pick-up of packages, all of which are small. And no way in hell would they get away with trying to do that to us.

You are probably better off taking your business elsewhere in this case. I'm sure Fed-Ex and the USPS will welcome it,

I can second this. Been using UPS for 15 years at work and home on daily Monday through Friday basis. Even after that crash, they do not do this to any outbound or inbound package ever. I'm on a pretty one on one relationship with my UPS guy and he mentioned nothing of this what so ever. I have no idea why they'd do that to you, unless as above said, it must be a random walk in thing, but nothing common/official in policy. I'll ask him about it next week. Honestly they don't have time as is to do their jobs, so I can't see this being added to the list of procedures...ever....for many reasons.

Was you box of bad design, or poor packaging/taping/labeling perhaps? IE: Hand written tags/ poor tape reinforcement?


If I had time I'd contact UPS about this and get an official reply. Seems highly unlikely this is a 'new/common' thing though, but a extremely rare, possible employee fault issue.

-ct-