Ups burns me again

[Tarolisol]

I didn't even think it was legal to ship corals over the border

[Pan]

Pay a specialized courier to ship it...if you are worried If you have ever been to a shipping hub you'll realize why sensitive stuff gets shipped private courier. That being said the IRA fedex'd missles once...they made it. The only thing i ask from fedex is that tom hanks is not on the plane that my stuff is on. Seriously though go to a ups hub and look at what they do. I'm sorry to say one package ruined or a 100 enough people will continue to use them. If you press them they might do something, otherwise the second you hang up...you have been forgotten. Unless...that is you bought extra insurance...then the law has them by the...and so do you. But few people will go this far in a claim...so...make a stink or don't...how in their face are you willing to get? they do have special regulations for live goods/liquids etc...if you didn't look into that...they will laugh at you then forget you.

I work for UPS and I'll tell you right now that no one is going to call you when a parcel arrives it dosn't matter what you write on the box, who do you think is gonna call you, not the driver, you think they are gonna use their personal phone to tell you that your box has arrived. A small center alone pushes out 12000 boxes a day, so yeah there imperfections to the service.

[Johnny Reefer]

Two things...
1.
Never did understand why folks order livestock online and have it shipped. What's the attraction? Lower costs? I don't get it. I've never done it and likely never will...anytime of year. Just doesn't make sense to me to risk buying livestock, sight unseen, and then have it shipped, when I can just go to my LFS, or take a cooler to the mainland and ship the stuff back myself.
2.
I've ordered enough times now (yes, dry goods) from a certain lower mainland dealer to know within an hour and a half when the UPS guy is going to show. It's usually two days after the order is placed and savvy tracking will confirm this by indicating "Out For Delivery". And the guy always shows up between 3:00PM and 4:30PM. It's always the same guy, too. And I've had enough deliveries from him to know that he has the same route area, day in - day out. I recognize him driving around in my part of town. So, I've gotten to know he has a pattern and my UPS deliveries will usually always arrive between 3:00PM and 4:30PM, 2 days after I ordered. Quite convenient, actually.

Another item, which is totally unrelated (video game strategy guide), I had ordered on a Sunday night. It was sent from Kentucky, via UPS. I got the guide two days later, on the Tuesday. I couldn't believe it.

Just thought I'd relate a few positive stories about UPS. They work for me.

Cheers,

[Ryan]

For a guy like me whos closest Store that sells Saltwater is 3 hours away with 2 aquariums, or edmonton 5 hours away the internet really appeals to me for certain things. WYSIWYG really appeals to me even though I have to pay a little bit more. To ship livestock via airline its 75-100 dollars. Its that much for me in gas alone to drive to Fort St John BC or Edmonton to go get them myself and I dont have to waste an afternoon to get it.

I have enough smarts on me though to realize its cold outside and even properly packaged there is a chance the livestock may die, so ship it heated cargo. I dont go and ship it UPS where it sits in a cold truck all day.

[Johnny Reefer]

Originally Posted by Ryan

For a guy like me whos closest Store that sells Saltwater is 3 hours away with 2 aquariums, or edmonton 5 hours away the internet really appeals to me for certain things. ......

Yes, I can understand that. I was thinking along the lines of combining a trip(s) with other business. I would never hop on a ferry to the mainland solely for the purpose of an aquaria livestock trip (or dry goods for that matter). These visits are always a stop by that are combined with another reason(s) for going. Patience helps. But I'm sure each of our situations and thought processes on how to shop are just as varied as there are coral species .

Cheers,
Mark.

Originally Posted by Johnny Reefer

...., when I can just go to my LFS, or take a cooler to the mainland and ship the stuff back myself. ...

[midgetwaiter]

Originally Posted by Ryan

Its the middle of winter what did you expect? This si why you fly live animals inculding coral. IMO you brought this on yourself.

I'm sure this is good advice because as somebody who ships a lot of livestock the one thing I know for sure is that airlines never screw up! LOL

You ship it and you cross your fingers. You can insure it and track it and phone to complain and then wait in the cargo office for 15 hours because you've shouted yourself hoarse and your phone is dead. You don't even have to call your wife and tell her you won't be home, she knows that the fish come on Wednesday and if she sees you again before 3pm Thursday it will be a nice surprise.

UPS, Westjet, Northwest, Air Canada (shudder), they're all just as bad. 12 hour heat packs or 40 hour heat packs it doesn't make any difference if they don't know where the boxes are in the first place. You may as well paint yourself orange and run around in circles in the street, that's a likely to help as a 40 hour heat pack. I've had UPS show up with fish they lost 8 days ago and they were surprised I wouldn't sign for it.

If you ship stuff you take a risk.

[mark]

Originally Posted by midgetwaiter

If you ship stuff you take a risk.

summer/winter/spring and fall