Retailers eating costs of lost shipments - surprising!

schadenfreude

schadenfreude

really
O.G.
Nov 13, 2007
3,554
101
#1
I placed an order from dsw.com and had it shipped 2-day air by Fedex. Of course, the expected day of delivery came and went and when I tracked the package, it showed as delivered the previous day. Grrrr!! I called Fedex and had to wait a couple days while they contacted the driver to see exactly where he left it and of course he gave a vague description ("in front of the house with the metal gate") that could match any house on my street. Oh well. Fedex said to initiate a claim with the shipper - DSW. So I call there just now, and without a moment's hesitation or argument they credited the whole cost of the order and shipping! I mean... wow. Especially in this economy! Who's to say people can't just lie about not getting their packages? I'm just really surprised retailers can afford to do this - pleasantly surprised of course. My dad had a similar incident recently with Eddie Bauer (also involving Fedex) and had the same kind of nice outcome. It's just refreshing to see some good CS out there even in light of the crap economy. Thanks DSW!
 
#2
That's wonderful that they credited you immediately. However, I always thought that the retailer could make a claim to Fedex (or UPS or the postal service) if they fail to deliver their customers orders. I had a package from Overstock get lost. I contacted Overstock and they launched an investigation and sent me a new package of the same items.
 
#3
^^I ordered an iPod touch from best buy and the ups tracking said delivered and left on the porch. Well, I never got it. I called best buy and they immediately sent me out a new one, no charge. I'm sure they filed a claim with ups and will get their money back. I was surprised at how accommodating best buy was and how quickly they sent me out a new one, no questions asked.
 
#5
schadenfreude said:
I placed an order from dsw.com and had it shipped 2-day air by Fedex. Of course, the expected day of delivery came and went and when I tracked the package, it showed as delivered the previous day. Grrrr!! I called Fedex and had to wait a couple days while they contacted the driver to see exactly where he left it and of course he gave a vague description ("in front of the house with the metal gate") that could match any house on my street. Oh well. Fedex said to initiate a claim with the shipper - DSW. So I call there just now, and without a moment's hesitation or argument they credited the whole cost of the order and shipping! I mean... wow. Especially in this economy! Who's to say people can't just lie about not getting their packages? I'm just really surprised retailers can afford to do this - pleasantly surprised of course. My dad had a similar incident recently with Eddie Bauer (also involving Fedex) and had the same kind of nice outcome. It's just refreshing to see some good CS out there even in light of the crap economy. Thanks DSW!
Click to expand...

Retailers always figure on a certain amount of "shrinkage".. ranging from returns, items lost in transit, damages, shoplifters, and employee theft.

And guess where they tack on that "amount"?.. you guessed it.. onto the prices of their items that WE pay for.. you didn't REALLY think the retailers were eating this shrinkage, did you?
 
#7
ArmCandyLuvr said:
That's wonderful that they credited you immediately. However, I always thought that the retailer could make a claim to Fedex (or UPS or the postal service) if they fail to deliver their customers orders. I had a package from Overstock get lost. I contacted Overstock and they launched an investigation and sent me a new package of the same items.
Click to expand...
Yep, this is the case. Any retailer who ships without insurance is asking for trouble! We file claims on a weekly basis!
 
#8
OlgaMUA said:
Retailers always figure on a certain amount of "shrinkage".. ranging from returns, items lost in transit, damages, shoplifters, and employee theft.

And guess where they tack on that "amount"?.. you guessed it.. onto the prices of their items that WE pay for.. you didn't REALLY think the retailers were eating this shrinkage, did you?
Click to expand...

I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday, so no, but retailers have really trimmed the fat in recent years. I would have guessed that they would require something more formal, like a written document or signed form, in order to grant such refunds. Hey, I'm not complaining - I was just surprised, that's all, but figured they did somehow have compensation for those costs built into the contract with the shipper.
 
#9
schadenfreude said:
I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday, so no, but retailers have really trimmed the fat in recent years. I would have guessed that they would require something more formal, like a written document or signed form, in order to grant such refunds. Hey, I'm not complaining - I was just surprised, that's all, but figured they did somehow have compensation for those costs built into the contract with the shipper.
Click to expand...

Ultimately someone will have to fill out paperwork, usually the retailer/shipper and unfortunately the retailers usually get the short end of the stick because what happens is they skimp on insuring the item fully because it saves on shipping costs which they often offer free. Due to increased competition they arent always at liberty to increase costs because some other online retailer has it for cheaper.

It just eats into margins.

But the correct way is to leave whenever possible the customer out of it, send out the replacement or issue the refund and the duke it out with the shipping companies.
 
#14
Retailers often give releases to shipping companies for goods of a certain amount. UPS will leave a package in a "secure" spot if the shipping requests don't indicate a signature is required. The retailers have insurance and are the ones that must file the claim against Fedex or UPS.

Note if you were to continuously claim you didn't get a package, UPS or Fedex would refuse to leave your packages without someone being home. Their tracking or logistics systems are great, but unfortunately sometimes things happen. I had a package stolen my a visitor to my neighbor.
 
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