Looking for a bit of insight on tracer requests

[basschica]

Sorry to bother everyone. Hopefully this is a quick/easy question as I'm just a "receiver" of a package and not an employee. I've tried using the chat help on the UPS site, but the employees in that customer service group don't seem very knolwedgeable, helpful, or sympathetic..... as such my question didn't really get answered and I'm hoping you can clarify?

If a package was sent from a company but the shipping shows only billing information received and never shows scanned in as received and no tracking, is it usually somehow at the source that the problem existed? After the package never showed progress and was never delivered after at week (it's shipping from Nashville, TN to Grand Rapids, MI which I think is only a couple days normally), I contacted both UPS & the shipper (who I've ordered from before so I know the address on my account is correct). The shipper indicated it shipped out Fri 12/7 and was picked up and out of their hands. When they put the tracer on the pkg on 12/14 the tracer shows that the trace was for Wyoming, MI (local sorting depot for Grand Rapids area). Does that mean they only looked there? According to the online "help" today is the "7th business day" of the request (guess I'll take his word for it with all the holidays thrown in the mix) so tomorrow would be the 8th and final of the "up to 8 business days" it can take for a tracer. Will it automatically kick it out at a certain time since there has been no update or does that get done manually and does the shipper have to follow up? I don't want to nag the shipper if they have nothing from UPS. If the package is not found is the shipper immediately refunded or do I have to wait for some lengthy reimbursement to them before they would ship me a new order. 1/2 of the order is going to be worthless now anyway since I needed the supplies for cakes I made in early/mid December.

I really appreciate any detail/info you can provide. The help/faq on the UPS site is not very detailed on the process. The chat cs rep, when I asked these questions said he didn't know the answers because he wasn't in the tracing dept... =/

The tracking # is 1Z26VW390345184101

Thanks,
Marianne

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

You need to call the shipper and ask them to call UPS and request that a driver follow-up be issued for this package. There has been no activity since the 14th when the tracer request was issued. A driver follow-up is a step above a tracer request and involves the driver actually going to your house and asking you whether or not you received the package. You would sign the DFU accordingly and the driver would record the DFU as either positive (received) or negative (did not receive). The shipper would then receive a check from the company for the missing package and would in turn reimburse you. None of this can happen until the shipper (not you) requests the DFU. Good luck and sorry for any inconvenience.

 

[UPSGUY72]

From the tracking information the package most likely never got picked up or sent out this can happen for many reasons including it got misplaced at the original shipper or the shipper is holding to package until they know they are getting paid. The package would have received a scan either when the driver picked it up or when it got back to the building.

If there isn't a receipt of pickup. UPS is going to considered the package as never getting pickup if it doesn't turn up in the building in MI.

 

[over9five]

From the tracking information the package most likely never got picked up or sent out this can happen for many reasons including it got misplaced at the original shipper....

I agree with this^^
The shipper should be looking for the package in his own warehouse/shipping area.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

As do I but nothing can be done until the driver completes the DFU.

 

[UPSGUY72]

You need to call the shipper and ask them to call UPS and request that a driver follow-up be issued for this package. There has been no activity since the 14th when the tracer request was issued. A driver follow-up is a step above a tracer request and involves the driver actually going to your house and asking you whether or not you received the package. You would sign the DFU accordingly and the driver would record the DFU as either positive (received) or negative (did not receive). The shipper would then receive a check from the company for the missing package and would in turn reimburse you. None of this can happen until the shipper (not you) requests the DFU. Good luck and sorry for any inconvenience.

The problem is there is origination scan or any movement scan of the package. UPS isn't going to pay a claim without some kind of scan to say the package made it into the system.

 

[cachsux]

Was it something custom that had to be made before it shipped? Or out of stock?

One place we run into problems as a company and its drivers is when a shipper promises a certain level of delivery service. The fact is that service is once the package is given to UPS. They may promise overnight delivery but not get the package to UPS for a week.

 

[UPSGUY72]

Was it something custom that had to be made before it shipped? Or out of stock?

One place we run into problems as a company and its drivers is when a shipper promises a certain level of delivery service. The fact is that service is once the package is given to UPS. They may promise overnight delivery but not get the package to UPS for a week.

Bingo, Shippers create tracking number all the time even though they don't have the product to ship.

 

[basschica]

Yeah, I actually contacted the company about that, since I've seen plenty of times with Ebayers where the shipping label is printed but they don't get it to UPS/USPS/Fedex until a few days later. My order confirmation from the company I ordered from is timestamped "Fri, Dec 7, 2012 at 12:20pm" and when I contacted them they said it did get picked up/left the warehouse on 12/7. If a driver picked it up but didn't scan at the shipper's location at the pickup, that would leave them knowing it was picked up but it never being received into the tracking with any scan right? I'd think the box is pretty large, it's not custom as far as 1 unique item kind of thing, but it's a list of things (in stock) that I ordered. It's just that for example I had green and red fondant in the order, which I wouldn't need now and silicone molds like for wreaths and stuff for the Grinch cake I made, which I also won't need now. The box would be pretty big with the items and it weighed almost 22# so it doesn't seem like it would just fall to the bottom of a pile or slip into a crack like an envelope could. I'm just surprised they don't check the source location by default if it never showed a scan in. Like if a label wasn't stuck well and fell off, then it would just be sitting in the source depot looking for someone to claim it there.








This is their response from the shipper after I asked if just a shipping label was made or if the item had actually left their warehouse:


Dear Marianne,




According to my shipping department we received your order on December 7th and we shipped the same day. We did everything right from our part, we really don't know why UPS didn't update the tracking number.




If you didn't receive your order today please let us know.




Kind Regards,




Sanja

 

[UPSGUY72]

Yeah, I actually contacted the company about that, since I've seen plenty of times with Ebayers where the shipping label is printed but they don't get it to UPS/USPS/Fedex until a few days later. My order confirmation from the company I ordered from is timestamped "Fri, Dec 7, 2012 at 12:20pm" and when I contacted them they said it did get picked up/left the warehouse on 12/7. If a driver picked it up but didn't scan at the shipper's location at the pickup, that would leave them knowing it was picked up but it never being received into the tracking with any scan right? I'd think the box is pretty large, it's not custom as far as 1 unique item kind of thing, but it's a list of things (in stock) that I ordered. It's just that for example I had green and red fondant in the order, which I wouldn't need now and silicone molds like for wreaths and stuff for the Grinch cake I made, which I also won't need now. The box would be pretty big with the items and it weighed almost 22# so it doesn't seem like it would just fall to the bottom of a pile or slip into a crack like an envelope could. I'm just surprised they don't check the source location by default if it never showed a scan in. Like if a label wasn't stuck well and fell off, then it would just be sitting in the source depot looking for someone to claim it there.








This is their response from the shipper after I asked if just a shipping label was made or if the item had actually left their warehouse:


Dear Marianne,




According to my shipping department we received your order on December 7th and we shipped the same day. We did everything right from our part, we really don't know why UPS didn't update the tracking number.




If you didn't receive your order today please let us know.




Kind Regards,




Sanja

Your order confirmation from that company doesn't mean UPS picked up the package. It means they did something to generate a order number or tracking number that's all. It's been 3 weeks some kind of progress would have should in the UPS system as you said it isn't a small box.

You have no control over the package now they do I would call them and talk to a person then ask that person there location. A lot of companies use customer service call centers in other states if not other countries. I would tell them it's been 3 weeks and you want a refund, if they refuse I would call your credit card Company and get a refund that way.

Have you done a online search of complaint for this company...

 

[basschica]

They are a reputable company, decent sized and all of their staff and support is at their HQ in Nashville, TN. The address I e-mailed is their customer support manned at a single email address for the person (not a general mailbox). I specifically asked if it was picked up (not just printed) and they said the package was picked up by UPS on Friday 12/7.

 

[basschica]

Also, I just received an e-mail notification of an "epackage" from UPS. I'm not sure if this got generated because I originally filed a request regarding the lost package (as a recipient) on the website, if it was due to the tracer request or possibly due to the negative feedback I left after my chat session with support today when I was checking the status, but I think since it says inquiry from (me) that it was my initial request on the lost package.




Anyway, this is what I received:




ATTN
PHONE
: MARIANNE LastName
: ---MyPhoneNumber-----
INQUIRY FROM: MARIANNE LastName
-----------MyAddress------------
SHIPMENT TO: MARIANNE LastName
-----------MyAddress------------
Shipper Number............................ 26VW39
Pickup Date....................................12/07/12
Number of Parcels........................ 1
Shipper Invoice Number.............. 100021130
Tracking Identification Number... 1Z26VW390345184101
Merchandise.................................. cake supplies
According to our records, no attempt of delivery was made to the above address through 12/21/12. If
any of the tracing information is inaccurate or missing you may contact us for further assistance.
T890NTFM:

 

[UPSGUY72]

They are a reputable company, decent sized and all of their staff and support is at their HQ in Nashville, TN. The address I e-mailed is their customer support manned at a single email address for the person (not a general mailbox). I specifically asked if it was picked up (not just printed) and they said the package was picked up by UPS on Friday 12/7.

So the person your talking to is in Nashville, TN and the product was shipped from Nashville, TN. The email you got from UPS just means UPS never has made an attempt to deliver that package which it can't since from all the information UPS the package never made it into the UPS package delivery system.

After 3 weeks it is very suspicious that some kind of movement would have been seen other than just a computer generated label being made. There is no origination scan, or leaving the building scan or a arrival at a building scan or out for deliver scan.

 

[basschica]

Yeah, that's why I had contacted both UPS and the retailer (and double-checked that the retailer felt it had left their building) too. They initiated the official trace since they are the shipper, so they probably double-checked their end. My order timestamp was 12:20pm on 12/7 and the automated message for shipping (assuming that was the label print) was 4:45pm that day and then nothing since, but they indicated in that e-mail I pasted on a previous post that it did leave their warehouse that same day. They are pretty on top of things and I was surprised it was packed/shipped within a few hours of my order. My previous order about a year ago went smoothly and they're responsive, so aside from the possibility of a mistake on their part, I wouldn't figure anything to be inaccurate on their account or dishonest. Is it normal for drivers to pick up a skid of things and then just scan in at the depot or do things get scanned as they are loaded to a truck or something? This company would have a decent volume in their daily pick up as they have really good prices on things like fondant and cake decorating tools. I'm not sure their exact sales volume but I imagine they do quite well and they have a somewhat exclusive partnership with UPS based on their website graphics. If you look at the 4th image in the "carousel" banner at the top, it shows UPS exclusively on sweetwise.com

 

[wayfair]

I don't think it ever left their building....

dfu wouldn't help anything since package never got on car to be delivered...

I wouldn't call UPS anymore about it since it's the shipper's responsibility... talk with them

 

[UPSGUY72]

It seems they are a daily shipper this being the case some kind of scan would have occurred on Dec 7 either a pickup scan or a origination scan if the package was actually picked up there is none.

 

[Ms.PacMan]

I pick-up UPS packages daily from the post office. If that company uses the p.o. or FedEx in addition to UPS, your package may have been placed on a pick-up (outgoing) pallet for another carrier by mistake. Packages are eventually purged from the wrong system but it may take awhile (especially if it ended up at the post office).

 

[basschica]

Ooh, good point Ms. Pacman. I wonder how long it would take for them to find it at the wrong carrier and get it back to the shipper? For what it's worth, the shipping guy indicated they had other orders with issues from that day (official response pasted below). Perhaps what you're thinking did happen. Since I had a handful of things I needed to be different or removed from the order and other things I'd like instead, the shipper refunded my PayPal payment today so I can just redo the order. I'm sure it was an honest mistake wherever the trouble ends up being found, but at least they've resolved my part of it, so I may never know, but I'll be able to get what I need reshipped and I am sure that it will go smoothly like my order with them in the past had. Thanks for all the insight everyone!

"I am very sorry for the inconvenience of this order. We will go ahead and ship out another order for you. Please indicate what you would like to replace color wise on the order. I will await your response before I ship anything. For some reason we had a few orders on Dec. 7th that did not end up in the correct destination. This is a rare occurrence and we do apologize for the inconvenience. I will await your email. Thanks and have a nice day!"

 

[barnyard]

Ooh, good point Ms. Pacman. I wonder how long it would take for them to find it at the wrong carrier and get it back to the shipper?

That really depends. Some do better than others.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

To add to what Ms. Pacman posted---it is not uncommon to find pallets of packages, picked up by feeder drivers, for other carriers. Many of our trailers are loaded by non-UPS employees and as such we have no control over what goes in to the trailer(s). These are loaded back on to the feeder and returned to the shipper usually the next day. It is also not uncommon to find loose packages for other carriers which are returned usually on a weekly basis.

Whenever I find a package for another carrier, whether in a dropbox or at a bulk pickup stop, I will either put it in the nearest drop/mail box or will hand it back to the shipper (MBE/UPS Store). It is much easier for all involved to find it and keep it out of our system.