Package Mishaps

[Whisky Tahoe Foxtrot]

Update: I just received a complete replacement order that was expertly packed.
High praise for customer service despite the delay. - Whisky Tahoe Foxtrot 8-29-10

It happens. Something important comes to your door and it is obvious that somewhere en route trouble occurs. When this happens, I have always been able to work out a solution till now.

I ordered a pair of cleaning rods, the Bore Tech proof positive ones, and 2 boxes of Center-X from Brownells. Some might say shame on me for ordering the most dissimilar items.

Here's how they arrived.


The box is bent which caused panic, though thankfully and miraculously, the rods were straight.

The ammo however was allowed to flop around in the box and eventually broke free from the Lapua box. What you see are the loose rounds which are covered with all kinds of cardboard and other debris. Good 22LR ammo is lubed and Center-X by Lapua has a liberal coat.

No problem, I contacted Brownells and discussed what happened.
Well that was 3 weeks ago and they have gone silent even after sending them a photo.

Today's environment is challenging for all online retailers, but customer service shouldn't be non existent right?

Please share your package mishaps, we might get a chuckle out of how bad things can be.

 

[rockhound78]

You got your package at least. Mine has been floating around at the UPS facility in Aurora CO for the last week

 

[coldboreshot]

Just today I received an email from that very Brownells in reference to a shipping accessment survey. I have had some incidents myself and I provided an honest assessment in the survey. But it doesn't stop there. I believe I see some strange marketing and sales strategies going on as well. Gunsmith account pricing is not as generous as in previous years. I don't see the special % off offers I used to see numerously and only after an order is placed, do I see an invite to save X% off an order, "after" I have just placed one. And it might be my imagination, but on holiday specials when the email goes out, the prices seem to turn slightly north for the duration of the sale. Amazing what a little computer programming can do. And the "SurePost" shipping is a concern. Lost items or some that seem to embark on a journey before it reaches the doorstep.
Hmmmmm.

 

[Daddymac]

Most of the air packs were popped, must have fallen out of a second floor window or something. The main box had a big hole in it too, so I know I didn't get all the bullets, I just taped the box up and put it on the shelf.

 

[coldboreshot]

Fortunately, I have a few other resources but the only reason these days I still have them on speed dial is for the reloading products that Sinclair's carrys which is integrated into the Brownells master website.

 

[divingin]

Worst packaging IMO is Midway. I've gotten boxes with one largish item and a dozen small ones in a box twice as large as it needed to be, with 2 air pillows thrown in. Rattled more than a pair of maracas. I think I was lucky to actually find all the small items. That was before the carrier-induced damage.

 

[coldboreshot]

View attachment 1193912 View attachment 1193913 View attachment 1193914
Most of the air packs were popped, must have fallen out of a second floor window or something. The main box had a big hole in it too, so I know I didn't get all the bullets, I just taped the box up and put it on the shelf.

Yes, I too have seen alot of shallow, sloppy packaging as well. I get the idea that between COVID and fear purchasing that shipping may be falling a bit behind but I would rather have standard shipping request arrive alittle later than damaged or not arriving at all.

 

[Bill Norris]

Received an order from Midway/UPS last week which contained 3 pounds of Hodgdon powder and a few other items. The box looked as if it had been ran over by a semi-tractor trailer. Loose parts out of their packaging but thankfully still in the box. Powder was double-boxed so it was not loose but the box looked damaged and very fragile.

 

[coldboreshot]

Worst packaging IMO is Midway. I've gotten boxes with one largish item and a dozen small ones in a box twice as large as it needed to be, with 2 air pillows thrown in. Rattled more than a pair of maracas. I think I was lucky to actually find all the small items. That was before the carrier-induced damage.

Glad you incorporated another retailer and not just a Brownells "thing". I had a retailer, "name omitted" that sent an order of Lapua brass which had been fired and stainless tumbled as "new" and was repackaged. Imagine the embarrassment when I explained the difference between new Lapua with a visible annealing and stainless tumbled " shiny golden peened" exterior and faint carbon ring on the inside by the flash hole. Ooops! I don't think so Tim.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

Bud’s then Midway! Bud best I remember requires you to buy ins. And I know why
Midway I called them with concern about the packaged and they pretty much told to me to get over it. And yes the carrier caused the damage but pi$$ poor packing did little to protect. I’ve had package damage from other place but because of good packing there were little or no contents damage

 

[alf]

I have a barrel and 100 pieces of brass in transit to Tx for the last 23 days and counting, with no updates on tracking since July 24th. I've talked to the supervisor at a bigger PO twice that was going to check with his superior, and haven't heard squat from him either.

 

[mtncwru]

I've stopped ordering ammo from Brownells for this reason. I've ordered case-quantity of loaded centerfire ammo a couple times (new-to-me calibers that I need brass for and want baseline accuracy data on the gun), and rather than just sending a case of ammo they sent boxes equal to a case quantity that were loose packed and allowed to flop around the box. This is even when the ammo is the only thing on the order.

When I call Customer Service there's typically not much they can do, and shipping back ORM-D stuff is a pain that I don't want to deal with anyway.

 

[rockhound78]

I ordered three scopes from Midway one time. Came in a box that would hold a dozen scopes and not one bit of cushioning in the box, just the scope boxes

Ordered some bullets one time (2K) and USPS delivered a damaged empty box, with nary a bullet in it. Someone had written on it "possible damage in transit".

 

[jelenko]

possible damage in transit

 

[LarryDScott]

Buy carrier insurance if you want, but collecting
on a loss is another matter. LDS

 

[biggun2869]

I bought a scope from a member here and it kind of started the circle thing. Seems like there are individuals out there that are against what we do (maybe self inflicted-maybe not). Anyway after imagining that my package was being mistreated- Boom it showed up in my mailbox unscaithed

 

[biggun2869]

Buy carrier insurance if you want, but collecting
on a loss is another matter. LDS

I hear you clearly Larry. A few years ago I sold some guns for a friend on gunbroker. All aboveboard and booked through a local FFL even though I didn't have to. He used UPS which was to me great. My 1st claim was for a Browning belgium broadway trap. real nice gun made in the early '60s. Broken stock, they paid and the guy was happy (this was mid '90s) All good insurance worth it.
Many years later (guessing 08-09 and many guns later) I sold a gun (it was actually Bills) to a guy in texas. It was just a scared up Sako L579 in .243 that would make a good hunting gun because it hadn't been shot a ton but HAD been hunted with and it went for the initial offering of $500-only the one bid. I packed that thing like a brick but somehow UPS found a way to break it. UPS wouldn't cover it saying that I hadn't packed it properly. My FFL guy fought it (another reason I went through an FFL) But all they did at this point was UPS blamed it on their insurer and the insurer blamed it on UPS. This was really just extra money to me so I quit. My thinking was if you can't insure your transaction, then i'm sorry but I WON'T play

 

[tac284]

Bought 500 Zero brand bullets off Gun Broker a month ago. Showed up on my door step looking like this, amazingly they were all there! Made several attempts to contact the seller but never heard anything from him.

 

[KMart]

It happens. Something important comes to your door and it is obvious that somewhere en route trouble occurs. When this happens, I have always been able to work out a solution till now.

I ordered a pair of cleaning rods, the Bore Tech proof positive ones, and 2 boxes of Center-X from Brownells. Some might say shame on me for ordering the most dissimilar items.

Here's how they arrived.
View attachment 1193905

The box is bent which caused panic, though thankfully and miraculously, the rods were straight.

The ammo however was allowed to flop around in the box and eventually broke free from the Lapua box. What you see are the loose rounds which are covered with all kinds of cardboard and other debris. Good 22LR ammo is lubed and Center-X by Lapua has a liberal coat.

No problem, I contacted Brownells and discussed what happened.
Well that was 3 weeks ago and they have gone silent even after sending them a photo.

Today's environment is challenging for all online retailers, but customer service shouldn't be non existent right?

Please share your package mishaps, we might get a chuckle out of how bad things can be.

I just ordered the same thing yesterday, EXCEPT I ordered the cleaning rods directly from Bore Tech and the bullets are coming from Champions Choice.
The carrier is UPS and I am hoping for a "Happy Ending" when they arrive.

 

[wkdickinson]

Not a gun related product - but I bought a new awning for my deck (16' long). It shipped from MA on 6/26 via UPS Freight, got to Appleton, WI (150 miles from my home) and got lost for 2-3 weeks. This is an 18' long, 12 dia. cardboard tube that weighs 200 lbs. - it got "lost"!!! It was delivered last Friday (7/31), no explanation and no followup from the manufacturer or UPS. Disgusting!!!