Welcome to the 764th Metamorphosis Monday! If you’ve been reading BNOTP for a while, you may remember that back in the day when I first started ordering storage cabinets for the garage (and now for the basement) the cabinets were often arriving very badly damaged.
They would often arrive with big chips and dents in various parts. During that period, I had so many returns and reorders, only to have the cabinets once again delivered with extensive damage.
On one occasion, the box the UPS guy attempted to deliver was literally bent in half. As I watched him carry the bent-in-half box down my driveway, I knew that meant the entire side panel of the cabinet had been broken in half, yet he still attempted to deliver it that day. Of course, I refused the delivery since it was obvious the cabinet had been destroyed.
During one of those wrecked deliveries, the UPS guy, obviously very upset, told me that they didn’t have the right equipment to move packages of that size around their warehouse. He said that they only had small, short dollies and that long boxes hung way off the dollies which was probably causing the dents and damage. He added that they didn’t have any way to load long heavy boxes onto their trucks, either.
Upset that he was being required to deliver the cabinets, and also upset that he was having to come back a day or two later to pick them back up once I opened the boxes and discovered they were damaged, he felt sure the cabinets exceeded the weight UPS delivery personnel were required to deliver. On one of his delivery trips to my home, he asked if I had a scale on which he could weigh one of the boxes. I retrieved a scale from my bathroom and he weighed one of the tall cabinet boxes. That day, he stated that the box appeared to be 2 pounds under the maximum weight that they were required to deliver, but of course, that was trying to weigh a damaged box on a scale designed to weigh humans.
After that disaster, I started purchasing the cabinets via Walmart, having them delivered to the Walmart Market that’s not too far from my home. Two Walmart employees would place a cabinet into the back of my SUV, only one cabinet per trip for the short drive home. Once home, I would open the box inside my SUV and remove the cabinet pieces one by one since it was impossible to unload the box from the back of my SUV by myself. That’s how I finally managed to get the remaining cabinets I needed for the garage to my home in one piece.
Fast forward a couple of years to just a few months ago when I started buying the same cabinets for the basement. I decided to try purchasing them via Amazon one more time, hoping the delivery issues were finally resolved. To my delight, instead of being delivered via UPS, they were delivered by two, strong Amazon guys in an Amazon van. When I unboxed them, I found them to be in pristine condition–no dents, no broken panels or chipped shelves. Yay! Amazon had finally figured out a way to get the cabinets delivered without having them destroyed in the process.
A few days ago, in a post I shared about holiday decor storage, I mentioned that I had ordered two more cabinets for storage here in the basement. When I received the tracking number, I was dismayed to discover the cabinets were going to be delivered by UPS, but I hoped for the best.
Friday was delivery day and a big UPS truck pulled up between my and my neighbor’s home. I saw the UPS delivery person get out and place several large boxes at the end of my neighbor’s walkway. After she completed that delivery, I apprehensively walked toward her truck to get a look at the cabinet boxes before she removed them.
The UPS driver turned out to be a really sweet, petite woman–I’m 5’4″ on a good day and she appeared to be a few inches shorter. Our conversation was like deja vu as she told me that she had no idea how the boxes had ended up on her truck–that she had not been the one to load them. She stated that she had no way to get them off the truck because “they exceeded the weight limit of what we are supposed to deliver.” She pointed to printing on the box which clearly showed that each box weighed 145 pounds. She said their max weight limit to deliver is 130 pounds, adding “I don’t even have a hand truck so I have no way to deliver them.”
I told her a little about my past delivery experiences and how upset the other UPS driver had been that he was being made to deliver the long, heavy cabinets. I told her how the last few cabinets I had ordered were delivered by two Amazon delivery guys and those had arrived without any issues. As we stood there staring at the cabinets on the truck, she pointed out how the boxes were already damaged, again saying that she really had no way to get them off the truck since she couldn’t lift them.
She and I were in full agreement that they should just be returned since the boxes were damaged. She stated they could even be missing parts since they had come open. She left with the two cabinets saying that she was going to mark them as damaged so that they wouldn’t attempt to deliver the same cabinets again and they would be returned.
Sadly, that doesn’t seem to have happened because the very next day (Saturday) I received an email from UPS stating that a second delivery attempt was going to be made today–Monday. Argggh! I wonder why they are attempting to deliver them again when the delivery driver marked them as damaged and needing to be returned. Why does UPS keep accepting packages for delivery that are well beyond their accepted delivery weight? So many questions.
Looking forward to all the great Before and Afters linked for this week’s Met Monday!
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I hate to say it, but this is very typical of Amazon. We’ve gotten packages without being in any box or envelope – just a delivery sticker slapped on it! You would think Amazon would reach out to you because of all the returns. I don’t know if there’s anyway to either instant chat with them or suggest which delivery service was the best. Whatever happened to “white glove delivery”? Does anyone do that anymore? (I must be old to remember that 🙂
Those cabinets are gorgeous, but what a lot of stress and work!
As I’ve been decluttering and boxing some things to store in a “my first” storage unit I rented this summer, I’ve come to the conclusion I have TOO MUCH STUFF. This may be the universe telling you the same! LOL.
I have tons of storage space in the basement, no storage units. I really don’t have that many decorations left since I’ve gotten rid of the ratty stuff. I just don’t want to store it in the attic crawl space anymore since I’ve updated the basement this past year. Also, I use all my stuff for sharing decor via the blog, and for use in table settings, so I really need the things I’ve kept. Now if I ever move, I may have to cull even more, but no plans to do that right now.
I am with you. I have a lot of “stuff” related to my business and collection of glass and china. “Stuff” I use all the time. Because of my age, so weary of people questioning why I have things and don’t I want to downsize. One size doesn’t fit all.
What a nightmare, I think you should find a new source, maybe someone who would deliver and set up for you and take the boxes away! Good luck!
Ugh, here you go again. I hope they don’t deliver the same again. What a hassle!
Thanks, Rita!
Seriously—that is the craziest thing…we have had a chair and a sofa dumped at the base of our outside front stairs…we were home and they didn’t even bother to ring the doorbell. We are in our 70’s…insanity must prevail across delivery services. I will not accept anything sent FEDEX as the ditch seems to be their preferable delivery goal. Good Luck!
That’s awful, Sandra! 🙁
And let the nightmare begin….again! What the heck, if they were delivered the last few times by Amazon drivers, why not this time?! Amazon drivers really are the best although I only have had one interaction with them. Very nice guys, who delivered my son’s tv to my house (not an item he wanted left on his porch for the world to see) and they offered to slide it right into the door for me so I wouldn’t have to struggle to get it up the steps and in the house. Super nice. It would be nice if there was an option to pick their delivery people to deliver. As far as UPS goes, I don’t know what is going on with them. Makes no sense that they are accepting packages that are out of their weight range. Go figure. I hope you can get it straightened out, maybe call Amazon and see if it can be delivery by their drivers?? Good Luck Susan!!! Hugs, Brenda
I know, you would think they would notice the lack of returns when delivered via their own drivers. Not sure what has changed.
That would be amazing if they had that option! The supervisor I talked to a few days ago said that sometimes they will choose a different delivery method is things fail the first time. Not sure if I’m going to order again right now, just too much going on to deal with all that again right now.
Thanks, Brenda!
Oh my gosh Susan – it just DOES never end! I deal with UPS all the time for work, and this never happens. I’m surprised the delivery driver didn’t even have a handtruck?! I wonder if it’s something about your particular UPS hub? In any case, I’m so sorry you have to go through all this, and I hope you get your new cabinets soon! Thanks so much for hosting, anyway – WE appreciate you even if UPS doesn’t!
I think you’re right because every UPS delivery is by someone different. It’s never a consistent driver. I don’t know what’s going on with my location.
Thanks, Barbara!
In a flash, my comment was wiped out ! I think it’s a sign of the times Susan. I have been dealing with serious damage since June. I feel like a dog chasing its tail. I finally told someone ” No matter how little service you provide, you come to work, sit down and collect a paycheck. I am getting nothing.” I am the belief that everybody should work on commission. Today, was another issue. After waiting on hold 30 minutes, I got no results. Still waiting for the person who promised to call last Monday.
So frustrating, Myrna! Sorry you are having to deal with that. 🙁
Uggggh! So frustrating. The good and bad about shopping online and delivery. Once we ordered an exterior light fixture from a big box store. After 5 deliveries with broken glass they told us to throw away the light and refunded our charge. $10 worth of glass cut to replace and the expensive fixture was fine. How much money, manpower and expense goes into these losses? It seems there is no quality control at all. Good luck resolving the recurring troubles. The storage area in the garage and basement look wonderful!
The problem must start with wherever the label is created. Who chooses which delivery service. Obviously states the weight right on the box. Very interesting. Hopefully, you were able to intercept the retry! So frustrating.
Wow Susan!!! That’s total insanity. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this, but you have done such a beautiful job organizing your spaces with fabulous purpose. This too shall pass, but it’ll give you a headache in the meantime. Good luck and keep us posted. XO- MaryJo
It will, just frustrating in the meantime. I really thought they had worked out their delivery issues for large cabinets, but I guess not.
I find Amazon to be very responsive. I would call them right after you place the order and request that Amazon does the delivery or cancel the order.
I did try that with this order but the supervisor I talked to said there was nothing he could do. He said that if the cabinets are returned that sometimes Amazon will ship them a different way when they are reordered / replaced. He said that he didn’t have any control over how they are shipped that someone else makes that decision. I tried calling today and I could never get hold of anyone who could do anything about it. I think I did manage to get the order canceled though at the website so I’m hoping they won’t be delivered today. It’s almost impossible to get to a supervisor now when you call.
Susan,
Sorry that you are dealing with all of this….
Thanks again for hosting this wonderful party every week! I know how much time goes into doing so and I want you to know that it I truly appreciate it!! I hope you have a great week!
Hugs,
Deb