Box arrived and... empty

[VirginiaZee]

I've been lurking for a long time and occasionally posting to comment on peoples' lovely sparklies. I was hoping for a happier first post, but c'est la vie. Honestly I'm just looking to type this in a forum where people might understand... I work in an office with lots of men and few women, and no one else who likes bling, so they're not quite on the same wavelength. So, here's the sob story.

I found a beautiful stone. It was everything I wanted (okay, so there was probably a tilt window, but when you're talking about an almost 2 ct blue/lavender Luc Yen spinel you forgive a little bit, ya know)? I stalked the UPS tracking page religiously. And then... an exception occurred. Apparently I had refused delivery? WTF? Since I was stuck in meetings lovely DH called UPS for me. No no, as it turns out for some reason the driver opened the box (I'm still trying to get clarification on that) and... it was empty. I know this is "only" bling yada yada, but right now I feel physically sick. Thanks for letting me... vent? Commiserate? I don't even know right now.

 

[FrekeChild]

Wait, WHAT?! The driver opened the box?!

 

[chrono]

By all means vent away. I'm so sorry and this is indeed a heartbreak. What I'm not sure is this:
Who declined the package? The UPS Driver?
If so, I suppose the UPS driver declined it on your behalf because it looks like the box was tampered with?
If so, I suppose the UPS driver then opened the box to find it empty?

 

[GliderPoss]

I'm so sorry to hear this! Seems definitely something is not right here - why would the driver open the box? Who allegedly refused delivery? I think UPS need to have some better answers for you ASAP... Keep us posted too. Fingers crossed you find your perfect stone.

 

[VirginiaZee]

Thanks everyone... amazing how the kind words of people on a forum can brighten a crappy day.

The UPS shipping center customer service folks would only say that they driver declined the package, and that the driver opened the box (the customer service folks refused to answer any "why" questions). I'm trying to get a different customer service rep on the phone, but I can't call and speak to anyone directly, I have to ask for a callback and then wait for them to get in touch.

 

[chrono]

Sending good thoughts your way in hopes that you'll find the answers you seek. I also hope they'll be able to find out what happened to the lovely spinel. All too often, I'd rather get the stone than my money back.

 

[telephone89]

Is it any sort of policy to be opening boxes? That is outrageous! How could they trust that it was just empty, and he didn't pocket it?

Gosh, I hope you get this sorted out ASAP!

 

[LoversKites]

I thought it was illegal to open other people's mail. It's a direct invasion of privacy. And if some emergency called for it there is no reason for them to remove anything. This is so awful for you.

Eta: it is possible of course that the driver thought it looked tampered with, opened it and found it empty. I still don't think he should have opened it in the first place.

 

[VirginiaZee]

I got some more information, apparently something very heavy was stacked on top of my box, which (a) ripped off the protective outer plastic bag and (b) squished/ripped the box with the stone so that the stone fell out the bottom. UPS says they'll check their various distribution centers that it came through, but... I'm trying not to hold out hope. I know it's just a stone and that there are so many more important things in life, but...

 

[FrekeChild]

Please tell me there was insurance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LoversKites]

I know it's just a stone and that there are so many more important things in life, but...

Aw, there's no need to make the situation seem unimportant like that! It sounds like a special stone that probably took a while to source and it sucks BAD that you have to feel disappointment.

At least lost is more pleasant than stolen.

I also hope there was insurance.

 

[JewelFreak]

Oh, VZ, that's a horrible story! I feel for you SO MUCH. UPS has to offer more than, "Gee, sorry, this happened, then that happened & I guess your stone is lost." Come on! At the very least they need to cough up the value -- which isn't the same as replacing it, but they can't do nothing.

I hope you get more info & that it was insured, but if not, time to go over the heads of the reps -- this is when I write to the CEO. Go to the very top. Good luck, honey.

And it isn't "only" a spinel -- it must be a beauty, and it is something you valued & that was entrusted to UPS to deliver safely. They failed.

--- Laurie

 

[Diamondbug]

Thats horrible. I would be throwing a little hissy fit. Did they say how they're going to fix it since they know it happened while in their care?

 

[bcavitt]

I feel very sorry for you and hope that shipping insurance provides you some sense of relief.

As a trade member, I can tell you that our insurance carrier (which is far cheaper than any shipper's private insurance) insists that we ship US Postal Service 1st, FedEx 2nd,. and anyone else last. The reason being that USPS has the most reliability (hard to believe, isn't it? But they have the numbers to prove it!), FedEx next, and UPS last.

 

[minousbijoux]

Wow, that is just...beyond belief! Of all stones, to have it be an almost 2 ct Luc Yen Spinel?!! I am truly sorry - here's hoping they're all on their hands and knees everywhere looking. Dust!

 

[LoversKites]

Wow, that is just...beyond belief! Of all stones, to have it be an almost 2 ct Luc Yen Spinel?!! I am truly sorry - here's hoping they're all on their hands and knees everywhere looking. Dust!

Ugh, I know right? A real shame.

 

[VirginiaZee]

There was insurance, though that will be another whole process. So far I've got a UPS rep that's supposed to call me back tomorrow with an update, but I'm not really holding my breath. Since the stone was technically coming to me from the vendor, I've also reached out to them, and I have a feeling they're going to have to be the one to apply the pressure on UPS. And while I've intellectually accepted that the stone is gone, emotionally, well, I'm not quite there yet.

I feel very sorry for you and hope that shipping insurance provides you some sense of relief.

As a trade member, I can tell you that our insurance carrier (which is far cheaper than any shipper's private insurance) insists that we ship US Postal Service 1st, FedEx 2nd,. and anyone else last. The reason being that USPS has the most reliability (hard to believe, isn't it? But they have the numbers to prove it!), FedEx next, and UPS last.

That's really good to know, thanks for the info! I can say that UPS is definitely off my Christmas list.

Re: Box arrived and... empty
by LoversKites » 24 Nov 2014 16:33

minousbijoux|1416868288|3789835 wrote:
Wow, that is just...beyond belief! Of all stones, to have it be an almost 2 ct Luc Yen Spinel?!! I am truly sorry - here's hoping they're all on their hands and knees everywhere looking. Dust!


Ugh, I know right? A real shame.

I know. The real irony is I just picked up a dino bone cabochon from Dana as a gift for a guy family member (very cool, but... come on, spinel vs dino bone?? No contest.) and it arrived safely. Today (of all days). In it's little undamaged box. Courtesy of USPS. Sometimes I swear the universe has a twisted sense of humor.

ETA: Thanks for the dust, well wishes, etc., it's all much appreciated!

 

[txgreeneyes]

I could be totally wrong, but...

I would file a missing report with the US postmaster.
Yes, even if UPS was the carrier.

Good luck!

 

[dawnxcui]

OH MY GOD...................
my heart would've literally stopped beating.
please dont stop contacting UPS, between UPS and the sender they MUST replace your missing item!!
the sender shouldve put fragile on the box so that it doesnt get buried under the big boxes!!
it doesnt sound like the driver opened your box to see what was inside or try to steal it, he was probably trying to make sure the item inside was in good condition before he delivers you an empty box (broken item).

keep us updated and vent as much as you want here

*hugs*

 

[digdeep]

OUCH!! This whole story reminds me of the news report showing a UPS driver tossing packages out of their truck........and no one knew this was happening until it was videotaped and broadcast online. It seems to me that the story has moved around a bit....from refused delivery to damaged goods? Did you confirm with the sender how it was packaged? One thing I will suggest is to be like a broken record.........."I want the insured value ( full cost) of the stone you lost/destroyed". We know how big a 2 ct stone is.......but they don't. It seems extremely odd that they would allow someone to open a package without verification by someone else in their presence. Sending good wishes to you Virginia..........so sorry this happened; I learned something today..............

 

[MollyMalone]

Thats horrible. I would be throwing a little hissy fit. Did they say how they're going to fix it since they know it happened while in their care?

Think fault is more properly attributable to the vendor. Unset stones are not supposed to be sent via United Parcel Service; see p. 4 of their July 2014 Tariff/Terms & Conditions of Service in the US:
UPS does not accept for transportation, and shippers are prohibited from shipping * * * nset precious stones and industrial diamonds * * *
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/terms/service.html
So even if the vendor told UPS he/she wanted UPS coverage for the package, UPS would be within its rights to refuse to cover the replacement cost of a loose stone. But perhaps the vendor has its own insurance which will kick in even tho' the stone was sent via UPS.

Plus, it doesn't sound as if the stone was packaged well, e.g., not double-boxed (as Jewelers Mutual recommends (actually triple-boxed, with original case going into a box that's placed into another box with packing material as cushioning); JM too strongly recommends using the US Postal Service, preferably Registered, in its The SAFE Way to Ship Jewelry brochure
https://www.jewelersmutual.com/Jewe...tent/cc13-safe-way-to-ship-jewelry-4-2012.pdf

Keeping my fingers tightly crossed for you, Virginia, that your wished-for spinel does indeed come to light, and soon!!

 

[digdeep]

Interesting phrase Molly, but I think a case could be made as to whether spinel is truly a "precious stone"........(of course it is to all PSer's!!!) I think the wording is not clear enough to be a definitive exclusion. "Industrial diamonds" and precious stones? Are they talking about diamond parts for manufacturing? It comes down to their definition of 'precious stones'--which I didn't see. So would they accept "set" stones in jewelry? Just my read.....but UPS is still on the hook. And given the holiday shopping season, I wonder if a news company would be interested in this story?? Most people in America would be shocked to hear of this behavior..........and most likely the policy too if it refers to jewelry.

And the caveat in the whole thing is UPS delivered an empty box that they knew was empty but didn't disclose when they delivered it? Fishy, fishy, fishy.............

 

[MollyMalone]

Interesting phrase Molly, but I think a case could be made as to whether spinel is truly a "precious stone"........(of course it is to all PSer's!!!) I think the wording is not clear enough to be a definitive exclusion. "Industrial diamonds" and precious stones? Are they talking about diamond parts for manufacturing? It comes down to their definition of 'precious stones'--which I didn't see. So would they accept "set" stones in jewelry? Just my read.....but UPS is still on the hook. And given the holiday shopping season, I wonder if a news company would be interested in this story?? Most people in America would be shocked to hear of this behavior..........and most likely the policy too if it refers to jewelry.

And the caveat in the whole thing is UPS delivered an empty box that they knew was empty but didn't disclose when they delivered it? Fishy, fishy, fishy.............

But they didn't deliver it; the driver declined to attempt delivery -- and promptly notified central customer service -- when he realized that the package on his truck was no longer intact; that's standard operating procedure in these scenarios.

As for making a case re the wording, a 2-carat Lun Yec spinel is surely more precious than the eensiest industrial diamonds, which are also exluded. Jewelers Mutual -- which has way more experience with this kind of thing than any of us do -- states, in the brochure for which I posted the link, that one should not expect UPS to accept-insure loose gemstones; "[t]he stone must be in a finished setting."

If the vendor accurately listed the contents as being a 2-carat Lun Yec spinel & the UPS counterperson nevertheless accepted it, then perhaps UPS would be "on the hook." But so far, we have no reason to think that's what happened. So how about if we put down the pitchforks pointing at UPS, at least for the time being?

 

[pregcurious]

What a mess! I hope this gets sorted out properly, and quickly!

 

[arkieb1]

I hope they either find the stone in the bottom of one of their trucks or you can claim back the insurance. Either way sorry for the stress it has undoubtedly caused.

 

[wordie89]

Oh Molly M, a luc yen. How very disappointing. Maybe the vendor can source another one. Fingers crossed.

 

[katharath]

I feel very sorry for you and hope that shipping insurance provides you some sense of relief.

As a trade member, I can tell you that our insurance carrier (which is far cheaper than any shipper's private insurance) insists that we ship US Postal Service 1st, FedEx 2nd,. and anyone else last. The reason being that USPS has the most reliability (hard to believe, isn't it? But they have the numbers to prove it!), FedEx next, and UPS last.

Interesting post, and I personally find it totally believable! Having bought (and to some extent sold) extensively online for a good 12 years now, I would agree with this. I've had my issues with USPS, but I've had a disproportionate amount of lost packages which were shipped via UPS. Their customer service is usually atrocious. I have a few nightmare stories...(and this is why I'm such a freak about shipping things, both when I ship out to a buyer and when I'm on the receiving end).

Regardless of how it was packaged, they still damaged the packaging so severely that the gem is flat out gone. That's heartbreaking! Virginia, I really feel for you - this is practically a collector's nightmare.

I used to sell collectible books and comics out of my collection (similar to what I do now with my gems and jewelry collection). Once, I sold a CGC graded comic (meaning it was encased in a hard plastic shell), which I shipped triple boxed, bubble wrapped and stuffed with packing peanuts. The comic arrived to the buyer with the box(es) and the plastic CGC case within it literally smashed to pieces. It was ruined. UPS dropped it off without a word at the buyer's door, looking as if it had literally been run over by a truck. Just goes to show that no matter how securely you package something, UPS can find a way to irresponsibly destroy it.

I hope that by some miracle they find your gem!!! Fingers crossed for you.

 

[distracts]

As a trade member, I can tell you that our insurance carrier (which is far cheaper than any shipper's private insurance) insists that we ship US Postal Service 1st, FedEx 2nd,. and anyone else last. The reason being that USPS has the most reliability (hard to believe, isn't it? But they have the numbers to prove it!), FedEx next, and UPS last.

In my experience, this is absolutely true. UPS has destroyed/lost more of my packages than anything else. I've had one destroyed with FedEx and one lost forever. Zero destroyed with USPS. A few have gone on walkabouts but ended up either at me or the original sender eventually. When it's possible for me to pick the shipping method, I always pick USPS. If I can't pick USPS and it's something very important to me, I just pay the extra to overnight it, because I figure there's less time for something to go wrong if it's overnighted, lol.

 

[T L]

I've had two packages with gems lost via USPS, but both were insured. It also depends on your postal/UPS/FedEx/other worker, some just dump the package at the door, even if a signature is required, and some are more responsible.

I never had a problem with FedEx, DHL, or UPS, although I prefer FedEx the most out of all three. DHL also is very small, but they had good customer service, it's more of an issue with their lack of nearby pick up locations for me.

I hope this issue gets resolved. I'm sorry you're having to deal with this.

 

[caf]

Oh - this is sad, sad, sad. I am so sorry this happened. I would continue to bug them. And make sure you make a claim. take photos of the packaging. And keep the packaging. Maybe even a video of the packaging and its ruination. Best of luck on this.

Cindy