This may be in the wrong place, I'm not really sure where it fits. It's really not news, I just want to vent and I consider everyone on Guitar Noise a friend. :D
2 weeks ago, I ordered some things from Guitarcenter.com because they didn't have 2 of the items in my local GC. I got a keyboard stand for my oldest son (his band is recording their first EP and preparing to start gigging, so he needs a real stand) as part of his Christmas present. I also got one of those Behringer USB audio interfaces to help my recording setup. I threw in some new picks (Fenders in thin, medium and heavy) just for the heck of it. Well, several days went by and it still hadn't shipped. Finally last week I noticed that it had shipped, but the link that was supposed to include my UPS tracking number didn't include the number. So I waited in the dark, unable to watch my package move across the country (actually just from Kansas to Nashville).
Several days went by and I was curious what was taking so long. So Friday I call GC and they gave me the tracking #. I went to ups.com and entered it and was shocked to see that the package had been delivered on Wednesday at 11:06am. I did a quick mental check and confirmed that yes, I had been to my house at least once since Wednesday morning and no, I didn't have to step over a box when I went in my front door. So I called UPS and asked to confirm it. She recommended that I check at the back door and ask my neighbors if they had perhaps taken it inside for me. Me personally, if I did something like that, and that's a big if, I would put a note on my neighbor's door saying I had done so. Anyway, I went home from work and checked out back (no package). If they had left it out back, I would have been really mad as my front porch is covered, but my back patio is not and it had been raining here Thurs and Friday.
I went back out front just looking around at my neighbors to see if maybe it was at the wrong house or I could see a GC box pointing to the thief. I looked down and saw something that made me realize that yes, UPS had delivered the package and someone has made off with it. I saw a Fender Black Moto Heavy pick lying all by itself on my front porch. How that lone pick found its way out of its package and out of the bigger box, I don't know. But there was no denying it was from my package as the only Fender Heavies I've had are blue and this time I ordered black. So some low-life came by my place and took part of my son's Christmas present and part of my Christmas present. :evil:
I do have to compliment Guitar Center's support staff. The first time I called to get the tracking number, they were very nice and helpful and quick. When I called back today to get them to start the UPS trace, they were, once again, very helpful and polite. The guy seemed truly concerned about my issue and explained exactly what would happen before I even asked. Based on his time line, it's doubtful I will get a replacement shipment by Christmas. He said they could go ahead and re-do the order and then give me a refund for the 1st one once the trace process is done instead of reshipping like they normally would. I'd basically have to pay for the stuff twice and get a refund for one later, but I'll have it for Christmas.
Sorry to vent, I know a lot of people are probably ordering Christmas presents now, so watch your shipments and if you can be there when they are delivering it, you should.
That sucks. You either have some bad neighbors or somebody was following the UPS truck looking for people not answering their door. Thieves are not always stupid. Rather, they are most crafty.
It is a small world for metal fanatics. I welcome you fellow musicians, especially the metalheads!
sorry you had such a bad experiance.
i've done extensive shipping with fed-ex, ups, USPS, and several smaller companies over the years and i can say from experiance that no one of them is any better over the long run than any of the others.
something to pass along tho for those thinking of having something shipped is that it is often up to the descretion of the driver as to if they leave the package on your doorstep or not.
if you leave a clear sign at the doors of your building/house for delivery instructions they will usually comply and it can save you a lot of worry. also you can call the office and leave instructions in some cases.
hope it all works out for you.
#4491....
Man, that's a bummer!
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
That sucks. This time of year it's not unusual for some shady people to follow around UPS and FedEx trucks waiting for these types of things to happen. Or to follow people home from the malls and rob them (this has been happening a lot in Orlando this year). I know it's got to be a pain for the drivers and UPS in general, but really, they shouldn't just leave stuff on someone's porch. Or even get neighbors to sign for it for that matter. I mean, I know they don't have room to just hold stuff indefinitely, but still, there's got to be a better way than just leaving stuff so that anyone can take it.
I hate to hear about this! Thieves are the scum of the earth as far as I'm concerned, especially those who steal someone's Christmas! I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience! :cry:
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-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ -:¦:- Elecktrablue -:¦:-
"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"
Yikes! Sorry to hear about that! Try to have a good holiday despite this bad event. While it sucks, it is certainly more important that you have your family and friends with you. THAT"S what counts!
Teamwork- A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.
I just ordered myself a Soviet revolver and infantry rifle from the 1930s. Hopefully the same won't happen to them.
(They'll want signatures.)
I've got the other GAS.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
I've got the other GAS.
Guns And Such? :lol:
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
That's a shame, can you stipulate not to leave the goods unless someone from your home signs for it? or not to leave it. That sounds scary people following mail vans, we don't have that problem in our neighbourhood yet - our neighbour has left their surf ski out on the front lawn all year and noone's touched it. Amazon's pretty good if a shipment get's lost, they'll replace it straight away, cheers
You got it, Bish! :D
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Sorry to hear about your stolen Christmas presents. :(
People who steal suck! :evil:
Have a Merry Christmas anyways! :)
Dan
"The only way I know that guarantees no mistakes is not to play and that's simply not an option". David Hodge
I didn't have the option to stipulate that they not leave it, Guitar Center said it is up the driver's discretion. I"ve never had problems before, I get stuff from Amazon and several other sites all the time. I guess a big ol' box with Guitar Center on it was too tempting.
And to everyone that said have a merry Christmas anyway, thank you. This won't interfere at all with our Christmas. My boys will be at my house for almost 2 weeks for the holidays and just being able to spend that time with them is a big enough gift.
I should qualify my remark by saying that nearly everyone in the street has a guard dog. Also that Courier is leaving themselves open to being accused of taking the goods. I'd be upset too. Anyway have a good Christmas with your boys :)
That's not nice! As a South African now living in the First World I wince every time I see Amazon and other mail-order crowds leaving juicy-looking packages visible from the street. In SA that would never happen, because there would be a crowd of thugs openly following the van and saving the delivery guy the hassle of putting it at the door - they'd just take it right out of his hands!
:D
I'm constantly amazed at how many of the packages DON'T get stolen ... but I'm sorry to hear yours became a statistic.
David
