Mail Tampered With, MOC Stolen, Need So Much Advice!

[Thunderwing]

I am utterly flabbergasted right now. This is the first time I have ever had a real problem with shipping items, and I/we need some advice!

I sold three MOC ponies to Forum Member. I won't post names without their permission. Got payment and prepared the ponies for shipping. They were going from Canada to the USA.
Anyone who has bought from me - especially anything expensive - will vouch that I package extremely well. I have been the recipient of damaged items due to poor packing in the past, so I do everything possible to ensure the items I sell travel safely.

In this case, I packaged up the three MOC's as follows:

First, I used a styrofoam box. I find these are stronger than cardboard boxes, they are almost impossible to crush due to anything except really gross negligence. They are also waterproof. I then put a layer of peanuts in the bottom, and put a sheet of foam padding over that to stop them from moving around too much. (If you use only peanuts without a layer of foam, it is possible for items to shift around and settle down through them.)  I then placed the first MOC into the box, flat side down. I then filled in around her with peanuts, with a layer thick enough that the bubble was covered one peanut deep. I then put in another sheet of foam to prevent settling. Then I put in the second MOC. Then a layer of peanuts, a sheet of foam, and the third MOC. I then covered the third MOC with more peanuts, and a sheet of foam. I then filled the last half inch of the box with a folded sheet of foam padding.

The result was a parcel where the MOC's were unable to shift around inside the box when it was shook, without putting undue pressure on them. Gotta make sure those bubbles don't get squashed.

Here is a picture of the type of box I used, and the type of foam sheet. I also used peanuts, but don't have a photo of those. They were your standard 'mixed bag' of peanuts, some pink ones that were accordion shaped, some of the beige tube shaped ones.

I am 100% confident that all three ponies went into the box. I checked three times, because those foreign names are easily confused.

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This is what Forum Member received. A cardboard box, two MOC's stuck in the bottom of it, and some paper sheets stuffed on top. Forum Member is saying the remaining two MOC's were also damaged, we are comparing pictures of how they look now to how they were when I packaged them.  They are understandably upset (we both are!).

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Here's the thing.

That IS the label that I did up with their address (blurred out) and the cake sticker on it. That IS the customs form I filled out (also blurred). But that is NOT the box I sent them in, and NOT the haphazard packing method I used!

It looks like the package I sent was opened, a MOC stolen, and the remaining two repackaged into a different box!  What the hell! 

With a styrofoam box, it is possible that the customs label can be peeled off and restuck on a different surface. However!  The address label that I printed off, was taped on very securely, with a sticker stuck on ON TOP of the tape. On that cardboard box, the sticker is UNDER the tape. Which makes it clear that someone cut the label with sticker off, and then taped it on.

I have not yet contacted the post office. Forum Member only let me know about this an hour ago, and I am still reeling.  The parcel was insured for $100, each pony for $30, $30 and $40.  They were worth $50 each, and shipping was $35.

Buyer wants an immediate refund, and doesn't seem to believe that the package was tampered with! I need time to go to the post office and try to find out what happened, by whom, and try to at least get part of the insurance back.

I think there is a small possibility that the postal worker repackaged the items because they didn't like the styrofoam box. In which case, the missing pony may be in their office somewhere. But that makes no sense to me, because I use these boxes for most packages that are not bubble envelopes. It also makes no sense because my phone number was on the custom form, so they could have called me to say there was a problem.

I'm just in disbelief! Does anyone have any advice?  As you can imagine, I expect the post office to be less than helpful. >.<  But I WILL get to the bottom of this, even if I have to drag our local MP (member of parliament) into it. Tampering with mail is a criminal offense! (There was no 'opened officially by customs' tape or declaration on the box).

[rybett]

What the???  I have no words for this!!!! 

[moomargh]

 

I just.. I have no words for this also. What the hek. I am so sorry this has happened to you and the buyer. I really can't imagine that! I really hope you can find out what really happened to it and get a refund. This just seems ridiculous. Whoa!!

[ponycake]

My mom works in a customs place where they repackage items going to different countries, but that's like from US to middle eastern countries and such. They have to open the packages and ensure nothing forbidden goes overseas (they get thrown away if so) and then they do the repackaging themselves.

Maybe they thought the package was odd and had to open it? And then.. I don't know what happened. This is awful though, so sorry!

[bluerose9978]

My mom works in a customs place where they repackage items going to different countries, but that's like from US to middle eastern countries and such. They have to open the packages and ensure nothing forbidden goes overseas (they get thrown away if so) and then they do the repackaging themselves.

Maybe they thought the package was odd and had to open it? And then.. I don't know what happened. This is awful though, so sorry!

This was my thought too that customs repackaged the ponies because they thought the package materials looked suspicious and when they did they didn't realize that there was a third pony in the box. They probably did a very quick unpacking and inspection and when they repacked it they hurried so much they missed the last pony. It may come later or they threw it away. Hopefully they still have it.

[pony_magick]

If I can add my 2 cents in... I wouldn't do anything in the way a refunds until you've had a chance to get to the post office and get things looked into. Sounds like you packaged everything up carefully to make sure things couldn't go awry if things went as usual. Good luck, it sounds horrible for both you and the buyer!!

[Thunderwing]

My mom works in a customs place where they repackage items going to different countries, but that's like from US to middle eastern countries and such. They have to open the packages and ensure nothing forbidden goes overseas (they get thrown away if so) and then they do the repackaging themselves.

Maybe they thought the package was odd and had to open it? And then.. I don't know what happened. This is awful though, so sorry!

This was my thought too that customs repackaged the ponies because they thought the package materials looked suspicious and when they did they didn't realize that there was a third pony in the box. They probably did a very quick unpacking and inspection and when they repacked it they hurried so much they missed the last pony. It may come later or they threw it away. Hopefully they still have it.

This can happen - when a package is officially opened by customs, they repackage it using the same box and packing materials (since technically, that is still my property, the box and padding). Then they re-tape it with official looking yellow tape, and affix a declaration label to it, stating that it was opened and inspected, by whom, and why.  There was no such label on the box, and no yellow tape. So no, it was not officially opened.

If I can add my 2 cents in... I wouldn't do anything in the way a refunds until you've had a chance to get to the post office and get things looked into. Sounds like you packaged everything up carefully to make sure things couldn't go awry if things went as usual. Good luck, it sounds horrible for both you and the buyer!!

Nope, no refunds will be issued until after I check at the post office. I will go there, see if the ponies are there, and then come back here with an update. That will happen on Wednesday.

[Galactica]

That is super weird. Although...

I know that the US post office has to affix a label that says "this package was opened by customs" or some such, but I am not so sure about other countries. I used to buy dolls from Brazil and Peru- and the packages would very often be completely opened and mixed around.  Once someone had even cut open the doll to see inside her.  No note was provided, no apology.

However, I have never had them change the entire box.

I do suspect that they changed the box if you didn't wrap it in paper, since a few countries are picky about things like that.   

[bluerose9978]

You're saying both US customs and Canada customs have the exact same methods? Both use yellow tape? Both use same packaging? Both use the same forms? :/

I don't see a thief from the post office repackaging anything either. The only other thing I would think that could have happened is the package got crushed and the post office repackaged it and left the other pony out in their rush.

[Galactica]

Okay- based on reading through these packaging suggestions from the Canadian Post -
http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGabcmail-e.asp#1472598

It is my guess that they did not like your styrofoam box because it was not wrapped in paper or inside of a second box- so they probably changed the packaging.  I suspect based on the way that you have described your packaging, that they missed the very last pony at the bottom and ... threw it away.

[Thunderwing]

Okay- based on reading through these packaging suggestions from the Canadian Post -
http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGabcmail-e.asp#1472598

It is my guess that they did not like your styrofoam box because it was not wrapped in paper or inside of a second box- so they probably changed the packaging.  I suspect based on the way that you have described your packaging, that they missed the very last pony at the bottom and ... threw it away.

I've been using these styrofoam boxes for years. They accepted it at the post office when I took it there. On top of that, they are manufactured by a mailing company.  Plus, the one missing, was one of the ones on top. The one that was on the bottom arrived.

Post Merge: December 01, 2014, 06:51:36 PM

You're saying both US customs and Canada customs have the exact same methods? Both use yellow tape? Both use same packaging? Both use the same forms? :/

I don't see a thief from the post office repackaging anything either. The only other thing I would think that could have happened is the package got crushed and the post office repackaged it and left the other pony out in their rush.

When a package is damaged while in the hands of Canada Post, and they have to repackage it, they are supposed to include a form explaining it.

Canada uses Yellow customs tape. USA uses Green tape. Both are supposed to affix a form/declaration saying the parcel was officially opened and inspected.

[ponies4me]

I have had problems with Canadian postal services. But in my situation, it was from USA to Canada. The only way I was able to get my package to the buyer was to put an actual threat letter inside my package saying "If you steal this, you are a very bad person". I forgot exactly what I said, but the buyer received their package opened and tampered with no tape or official note inside but the item was still there, along with my threat, unlike the first two times I sent the item. I really hope you get this all settled and you can find the missing MOC. That is my worst nightmare and I hate seeing someone else go through it. Best of luck! I mean it. I hope to hear good updates!

[rosierjay]

i've had problems with my boxes getting damaged and items missing.
but mine was being shipped from Asia. shipped 13 boxes and received 7.
so many things were missing. some i'll never know. even got someone else's wedding videos and ultrasound.

a claim was made, but nothing came of it. i turned in the items that weren't mine. they officially went to a lost and found in altanta.... no idea if they ever got their stuff.

i really hope this all gets resolved and it was a simple problem.
makes me want to take more pictures of everything before i mail anything though.

[Tenar]

Customs can and do open packages.  It is also possible that the package became damaged and the post office attempted to correct the problem by repackaging.

I once received a huge bag of random items after I ordered something from amazon.  Some of my amazon items were in the bag but there was also a large amount of random items.  Obviously, my package and some others were damaged and its possible the post office only had 1 address.  I tried calling amazon, they re-shipped my missing items but couldn't tell if anything else was from them or not.  I just keep thinking of the poor old lady who never received her Jake and the Fat Man dvd box set...

[sparkleInTheRain]

It does sound like a customs repackage to me, although usually they would indicate with tape if they have done so.    Oftentimes things do fall out.   

I would contact the PO immediately, it is also possible that the missing pony could be sitting at "Dead letter office"  ( not sure what that is called over there but over here things that fall out of parcels end up in a redistibution centre, they are described in a database so hopefully their owners will find them.     

You have insured the package which is great,  just make sure that the addressee doesn't destroy the box/packaging/contents as that will likely need to be presented at her local PO as part of the insurance claim/investigation.     

All the best