Help needed with UPS

Tom Lewis

Tom Lewis

Joined
Feb 24, 2000
Messages
1,895
I ordered a carbide platen from the Netherlands. It got to UPS in Louisville Kentucky Sept. 23. On the 23 UPS said "Import scan". On the 24th UPS said, "Delivery rescheduled. On the 25 it said, "Import scan" on the 26, "Delivery rescheduled. It's been like that every day since. The package has now been in the UPS office in Louisville Kentucky ten days.
UPS "Virtual assistant" doesn't work. I can't figure out how to speak with a real UPS person to see what is going on.
Any help would be appreciated. Do you think I should file a claim for a lost package?
 
You need to flag down your regular UPS driver and get a name and phone number for a supervisor at their hub. Call that person and ask them the questions.

Or the person who shipped it and paid for the freight will need open the inquiry. The person who paid the freight can get more traction than the consignee.
 
I got something in the US shipped via UPS and they lost it. It showed out for delivery a few days in a row, then an exception, scanned back at their hub, then went MIA. The shipper had to open the trace and start the process to get reimbursed by UPS since they lost it. After I spoke with someone in customer service and after I did, they edited/doctored the tracking info that shows on the website, too.

I think there was an option on the UPS website to have an agent call me back? 1-888-742-5877 is the number I have on my phone from them.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I should have mentioned I live in Carlsbad NM and the package is in Kentucky.
 
Tom Lewis said:
Thanks for the suggestions. I should have mentioned I live in Carlsbad NM and the package is in Kentucky.
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The supervisor at your local UPS hub will still know who to call at that location.

Some of the terms may be different than ones UPS officially uses but they'll have a big section called miss-sort or similar. Someone has to walk over to that pile of boxes and find your box.

It's gotta be the inside people to do this, that AI how can I help you bot can't cope with something like this.
 
Thanks, Danke42, I will try that.
Taz, I called the number you gave me, finally got put on hold. It said the wait was 5 minutes, after 30 minutes I gave up.
 
Ugh, it sucks getting in touch with customer service people these days! Everything is automated menu's and AI stuff and they can't answer a simple question.
 
As said, try to talk to a local UPS driver, you can also try going into a UPS office and ask. They may not be super helpful but its worth a shot. In my opinion this is going to be a tariff issue.
 
For anyone with a similar problem I found another UPS phone number. 1-800-275-8777 The information I got said when the AI speaks to press O, and then when AI speaks again to press O again and that will take you to a live person. I plan to try that number tomorrow.
We have a local UPS office with limited hours. I may try to see them and see if they can help.
UPS makes it really hard to speak to a live person.
 
My recent pkg from Netherlands was flagged for tariff, and held until I paid the fee. IF that is the case, you should have been notified as soon as UPS got their hands on it stateside and their “agent” facilitates the collection through UPS.
Yours sounds different
 
I am in exactly the same situation. The issue is not UPS but the Louisville customs point which on top of being regularly VERY crowded now with the tariffs is even worse :). I read only horror reviews about this hub but hopefully, with God's good will we will not be so unlucky.

The fastest delivery from there seems 4 days but many said few weeks.

We shall see, hopefully they will at least not loose them :)

All the best, God bless,
Bogdan
 
Thanks for the information. I tried the 1-800-275-8777 number and could not get to speak with a real person. I tried to file a claim but UPS would not accept it. Probably because of the tariff. UPS has a real problem with communication.
UPS has had the package since Sept. 23 but has not notified me about any tariff fee.
 
FedEx held a shipment from Canada to me for around 19 days with no updates. Once it enters the tariff clearance process black hole there is nothing to report. However, UPS should have said that at the beginning of the process.
 
Tom Lewis said:
Thanks for the information. I tried the 1-800-275-8777 number and could not get to speak with a real person. I tried to file a claim but UPS would not accept it. Probably because of the tariff. UPS has a real problem with communication.
UPS has had the package since Sept. 23 but has not notified me about any tariff fee.
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Unfortunately they are notorious for lack of communication and lost packages (too bad i found that after i sent the parcel). FedEx seems like a more reliable solution but also more expensive unfortunately.

Yet in this case i am almost certain that they can do nothing to speed things with the customs; they only take responsibility for the delivery time 'from sender to customs' and 'from customs to recipient' while the time spent in customs is at God's hands. Now i also know that the customs are overwhelmed by thousands of parcels sent/blocked in there since the tariffs by now and only the lucky ones are released in a reasonable time if at all.

This whole US tariff thing without proper preparations/time to comply created a shipping hell that not only destroyed thousands small businesses around the world but also unfairly prohibited it's own citizens from getting their paid goods. I dont say tariffs are not fair (i am not in the position to judge this) but the way they were imposed shows a huge lack of diplomacy and respect for business partners.

For me at least as a small maker the only thing that still keeps us alive is the wonderful customers that were VERY understanding and did not ask for refunds or else we would have been in huge problems.

All the best, God bless,
Bogdan
 
Tom Lewis said:
Thanks for the information. I tried the 1-800-275-8777 number and could not get to speak with a real person. I tried to file a claim but UPS would not accept it. Probably because of the tariff. UPS has a real problem with communication.
UPS has had the package since Sept. 23 but has not notified me about any tariff fee.
Click to expand...
Consignee's normally can't file claims. It has to be the shipper.

The only way you can file a claim for something coming to you is if it's on your UPS account.
 
UPS in the USA is a giant disaster right now! Do NOT use UPS for shipments from outside the USA until they they get their sh*t together. This whole tariff thing has been a disaster of bad planning and even worse implementation on the US side. Nobody knows what the tariff should be, could be outta be , etc.

I have a customer in the USA - the only customer I've sent a package to since the tariff monster show and I warned him beforehand - who ended up with UPS charging him 3 times for the one product, using 3 different customs product code numbers, all of them wrong. One was for products made of aluminium coming from Russia!! This even though the order included a proper invoice with country of origin (Germany) and the correct customs product code number for the merchandise. UPS just ignored all that. It took the customers weeks to even get any paperwork or a receipt from UPS and now he's getting nowhere getting it corrected and a refund for what he overpaid. The guy was charged over $500 duty alone on merchandise worth €230 (including €30 shipping). He should have paid 15% + a UPS fee for processing, maybe $60 tops.

My freight brokers tell me they have nothing but problems and complaints regarding UPS in the USA.

I hear DHL Express is okay; FedEx is hit or miss, but the problem is trying to determine exactly what the buyer will have to pay for US customs duty on any given shipment. Keep in mind that the shipping company - whether UPS, FedEx or DHL Express - handle the customs paperwork for the shipment, NOT US Customs. US Customs only see the shipment if they flag it for inspection or if some dope sniffing dog barks at it.

The situation is so bad it is endangering the entire future of my business. Without access to the US market I will have to close the workshop.
 
I’ll see your problem, and raise you a catastrophe.
I just ordered a new laser module from a California based company with the parent company stating they would eat any tariff fee. I got an email yesterday from the parent company telling me my item shipped and I would be notified as soon as it hit the states with documentation and fee amounts attached. This means the item I paid $660 for is going to cost me over $1200.
Happy days! 🤬
 
Where are you located??
Customs tariffs are nothing new for most of the rest of the world. Here in Germany we always have to pay duty on imported goods. BUT you can take the Customs Number for the product you're buying and look up what the duty will be before ordering. The USA has dropped the $800 threshold for import duty which affects millions of packages. Also now, some countries have reacted to Trumps's punitive tariffs with retaliatory tariffs of their own, and this changes almost daily, so it makes doing business almost impossible.
 
I am in Carlsbad NM, USA.
Thanks for all the information. I e-mailed UPS and their site said they would answer in one day but it's been three and not answer.
 
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