Lost My First One To The Mail System Today

[omega1]

Had ordered a nice Tag Link Chrono on the 6th, got the e-mail that it had shipped, checked the EMS tracking and saw that it had posted in Malaysia on the 7th. Checked EMS again a couple of days later, and saw that it had arrived in the USA on the 9th! Holy crap that was fast.

I thought to myself, this is too good to be true. Well, as it turns out, that was the case.

Got the call from my receptionist today that I had a “letter” waiting for me. Curious as to why she did not say “package” I went to go pick it up. What I got was an empty envelope!

The outer envelope had a little 3 inch slit in the top of it, obviously just big enough to get the watch out. The slit was then taped back up. When I opened it up the rest of the way, I found that there was a manila folder inside that had been torn open.

No letter from customs or anything, so I don’t think it was seized. I can only assume that some thieving scum bag with sticky fingers snatched my Tag. Merry freaking Christmas slime ball! Hope you enjoy my watch.

Ok, I’m done ranting now.

Jim

[2005SUBMARINER]

yep that happens alot in the USA MAIL SYSTEM .

[fitmic]

That's really bad news. Sorry for ya!

[aeroflott]

Uncanny. Me too today.

Ordered Three lighters from China. Box arrives taped up today with a sticker on from the post office saying "your package arrived damaged, we'e taped it up as best we can" (words to that effect). All that was in there was one presentation box - empty.

Looking at the box, it was obviously ripped open and the contents nicked. I mean I'd rather the whole thing was stolen and I saw none of it. But to nick the whole lot and replace one of the boxes is just taking the [censored].

Rather annoying. What is the position of most dealers about these situations?

T

[omega1]

Looking at the box, it was obviously ripped open and the contents nicked. I mean I'd rather the whole thing was stolen and I saw none of it. But to nick the whole lot and replace one of the boxes is just taking the [censored].

Rather annoying. What is the position of most dealers about these situations?

T

You know, I feel the exact same way. I would rather have not seen it at all, or even received a letter from customs. If it had been seized, I really would not have any problem with that, as that was the risk I was taking.

But to have some inconsiderate, self-centered, bottom dwelling, a**hole simpleton open someone else mail and steal their property, well, that just pisses me off.

As for the dealer’s stance on it, I am actually talking to the dealer now. I am in no way expecting him to do anything about it, as I know it is not his fault. I just sent him an e-mail explaining what happened to see what his thoughts are on how to handle the situation. I’ll let you know what he says.

Jim

[NRG]

I've wondered about this in the past. My last watch came in an envelope as well, with a single sheet of bubble wrap around it and then placed in side a small brown paper envelope. You could feel what was inside.....I know some dealers have shown ingenuity in hiding the contents before so why not keep doing it. A small cardboard box/sleeve should be the minimum packaging IMHO....

[omega1]

yep that happens alot in the USA MAIL SYSTEM .

Oh man, that really scares me....................

[Thor]

Ask for shipping in courrier-plastic bags they can't be opened without a trace

[Nebakanezzar]

Had ordered a nice Tag Link Chrono on the 6th, got the e-mail that it had shipped, checked the EMS tracking and saw that it had posted in Malaysia on the 7th. Checked EMS again a couple of days later, and saw that it had arrived in the USA on the 9th! Holy crap that was fast.

I thought to myself, this is too good to be true. Well, as it turns out, that was the case.

Got the call from my receptionist today that I had a “letter” waiting for me. Curious as to why she did not say “package” I went to go pick it up. What I got was an empty envelope!

The outer envelope had a little 3 inch slit in the top of it, obviously just big enough to get the watch out. The slit was then taped back up. When I opened it up the rest of the way, I found that there was a manila folder inside that had been torn open.

No letter from customs or anything, so I don’t think it was seized. I can only assume that some thieving scum bag with sticky fingers snatched my Tag. Merry freaking Christmas slime ball! Hope you enjoy my watch.

Ok, I’m done ranting now.

Jim

Awe man! that really sux!

You are starting to scare me! I am waiting on a package from The Zigmeister...(my most favorite watch in the world, my 7753 PAM 196 with a fresh paint job and palp crown)...It was shipped on the 1st, and there has been no word of it since.......

..... please please please please let it make it back safe and sound

[Guest avitt]

It probably wasn't the US Mail system. I once had the same thing happen with a package from Thailand. I contacted the seller, and it turns out that about 3 other package from his shipment had been pilfered...obviously from the outgoing mail system.

[yt74]

Tis the season for part time help and full time theft!

[rek001]

Thor, could you please elaborate on the courier bags please?

How are they selaed, and would they be easy fro our dealers to obtain?

Thanks much.

[NaviChief]

Very sorry to hear about this!

[Devedander]

Ask for shipping in courrier-plastic bags they can't be opened without a trace

I don't see how it would help as the stories being told include packaging obviously opened...

[Thor]

Thor, could you please elaborate on the courier bags please?

How are they selaed, and would they be easy fro our dealers to obtain?

Thanks much.

They are self-adhesive and made out of thick plastic, so if anybody like to open the package he has to cut the bag... if you get an cutted bag decline delivery!

The bags are provided for free from the express services like DHL, UPS, TNT... they come in different sizes so the package you receive actually could be boxed just in the bag

I don't see how it would help as the stories being told include packaging obviously opened...

Why would you agree to accept an obvious opened package? You could be 99% sure that the item that had been inside had been removed... at last i would ask the express guy for an confirmation that the package seal was opened before he gave it to you...

[narikaa]

Although Ive not experienced this with any of my shipments to customers heres my take

Plastic bags... pretty but just as immune to box cutters and tape as bubble mailers and boxes.

Postal workers usually 'dissappear' the whole thing if stealing.

This happens A LOT to mail in Asian countries - thievery/Customs activity (generally little difference)- has to be taken into account.

Refuse it, make official note of it etc etc ...all well and good if its fully insured and has a bona fide return address. Two problems here - when mailing from China, Thailand etc 'mickey mouse' return addresses are needed to prevent arrest after inevitable customs seizures....this negates any ability to claim. Also insurance , as most customers want a painless transition thru their home customs, BS declared values are de rigeur (cannot have your cake & eat it too).

.

[V]

Postal workers usually 'dissappear' the whole thing if stealing.

Yeah.. that;s what troubles me as well.. Why the hell someone messes with the packet and shows signs of stealing when on the other hand he can just dissapear the whole package as lost or damaged.

[Thor]

Yeah.. that;s what troubles me as well.. Why the hell someone messes with the packet and shows signs of stealing when on the other hand he can just dissapear the whole package as lost or damaged.

Seems this depends on the country the package is in... a friend of mine had been working for an express-service here in Germany and they have to sign for each paket and the office and the stores are video-observed... the only possibility in Germany to get the item inside the package is to open it and close it again... as it will be noticed who had been the last one working with the package... mostly the driver are the ones who swipe the items... there van/truck isn't video-observed and they can stop somewhere on their route and prepare some packages...

In Asia or... the sytem of the express-service is working different... if no one really cares about the package it's easier to remove the complete thing...

[Aidan]

Never had any problem in the UK so far. Maybe the dealers could put something

like "sample toy" on the packet so any potential thief would thing that there is nothing

of any value inside. Possibly on a really expensive order they could actually put the

watches in a toy. I once received a couple of Omegas from Andrew inside a toy piano,

by the way Andrew i am still playing that piano.

[omega1]

Yeah.. that;s what troubles me as well.. Why the hell someone messes with the packet and shows signs of stealing when on the other hand he can just dissapear the whole package as lost or damaged.

I thought about that too. The only thing I can figure is that it has a tracking number. If the whole package was to disappear, then one could use the tracking number to find out the last known location that the package was.

But if they were to rip into it and still deliver it, then that makes it much harder to figure out where the actual theft occurred.

[omega1]

Why would you agree to accept an obvious opened package? You could be 99% sure that the item that had been inside had been removed... at last i would ask the express guy for an confirmation that the package seal was opened before he gave it to you...

I agree with you there. If it was blatantly obvious that the package had been opened, it should have been refused.

The problem with my case was that it was delivered to my office. We have a receptionist that takes all incoming mail. So when the envelope came, she had no clue what was supposed to be in it, so she assumed it was a letter. By the time I was notified that it was here, the delivery guy was long gone.

Here is a picture of the envelope. The little flap was folded over and scotch taped closed. From a quick change of hands, one cannot tell that it had been tampered with:

Here is the manila folder that was inside of the outer envelope:

[slay]

Seems this depends on the country the package is in... a friend of mine had been working for an express-service here in Germany and they have to sign for each paket and the office and the stores are video-observed... the only possibility in Germany to get the item inside the package is to open it and close it again... as it will be noticed who had been the last one working with the package... mostly the driver are the ones who swipe the items... there van/truck isn't video-observed and they can stop somewhere on their route and prepare some packages...

In Asia or... the sytem of the express-service is working different... if no one really cares about the package it's easier to remove the complete thing...

The good thing here is, my DHL driver really likes me because he comes here almost every day

He even says "hi" when he sees me at the mall or so and everytime he delivers something we chat a bit. Very nice guy.

Btw. I had something "lost" in the mail, too. I ordered something from the UK and the package never arrived. The seller refunded me though. I really really hate thieves. It wasnt about the money, it was about the item, it was a collectors item which is impossible to replace.