Has anyone ever been shipped Bees parcel post?

Bennettoid · May 26, 2011, 03:02:21 PM

My shipment was shipped parcel post, on a Friday morning, without insurance. I got the call Monday morning from the post office that they had arrived, dead.

The vendor claims they were insured but there is no evidence of that, anywhere. The vendor has basically said "tough cookies".

I read the statement about not complaining about vendors, and that is not my aim.

I have NEVER been shipped bees in this manner before, basically mailed like a letter, and it is inconceivable to me that they would go out on a Friday, knowing the USPS doesn't work on Sunday, without insurance. The vendor stated that this is how they do it, it is a common practice, and they are not refunding or replacing the bees.

I'm not exactly a newbie at this.

G3farms · May 26, 2011, 03:16:01 PM

Sorry for for the loss of your money, not bees. Sounds kind of crazy to ship out on a friday, and if the shipper said it was insured he should have paper work to support it. If you paid with a credit card contact them and file a dispute.

I would mention the name of supplier just to let others know to stay away.

Bennettoid · May 26, 2011, 03:39:16 PM

Well, I would like to, but the Beemaster doesn't like vendor bashing on the forum, it leads to ugly threads, and being a Moderator in another popular forum and site, I understand that. I'll private message that info.

The vendor actually claims the package was insured, and billed me for it, but the package was NOT insured, and the vendor has not provided any insurance info to back up the claim. I verified through my Postmaster that the package was not insured.

I have filed a dispute, but of course, that will take months to sort out, and vendor is not answering her phone. I have a feeling they got burned big time on that day's shipments. I would hate to think anyone would charge for insurance in the shipping charges and then not insure the package in order to save a few bucks, but that looks like they did.

FRAMEshift · May 26, 2011, 04:16:57 PM

Quote from: Bennettoid on May 26, 2011, 03:39:16 PM
I would hate to think anyone would charge for insurance in the shipping charges and then not insure the package in order to save a few bucks, but that looks like they did.

Charging for insurance and then failing to provide it is criminal fraud. In addition to the credit card dispute, I would contact the Better Business Bureau, the local Chamber of Commerce, and the local beekeeper's club. Just make sure you have written proof of the charge for insurance before you make any claims in public.

If none of that works, you could contact your District Attorney's office and file a criminal complaint, although you probably won't get any action unless there are multiple complaints against this vendor from your DA's jurisdiction. And as a last resort, you can file a civil lawsuit, but given the amount of money lost, I don't think that would be worthwhile. Small claims court is a possible route, but in most places they lack any enforcement mechanism.

forrestcav · May 26, 2011, 04:59:21 PM

Mine shipped on a saturday, priority mail and arrived monday with no problems. FYI: the post office does work on sundays, just no delivieries made (had a friend that worked at a larger post office sorting on sunday's) Seems strange they were dead in four days, unless they were in the package for severals days before and starved.

schawee · May 26, 2011, 07:39:08 PM

had 8 queens shipped parcel post and 1 was dead. made a call the the supplier and in 3 days had another queen, alive. ...schawee

hankdog1 · May 26, 2011, 08:20:37 PM

Never have heard of a supplier shipping USPS without insurance without telling the customer first. I know the only people that will ship bees to me is Walter T. Kelley. Thank goodness if i ever decide to order bees again I'm close enough to get insurance.

Beesville · May 27, 2011, 01:28:56 PM

Where do you live? I live in phoenix and it gets hot. I have had a lot of queens die from the heat when getting them sent ups its just to hot in the trucks. So I use USPS and a PO box at the main post office. They come in to the hub at night and don,t go out in a hot truck to my house or to another post office. Find out where the main hub is and get them sent there. Most queen produsers will not guarantee live queens. You have to try to find a good time of the year to get your queens when its not to hot or to cold.

slacker361 · May 27, 2011, 02:27:07 PM

since the post office is involved, I would contact the post master, if there is a fraud situation they will take care of it post haste ,,,

Haddon · May 27, 2011, 03:13:04 PM

Hey sorry for your loss.
I would not take it be the man no one wants to hear from I would call everyday and if that didn't help I would find their moms number her neighbor everyone she has ever know and call and tell them how she shorted you.

At one point in my life I worked for a small loan company in the hand book it said call all of the number listed and we asked for everyone. Then if they still will not call you back go to the phone book and look up people with same last name ( it said it no lie) call them and ask if they know the person and any neighbors.

Let me just say it worked you can start an attack campaign in someones life that they will wish they never heard your name before and all they have to do to stop it is pay you.

So call her momma and tell her how that little girl of hers stole from you and you are going to seek fraud charges on the insurance.

Now with that life experience included could you pm with that name so I never use them.

Thanks,
Michael

slacker361 · May 27, 2011, 04:25:56 PM

yeah ill take the pm to please....

MT204 · May 27, 2011, 09:26:40 PM

Just getting back into beekeeping and just today received a package of dead bees. Was to have been 2-3 days USPS shipped last Friday and got them today! Postmaster said they should have only taken 2-3 days. Now to see if the shipper will do anything.

Bennettoid · May 31, 2011, 11:58:22 AM

They are still dodging me. They know they messed up big time. I filed a grievance with PayPal. If this woman would just talk to me she may be able to work something out.

slacker361 · May 31, 2011, 02:20:47 PM

if you paid by cc call them, if it was to insured and wasnt talk to the post master at you post office.... those boys dont play around believe me...

Bennettoid · May 31, 2011, 02:46:49 PM

No insurance. I talked to the post master several times. They charged me for insurance but never put it on the package. I'm out my money and my bees. The woman was rude and basically said "Too bad".

slacker361 · May 31, 2011, 03:01:05 PM

pm me the name please

VolunteerK9 · May 31, 2011, 03:34:02 PM

Please keep us posted

Tommyt · May 31, 2011, 04:29:48 PM

QuoteThey charged me for insurance but never put it on the package

Postal Fraud
All the way to the Gray Bar Hotel

You need not warn them
Just copy that invoice
send it to the Post master

Tommyt

MT204 · May 31, 2011, 11:36:11 PM

Not to hijack this thread but am having sort of the same problem. Live up in Montana and had some bees shipped out of Georgia. They were to be shipped Priority Mail which is suppose to be 2-3days. Well it took 1 week and all the bees were dead. The postman who I picked them up from felt bad but said they were not insured nor could they have been? She told me to go online to the USPS web site for more info. Here's the link (sort of) for shipping bees. pub52c5_007.htm. (sorry new and can't post link yet y'all have to do Google search) Now this is suppose to be the official site and rules. Right away you real that "Honeybees. Honeybees are acceptable in the continental United States only via surface transportation (i.e., Parcel Post rates). Parcels of honeybees sent at Parcel Post rates must bear special handling postage. Mailpieces must be plainly marked on the address side with "Live Bees" and "Surface Only" or "Surface Mail Only."". So today I went back to the post office and was told that they should have gone surface with the special handling option ($10.60 extra) and they could have been insured? They explained that even though I had paid for Priority they really only went ground? Well then to make maters worse the Postmaster came out and got involved. He explained that the rules on the web were...well....maybe wrong. So he is going to check some where else to see what the rules really are. Sad part (for the bees) is I could have paid $30.00 more and had them UPS 2nd day aired. So I guess we will wait and see whats what.

Bennettoid · June 01, 2011, 12:18:12 AM

Quote from: MT204 on May 31, 2011, 11:36:11 PM
Not to hijack this thread but am having sort of the same problem. Live up in Montana and had some bees shipped out of Georgia. They were to be shipped Priority Mail which is suppose to be 2-3days. Well it took 1 week and all the bees were dead. The postman who I picked them up from felt bad but said they were not insured nor could they have been? She told me to go online to the USPS web site for more info. Here's the link (sort of) for shipping bees. pub52c5_007.htm. (sorry new and can't post link yet y'all have to do Google search) Now this is suppose to be the official site and rules. Right away you real that "Honeybees. Honeybees are acceptable in the continental United States only via surface transportation (i.e., Parcel Post rates). Parcels of honeybees sent at Parcel Post rates must bear special handling postage. Mailpieces must be plainly marked on the address side with "Live Bees" and "Surface Only" or "Surface Mail Only."". So today I went back to the post office and was told that they should have gone surface with the special handling option ($10.60 extra) and they could have been insured? They explained that even though I had paid for Priority they really only went ground? Well then to make maters worse the Postmaster came out and got involved. He explained that the rules on the web were...well....maybe wrong. So he is going to check some where else to see what the rules really are. Sad part (for the bees) is I could have paid $30.00 more and had them UPS 2nd day aired. So I guess we will wait and see whats what.

Georgia? I bet it was the same vendor.