# I hate Purolator!



## fazer (Aug 8, 2005)

Okay, so, I paid Apple for expideted shipping. Thought there would be no problems getting here right? WRONG!

So, it seems that Purlator needs your buzzer code (For those of you who live in Condos/Apartments) so they can enter. I learned this later on.

Apple didn't ask me for that information on the shipping page and normally I have gotten packages from FedEx and UPS in the past just fine without this.

So, anxiously, I wake up today to track my packpage via Purolator and this is the history:

```
[b]2005/08/26	10:15	Attempted Delivery - Package Refused 		
2005/08/26	10:11	Address Correction Required [/b]		
2005/08/26	07:54	On vehicle for delivery 		
2005/08/26	04:19	Left TORONTO SORT CTR/CTR TRIE, ON 		
2005/08/26	04:11	Shipment In Transit 		
2005/08/25	08:30	In Transit in U.S.
```
*WTF?!*

So, I called Purolator, did my best to keep my cool. They say that there was no buzzer number on the package so they didn't deliver.
Me: "But, WTF? My Name is there. I am sure security would've let you in and you could've proceeded to deliver it to my door because you have all the rest of the info you need such as my *name* and *suite number*."

Them: "Sorry, we don't do that."

Me: "Oh yeah? Transfer me to your supervisor."

*on hold*

*at this point, I decide to rant this on ehmac.ca*


Finally, talking to the supervisor, the idea dawns to me. Was the deliverer/driver not smart enough to look me up in the directory near the door. ?
And for some reason, they thought I was a ma'am, and I am not =[

She then agrees that she will try to re-attempt delivery today *IF* the driver can. And knowing that, I am sure there is a good chance it won't happen.

Have any of you had this issue with Purolator?

Meanwhile, my iPod is coming via FedEx, the ETA is Aug. 30. But already its in my city (Mississauga). Lets hope how that plays out. I just wished that Apple didn't god damn choose Puro_late_-or for my precious iBook! 

F*ck.

EDIT: Chances are, that I will have to wait till _Monday_ to get my precius iBook. Man, I could soo use the weekend with this babe...


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## KreenysMac (Aug 23, 2005)

My PDA is coming from the states ... by truck ... and for the past 4 days it's been "in transit in US" ... I mean, there is NO WHERE in the states that takes 4 days to get across the Canadian border ... but again, freakin' Puro-_late_-or. But I got free shipping on my package, so I shouldn't be complaining, right?


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## fazer (Aug 8, 2005)

KreenysMac said:


> -again, freakin' Puro-_late_-or. But I got free shipping on my package, so I shouldn't be complaining, right?


Hey! I think I started a new trend here. Puro-_late_-or. Yes, you heard it from me first, folks! I will be here all week!

Anyways, yeah, I regret giving Apple more money for shipping. Blast!

But you can always call Purolator and inquire. However, I am kind of confused because I thought they can't track packages unless it passes the US/Canadian border. That's what I was told...


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## andrewenterprise (May 22, 2005)

Ouch thats gotta suck 
Let us know when you get your iBook. Congratulations on the purchase, I'm sure you'll enjoy (When it gets there).


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## Cameo (Aug 3, 2004)

In transportation things don't just go from A to B for one pkg or even a quarter load- there are stops along the way to pick up other items from the origin area and for destinations in and around the same areas. They fill the truck as much as possible, saves them gas and time.
How many days does it say on Purolators site for expedited shipments?
If it is crossing the border the delay may be at customs, if all the paperwork is not complete to their satisfaction they can and will delay anything.


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## Jacklar (Jul 23, 2005)

I wonder how shipping works for packages to university students in Residence?


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## RicktheChemist (Jul 18, 2001)

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## K_OS (Dec 13, 2002)

I ordered a 12" iBook at the online Apple store for my sister late on the 18th and it arrived early on 23rd, that's less than 3 business days and we only paid for regular shipping.

Laterz


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## highapostle (Apr 21, 2004)

Jacklar said:


> I wonder how shipping works for packages to university students in Residence?


I think the one time I ordered something while living in Res, they just dropped it off at the Porter's Lodge (where all incoming mail goes). To be safe, I guess you could send it to your name, c/o Front Desk or wherever your mail's handled.


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## Cliffy (Apr 18, 2005)

Most times when I get something from Purolator, the driver doesn't bother knocking if there isn't a car in the driveway. He just runs up and puts a note on the door. I doubt he even brings the package to the door.


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## RicktheChemist (Jul 18, 2001)

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## Denjira (Jan 23, 2005)

With my Powerbook accessories Apple didn't give FedEx exactly which buzzer to buzz.. so they just left saying package refused.. had to call and give the info.


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## fazer (Aug 8, 2005)

andrewenterprise said:


> Ouch thats gotta suck
> Let us know when you get your iBook. Congratulations on the purchase, I'm sure you'll enjoy (When it gets there).


hey! Thanks. This is my first mac purchase. I was impressed with all the packing and what not. Still trying to get used to all the Mac customs.

Oh btw, I got it . After enough complaining, the driver made another trip of some sort and I was able to pick it up.

After using it for a while, I think my Q key is kind of squeaky in a loud way. Does anyone else have that problem?


Thanks


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## interact (Mar 11, 2004)

I've had to deal with Purolator for 5+ years and we ship a lot of packages. Here's a list of my favorite excuses:

"It was really windy at the airport and they couldn't get the door open."
An incredibly important 9AM stickered envelope didn't arrive until 4:30pm. It was a normal day in Richmond and I think the CSR didn't think we'd have a Vancouver office to confirm.

"We were really busy."
I called in at 11am for a 4pm-5pm pick up. No one showed up at 5pm so I called and the CSR said to wait. 5:30pm - again, "He's on his way -please wait sir." 6pm - "The driver's not coming because he was really busy and he's already at the depot." I had 40 very large (volume) 7lb boxes sitting in the front entrance - not exactly Honda "I'll drop it off myself" friendly.

"There is construction blocking the roads to your office."
Another failed pick up. We're in a normal area of town with two-way streets all around us. They closed one intersection 2 blocks away, but there were was nothing near us.

"They were closed."
A large Chapters in Calgary's busiest mall apparently closed the shop at 3pm, but reopened when I called them at 5pm. *lol*

The list goes on and on ...


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## RicktheChemist (Jul 18, 2001)

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## planders (Jun 24, 2005)

The Purolator office up here in the Tri-Towns does a pretty good job. Never had a buzzer number problem, they use the directory every time. If I'm out, they leave a message on my machine that the package will be at the New Liskeard depot for me to pick up after 2:00 PM.

Actually, the guy who's been delivering in Haileybury lately knows me, though I can't for the life of me figure out from where. He's flagged me down on my way to work on occasion!

There are advantages to being in a small town sometimes.

Incidentally, most of the other couriers (FedEx, UPS, Same Day, etc.) are now all handled here by a pair of "agents," and they tend to do a better job than the original companies ever did. So a big "thumbs up" to Muskoka Delivery Service and Gabbani Transportation!


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

If it absolutely, positively DOESN'T have to get there, use Purolator

they are horrible
each driver thinks they are doing you a favour
i NEVER ship via Purolator


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## davidslegend (Jan 6, 2004)

*New Management...*

Hi,


Insider scoop...Worked in shipping weeks ago...

Apparently, a new CEO was hired or someone up there...since then I've personally witnessed a trend...

i)Anything, that has a wrong code...missing information...wrong packaging gets pulled from the delivery chain
i)Drivers themselves know that if a item is missing information (ie. No Buz #) then they can bring it back as undeliverable...

You should see all the extra cash generated. If a call is made to a customer regarding a shipment then they bill $6.00. A second delivery is a chance for a second charge. I door knocker is left but, they do not redeliver a second time.

There it is.

Regards,

Ah...Anonymous


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## Trevor... (Feb 21, 2003)

Now there is a word that makes my blood boil, of the last 5 packages shipped by Purolator

1. Package fell out of container and spent a few days in the belly of a 727
2. Package was stolen, no further details
3. Lost package after attempting delivery
4. Delivered, but driver got pissy about taking it around to the garage, well it won't fit through the door.
5. Went to pick up package, and apprently the address on my drivers license and waybill being the same wasn't good enough.


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## RicktheChemist (Jul 18, 2001)

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## MacGYVER (Apr 15, 2005)

Purolator delivery employees have to be the laziest people I know of when it comes to actually doing their job. How hard is it to deliver a package? Pretty trivial to the actual Purolator delivery person. 

I had purchased an item once from a company who used Purolator as their shipping agent. I had lived in an apartment building, had given them all the info, buzzer code etc... was home all day, it was my day off, and when I went to check my mail I found a note attached to my mail box saying nobody was home for delivery. I was like WTF? I immediately called Purolator and told them I was home all day and nobody buzzed my apartment for a delivery, they made up some excuse trying to cover for the driver. They then turned around and tried to tell me, if I wanted to I could go and pick up the package myself and that they would be open until 5:00pm. I then asked to speak to a supervisor, they told me that they couldn't GUARANTEE a delivery to my place the next day, meaning they would "try" yeah whatever and I would still not have my item. Honestly what do these delivery drivers do? Sit on their ass at a Tim Hortons all day?

I called up the company that I had purchased the item from and told them the situation. I asked them why did I pay extra for fast shipping, keep in mind I paid over $20 I think because the item I had bought was extremely heavy. Although not heavy enough for a delivery driver not to have delivered it. I told them, I have to now go and pick it up myself, waste my own gas and time. They ended up refunding my shipping charges in the end.

I drove down to Purolator warehouse, backed my pick up truck right in front of the entrance doors, practically blocking anyone from going in and out with a package. Walked past the line up, asked to speak to a supervisor, handed them my packing info and they got my item. Loaded it up and took off. To this day, I have never used Purolator again, and I could never recommend them to anyone. I have never dealt with such laziness in the shipping industry before until I came across Purolator.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

RicktheChemist said:


> Lot of the time it all has to do with the bottom line.. and the fact that Purolator is owned by Canada Post doesn't help...I am not sure at what percentage, but I know Canada Post is involved in the operations of Purolator.
> 
> Amazing some of the excuses...
> 
> ...



and the really stupid part is that Canada Post WILL NOT sign for Purolator packages for those of use that use P.O. boxes here in rural Canada


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## kps (May 4, 2003)

There's more to it than just 'lazyness'.

Cut-throat competition in the overnight package delivery biz is fierce. Look at some of the offerings: by 9am, by 10 or 10:30am, by noon, by this, by that, 1day, 2day, by what ever day...

With the exception of the by '9am' commitment, the rest may be placed on the same truck. A driver has to route his stops geographically, but also by commitment time.

These services are geared to commerce and industry more that toward residential deliveries. The huge increase in on-line shopping has probably increased the number of 'resi' calls a route incorporates. Residential calls may be off the regular route which services mainly commercial and industrial customers.

It is not unusual for a driver to leave a terminal with 80+ stops, all with different commitment times. A residential call which takes him out of route is a time waster and I wouldn't be surprised if every technicality and loophole is exploited to avoid losing time making it. Resi calls are easy to 'burn' as the repercussions are minimal.

Not fair, but that's the reality. A courier once jokingly said to me: "we don't get paid to deliver packages...we get paid to show up by the commitment time". Not funny when you're sitting around waiting for your package, but it has a ring of truth to it. As long as they show up, they made their commitment and "Sooner-or-Later or FedEx or UPS or whoever are off the hook.

Interestingly, FedEx in the US has spun off home delivery into a separate division in order to facillitate the on-line shopping boom. Including time definite, evening delivery and appointment delivery to residences. FedEx Home Delivery 

In the future it may come to Canada, but I don't think the volumes justify such services here.


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## MacGYVER (Apr 15, 2005)

Well ok then, then explain to me, how the driver makes an attempt to actually DROP OFF a written notice slip with tape onto my mail box, but doesn't have the time to actually deliver the actual package? Why even bother leaving a slip which the driver has to park his vehicle, walk inside the building, look for where the mail boxes are, tape a label to the box and then get back inside his vehicle? It would only take 2 more minutes to deliver the package. 

I have used UPS, Fedex, Canada Post and Purolator, Purolator has to be the worst delivery company except maybe Same Day Right Away, that I have dealt with as a RESIDENTIAL and CORPORATE person. UPS actually delivers on said time, every single time I use them and so does Fedex. If for any reason they can't, their communications team are excellent in handling the situation and actually getting the package to me as quickly as possible. 

I have worked in the cargo, shipping, freight industry for some years now, I have heard all the excuses I can think of and more when it comes to delivery companies. Fedex and UPS are not perfect, but I have to say they are at least ahead of Purolator when it comes to customer service. It also helps that I know what to ask and look for when I have to call them up for something, but for the most part they do their jobs. Canada post on the other hand, well that is a whole other issue for some other topic .

Cut throat competition in the industry? Purolator is like the cable tv company, they arrive between 8:00am and 5:00pm to deliver your package no matter what type of service you pay for. When UPS says they will deliver the package by 9:00am, if they're not there usually before, they actually do deliver it by 9:00am, in my case they always have delivered before 9:00am, that goes the same for Fedex. I will continue to spend a little more or less to use a company that actually can deliver door to door, or to our corporation on time and not wait for deliveries between 8:00am - 5:00pm from a company that doesn't know a thing about customer service.


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

i notice that there isn't a "I hate Fedex" or "I hate UPS" thread
and
nobody has dumped on either here

I like both FedEx and UPS
their drivers are normal and their telephone operators actually try to help

Purolator is the bottom of the barrel and only get business because of their cheap pricing to volume business

most of my suppliers deliver via Purolator and i hate it

I NEVER use Purolator to deliver ANYTHING

I would like to support a Canadian company, but paying for lazy, shiftless, "don't care" attitudes is just beyond me


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## Paul O'Keefe (Jun 3, 2005)

highapostle said:


> I think the one time I ordered something while living in Res, they just dropped it off at the Porter's Lodge (where all incoming mail goes). To be safe, I guess you could send it to your name, c/o Front Desk or wherever your mail's handled.


Just curious, but was your res Massey?


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## kps (May 4, 2003)

To answer your question, I'll ask you a question: How does a Canada Post driver leave a filled out notice in your mailbox after ringing the bell...which you answer in less than 25 seconds only to see a cloud of exhaust smoke form his truck as he's tearing down your street? Perhaps, "Sooner-or-later" learned from the best....? 

I'm not making excuses for poor customer service or being an apologist for Purolater, far from it. All you made was one blanket statement that the drivers are lazy. I was just pointing out some of the realities of the shipping business, which like you, I've spent many years in. Poor management and a 'don't care' attitude is the issue here and you made a choice to use other shipping companies which are better at keeping their commitments. Many here are not savvy when it comes to shipping and deserve better information from those of us that do...you included, since you're in that business. I'm approaching 30yrs. in the transportation industry myself, including a stint as a dispatcher for Emery Worldwide when FedEx was only a 6yr old baby and not even on the radar screen. I spent time in whse management and distribution logistics and presently work for the largest airfreight carrier in the world and happy doing it. So if I have information or knowledge that may be beneficial to the members here, I'll share it.


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## kps (May 4, 2003)

MACSPECTRUM said:


> Purolator is the bottom of the barrel and only get business because of their cheap pricing to volume business


...and so they stay in business, because many businesses are more interested in their bottom line than good service to their customers. Being owned by Canada Post is another issue. DHL is coming on strong in N. America and they're owned by the German Post office...should be interesting.


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## RicktheChemist (Jul 18, 2001)

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## interact (Mar 11, 2004)

Here's my latest issue from Purolator. I shipped three boxes (exactly the same size/weight,etc) to 8 stores in Vancouver. I was charged $28.00 for 7 of the packages and $156.00 for the last one. They can't explain why the error occurred.

Lesson - read your invoices.


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## ragingpwner (Dec 28, 2008)

My Xbox360 broke a while back and I had to send a return package to Toronto to get it fixed. (I live in BC)
Its now fixed and Xbox says that they have mailed it back
I was recently trying to see the tracking information of the package and it says that it had left Toronto on the 19th...it is now the 27th..
I checked the estimated time of the package, and it said that it would take 4 days, travelling by ground
Keeping in mind that is around Christmas and it must be much busier...do you think that is the reason that its not here yet?


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## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

Must be. I had two parcels, a new Mac Mini shipped to me on the 17th from Mississauga along with a monitor via Canada Post. The monitor arrived Dec 23. The Mini has still not arrived. Both mailed by the same person at the same time on the same day using the same parcel category.


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## ertman (Jan 15, 2008)

I had a problem like this but with dhl. Dhl sent it to a 3rd party for delivery and it spent several trips from and back to a depot in Ottawa(aweek or so, I live about 50km from the depot). For me this (3rd party) because I live in the boonies, despite had 2 Dhl trucks go down my road. 

This is likely not your problems, but it is another shipping complaint, and I hate that apple used Dhl for some stuff.


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## mezrich (Dec 27, 2008)

Cliffy said:


> Most times when I get something from Purolator, the driver doesn't bother knocking if there isn't a car in the driveway. He just runs up and puts a note on the door. I doubt he even brings the package to the door.


Soooo true time to park the cark out


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## johnb1 (Aug 6, 2006)

*Ouch*

that's gotta suck
best get used to it-happens with all shipping companies
OOPS (UPS) pure-o-later, Dead-EX, Even Canada Toast
Sometimes they do things right, but that's just a fluke

here's my story-my new mac was coming in via UPS /Oops
and I gave 'em my address-should be fine, right. I was waiting out front of my condo for my new baby to arrive, ahhh...but....the driver couldn't find my condo building number (it was right on the front of the building, I< as in irritating>
so, he whizzed right by and I was on the phone to someone at UPS ,transcript of conversation follows, 
Me-hello, I was supposed to have my new Mac pro delivered today
UPS-sorry, we couldn't find that exact address, XXXXX-XX AVE NW
Me-my Condo Number is I- 106, and I was waiting outside at my condo
UPS -Oh, I guess they didn't put that info on the shipping label, If you like you can pick it at the main depot, or have it delivered to your local store for an extra$10 charge
My gosh-how thick do you have to be? I put my full address and email on the shipping label to send my old Mac back to Apple HQ, and someone leaves off the condo number, or there's some kinda screwup and driver doesn't even bother to check, just sticks a note on the door and drives off. Isn't there supposed to be some kind of smartness test for these folks? Fuggetaboutit. Brown on the outside, brown up top under the hat, if you catch my drift-beejacon 

all you can do is hope, wait, call, and pray that all those screwups get fixed
I managed to finagle a ride to the depot, showed 'em my id, got that package, and got the heck out of there. 

John B


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## ragingpwner (Dec 28, 2008)

2008/12/29 09:22 Scheduled Delivery Appointment Required via *** depot

does the delivery appoinment required mean that i need to tell them when to come...??
cause that was at 9:22 and its almost 5..i believe that they close at 5:30


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