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What's your experience with Pirate Ship "adjustments"?

I've used Pirate Ship twice so far, and both times I got hit with a UPS surcharge after the fact, which PS immediately charged to my credit card on file. Both shipments were incoming, so I have the packaging and I was able to confirm that the actual dimensions in fact matched those on the label. 

On one box, UPS claimed a one-inch difference and assessed a 10% surcharge... Seems like one inch would be well within the margin of error of their automated measurement portals?

Now there's no doubt that Pirate Ship is much less expensive than going through UPS directly, and I'm wondering if UPS has a zero-tolerance policy towards Pirate Ship-originated shipments to help them recoup some of the lower cost... Have you had similar experiences with PS?

 

devinplombier
devinplombier OP
1,637 posts
 

Here's some Pirate Ship, uh, lore:

https://www.wyomingnews.com/wbr/current_edition/startup-adds-pirate-y-fun-to-usps-shipping/article_f98b39ee-37a3-538a-abd2-5e2838a4b815.html

 

devinplombier OP
1,637 posts
 

So I had 2 upcharges out of 2 shipments. There's a way to dispute UPS adjustments on PS's website, so I disputed both and both were reversed. In their own words:

ARRrrr, looks like you’ve won this round, matey!

I have more shipments coming up, we'll see how these go!

 

snapsc
721 posts
 

Of course usps and ups are going to protect themselves from the down-rounders. 
 

I’ve shipped many packages through PS… I always round up…. never had a problem…. may have spent a little extra but still saved a lot. 
 

One word of advice… understand their claims policy and everything required as relates to packaging and documentation because if you have a problem and haven’t followed the “rules”… you may not like the results. 

kennyc
2,837 posts
 

+1 round up

Most companies and their employees don’t want the added complexity to spend additional time and energy with the subjective “close enough”.

It’s understandable that unapproved charge increases are irksome, but the alternative is an additional round of seller spending time composing/sending a email request, keep track of open order while waiting for buyer reply, then process the order after buyer agrees.  For this type of purchase (audio components) the seller assumes that most/all buyers would approve anyway, so why go through the extra work?

devinplombier OP
1,637 posts
 

I sent (or caused to be sent) three Pirate Ship packages via UPS on the same day last week. Two were sent domestically to me by sellers to whom I had sent prepaid labels. The third was shipped by me to the UK:

- I measured the UK-bound package myself and entered the exact measurements and weight.
- Domestic package #1 - I rounded everything up to the next inch and pound
- Domestic package #2 - I rounded up to the next inch and pound, plus I added an extra inch x3, and one pound, for good measure.

We will see what adjustments UPS makes, if any.

On a side note, the UK package was delivered yesterday, while the other two are still in transit

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