Inearthed
Well-known member
Just figured I'd share this story with you folks and also see if I can get some feedback or advice if I'm doing everything how I should be doing...
I'm in a band (we're based out of WA, USA) on an smaller independent Italian label. Our new album just came out towards the end of April. Our label packed up some Vinyl of our prior album (split between two boxes) and our copies of our newly released album (200 copies with booklets, etc, not in jewel cases), along with 15 limited edition tapes, some limited edition copies of the new album, and around 30 to 40 promotional compilation CDs put out by the label (all of this in one box). All of this came through FedEx International Express and arrived yesterday.... you can guess where this is going...
... I should say, the vinyl all arrived in expected condition, but the box containing the CDs, well how to put this best, was not the right box.
The FedEx paperwork was correct but the box itself had someone else's address on the opposite side from the paperwork, was sent from a different address, and had a different destination - get this - Southampton, England. The contents of the box? Nine pairs of 149 to 169 Euro pants, four 149 Euro shirts.
First thing I did was take photographs of the incorrect box and its contents and the second thing was call FedEx and immediately get a case for the incorrect box coming to my house and a claim going. I had to explain it about 4 times over the phone before the person at FedEx finally understood - no, the content of the package isn't "incorrect." No, the shipper didn't send the wrong items. No, the box doesn't need to be returned to our label as they did not ship the box, someone else did. We got the wrong box, the paperwork was switched by FedEx (little plastic envelope holding the printed out shipping label was taped shut by some FedEx tape). My guess is that when this was in the distribution center for FedEx in Italy someone pulled the paperwork out of this box and got it switched with another box. We're kind of in limbo right now, as we've got about 6 to 7 shows scheduled in the immediate 3 months and no new albums to sell. At least we got the prior album vinyl though.
The one positive thing is that the label clearly put a printed out and thoroughly taped on "to" section on the the box that has my full name, address, and phone number. I'm hoping that whoever received my box will at least return it to FedEx and they'll somehow contact me... Or even if whoever received the box contacted me directly that'd be amazing as well.
- I've filed a case with FedEx for the incorrect shipment, and a claim with FedEx for the value of the CDs/tapes/promo items. International shipping called me back while I was sleeping and want to pick up the box and discuss exactly what I'm missing --- Should I take more pictures of the box or do anything else before giving the box back to them to protect myself? I'm worried that I'm going to give the box back and then we'll not hear anything else from them.
- What are our chances for actually getting our original package? (I'm assuming close to zero)
- What are our chances for getting compensated by FedEx for the missing items? (Extremely low?)
- The box that we received had a sales receipt inside from the Italian shipper with a phone number, I've given that to the label to potentially contact them and maybe by some weird chance the person whose box of expensive clothes I received, received our box?
- Any other thoughts?
Thanks,
Rob
I'm in a band (we're based out of WA, USA) on an smaller independent Italian label. Our new album just came out towards the end of April. Our label packed up some Vinyl of our prior album (split between two boxes) and our copies of our newly released album (200 copies with booklets, etc, not in jewel cases), along with 15 limited edition tapes, some limited edition copies of the new album, and around 30 to 40 promotional compilation CDs put out by the label (all of this in one box). All of this came through FedEx International Express and arrived yesterday.... you can guess where this is going...
... I should say, the vinyl all arrived in expected condition, but the box containing the CDs, well how to put this best, was not the right box.
The FedEx paperwork was correct but the box itself had someone else's address on the opposite side from the paperwork, was sent from a different address, and had a different destination - get this - Southampton, England. The contents of the box? Nine pairs of 149 to 169 Euro pants, four 149 Euro shirts. First thing I did was take photographs of the incorrect box and its contents and the second thing was call FedEx and immediately get a case for the incorrect box coming to my house and a claim going. I had to explain it about 4 times over the phone before the person at FedEx finally understood - no, the content of the package isn't "incorrect." No, the shipper didn't send the wrong items. No, the box doesn't need to be returned to our label as they did not ship the box, someone else did. We got the wrong box, the paperwork was switched by FedEx (little plastic envelope holding the printed out shipping label was taped shut by some FedEx tape). My guess is that when this was in the distribution center for FedEx in Italy someone pulled the paperwork out of this box and got it switched with another box. We're kind of in limbo right now, as we've got about 6 to 7 shows scheduled in the immediate 3 months and no new albums to sell. At least we got the prior album vinyl though.
The one positive thing is that the label clearly put a printed out and thoroughly taped on "to" section on the the box that has my full name, address, and phone number. I'm hoping that whoever received my box will at least return it to FedEx and they'll somehow contact me... Or even if whoever received the box contacted me directly that'd be amazing as well.
- I've filed a case with FedEx for the incorrect shipment, and a claim with FedEx for the value of the CDs/tapes/promo items. International shipping called me back while I was sleeping and want to pick up the box and discuss exactly what I'm missing --- Should I take more pictures of the box or do anything else before giving the box back to them to protect myself? I'm worried that I'm going to give the box back and then we'll not hear anything else from them.
- What are our chances for actually getting our original package? (I'm assuming close to zero)
- What are our chances for getting compensated by FedEx for the missing items? (Extremely low?)
- The box that we received had a sales receipt inside from the Italian shipper with a phone number, I've given that to the label to potentially contact them and maybe by some weird chance the person whose box of expensive clothes I received, received our box?
- Any other thoughts?
Thanks,
Rob
