Problem #1: My package from The Greater Good Animal Rescue that was supposed to contain two sets of two Christmas Lights Ugly Sweater Ornaments, as their website advertised and as shown on the left, was scanned in as delivered at my post office on November 20, 2017. I discovered this after tracking the package on Saturday, November 25th because as of that date, the package had not been placed in my post office box.
This past Monday, November 27th, with tracking info in hand, I visited the post office where they could not locate the package. I asked for and was given their consumer affairs (CA) phone number because this is not the first time I have had issues with this post office. From home, I called CA and was told that the people at the post office should have taken the time to find the package since it was delivered there. The CA person, a very nice woman, opened a case, gave me the case number, and informed me that someone from the post office would contact me within 48 hours.
Within 48 hours, I did receive a call from a male postal worker who asked if I had actually been to the post office to check my box. My answer was, "Yes, I was there this past Monday, the 27th. The package was not in the box. So I stood at your dutch door, but left there to stand in line at the desk because no one answered the buzzer at the dutch door. The line clerk briefly looked for the package, returned and told me to go back to the dutch door, that someone would help me there. I did. After another brief check by another clerk, I was told the package could not be found but they would continue looking for it. I asked for the consumer affairs phone number and was given that number, which is when the case was opened, which is also why you are calling me."
The man then said/asked, "Ma'am. You're not understanding what I asked you. Have you actually been to the [name of post office] station to check your box?"
I angrily shouted, "NO, IT'S YOU WHO'S NOT UNDERSTANDING. I JUST TOLD YOU, I WAS THERE ON MONDAY, THE 27th. I CHECKED MY BOX. THE PACKAGE WAS NOT IN IT! I STOOD AT THE DUTCH DOOR, THEN STOOD IN LINE. YOUR CLERKS CHECKED, BRIEFLY, TOLD ME THE PACKAGE WAS NOT THERE. I ASKED FOR AND WAS GIVEN THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS PHONE NUMBER!"
Him: Oh, I'm sorry ma'am. I misunderstood you. Let me check something. Can you hold on for a minute?
Me: Yes (with blood pressure and respiration probably elevated).
Him, returning to the phone: Ma'am, your package is in your box. When I checked and saw that it was a small parcel, I decided to check something. When did you say you last checked?
Me: It is [excited and relieved]??? I was there Monday, but it was NOT in the box on Monday. It must have been found and placed in the box after the case was opened. Thank you for checking.
He either found the package when he left the phone to "check on something." Or, after the case was opened and they were "forced to do their job," the package was found on Monday and placed in the box.
I went to the post office shortly after that call ended and found the plastic mailing envelope in which the ornaments were enclosed. It was balled up as though it has been shoved into my box, as shown above. What idiots!
Problem #2: Recall that my order was for two sets of Christmas sweater ornaments (each package should have contained two-sweater-ornaments). What I received in each cellophane envelop was only one Christmas sweater ornament and a Christmas stocking made from the same sweater material. This is not what the website advertises or describes.
I called the Greater Good's 800 number and informed the customer service associate about the issue. She apologized and placed another order for two sets. She indicated there was either a warehouse mix-up or online description mix-up. Either way, she explained, "You will receive either two more sets of one Christmas sweater ornament and a stocking or what the website describes: two sets of two Christmas sweater ornaments." So if anyone ordered these and you, too, received a sweater ornament and a stocking, call them and let them know, their 800 number is on the receipt and can also be found at their website.
While I wait for the other package to arrive and hope the post office places the package (balled up or not) into my box in a timely manner, I chose Tamica to model the Christmas sweater after redressing her in a black halter dress and black heels.
Because Tamica wears a copper arm bracelet that I did not want to remove and also did not want it to snag the sweater, I covered the bracelet with masking tape as illustrated above.
After a few failed attempts to lead Tamica's pointed fingers and hands through the arm holes of the sweater without the fingers catching the threads inside the sleeves, I temporarily covered both hands with masking tape.
Just as I feared, the sleeves of the sweater are not the ideal length for playscale-size dolls. I tried lengthening the sleeves by pulling on them, which might have added a mere fraction of an inch, but really not enough.
The Greater Good Animal Rescue Christmas Lights Ugly Christmas Sweater Ornaments will work better for 9- to 10-inch dolls.
Nine-inch Keyshia (friend of Fashion Madness Kenya) temporarily tried Tamica's sweater on to illustrate the fit. The sleeve length still appears a bit short on her.
While I was in doll-dressing mode, using more appropriate size buttons, I took April's advice and replaced the over-sized buttons that were on Caleb's flannel shirt (a former Target ornament), shown above. I could not decide if I wanted to use the same tan color or a darker color. The decision was easy to make after I viewed both button colors on the shirt.
The original buttons had been hot-glued on. Before sewing the selected buttons on, I removed most of the glue residue by placing a small piece of cotton fabric on top of the glue areas and ironing over these with a warm iron. The iron melted the glue enough for most of it to attach to the cotton fabric and peel off when the fabric was lifted.
Aunt Tamica poses with her nephew Caleb, whose flannel shirt now has new dark brown buttons. I did not add buttons to the cuffs as I did not think those were necessary.
Reminder: If you ordered the Christmas Lights Ugly Sweater Ornaments, expecting to receive two sweaters in a package and received one sweater and a stocking, call The Greater Good Animal Rescue folks and let them know.
dbg
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This past Monday, November 27th, with tracking info in hand, I visited the post office where they could not locate the package. I asked for and was given their consumer affairs (CA) phone number because this is not the first time I have had issues with this post office. From home, I called CA and was told that the people at the post office should have taken the time to find the package since it was delivered there. The CA person, a very nice woman, opened a case, gave me the case number, and informed me that someone from the post office would contact me within 48 hours.
Within 48 hours, I did receive a call from a male postal worker who asked if I had actually been to the post office to check my box. My answer was, "Yes, I was there this past Monday, the 27th. The package was not in the box. So I stood at your dutch door, but left there to stand in line at the desk because no one answered the buzzer at the dutch door. The line clerk briefly looked for the package, returned and told me to go back to the dutch door, that someone would help me there. I did. After another brief check by another clerk, I was told the package could not be found but they would continue looking for it. I asked for the consumer affairs phone number and was given that number, which is when the case was opened, which is also why you are calling me."
The man then said/asked, "Ma'am. You're not understanding what I asked you. Have you actually been to the [name of post office] station to check your box?"
I angrily shouted, "NO, IT'S YOU WHO'S NOT UNDERSTANDING. I JUST TOLD YOU, I WAS THERE ON MONDAY, THE 27th. I CHECKED MY BOX. THE PACKAGE WAS NOT IN IT! I STOOD AT THE DUTCH DOOR, THEN STOOD IN LINE. YOUR CLERKS CHECKED, BRIEFLY, TOLD ME THE PACKAGE WAS NOT THERE. I ASKED FOR AND WAS GIVEN THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS PHONE NUMBER!"
Him: Oh, I'm sorry ma'am. I misunderstood you. Let me check something. Can you hold on for a minute?
Me: Yes (with blood pressure and respiration probably elevated).
Him, returning to the phone: Ma'am, your package is in your box. When I checked and saw that it was a small parcel, I decided to check something. When did you say you last checked?
Me: It is [excited and relieved]??? I was there Monday, but it was NOT in the box on Monday. It must have been found and placed in the box after the case was opened. Thank you for checking.
He either found the package when he left the phone to "check on something." Or, after the case was opened and they were "forced to do their job," the package was found on Monday and placed in the box.
I went to the post office shortly after that call ended and found the plastic mailing envelope in which the ornaments were enclosed. It was balled up as though it has been shoved into my box, as shown above. What idiots!
______
 |
| Christmas sweater ornaments and Christmas stockings (?)(!) |
Problem #2: Recall that my order was for two sets of Christmas sweater ornaments (each package should have contained two-sweater-ornaments). What I received in each cellophane envelop was only one Christmas sweater ornament and a Christmas stocking made from the same sweater material. This is not what the website advertises or describes.
I called the Greater Good's 800 number and informed the customer service associate about the issue. She apologized and placed another order for two sets. She indicated there was either a warehouse mix-up or online description mix-up. Either way, she explained, "You will receive either two more sets of one Christmas sweater ornament and a stocking or what the website describes: two sets of two Christmas sweater ornaments." So if anyone ordered these and you, too, received a sweater ornament and a stocking, call them and let them know, their 800 number is on the receipt and can also be found at their website.
______
While I wait for the other package to arrive and hope the post office places the package (balled up or not) into my box in a timely manner, I chose Tamica to model the Christmas sweater after redressing her in a black halter dress and black heels.
 |
| On left, Tamica models the Christmas sweater and holds the matching stocking. On right, she provides a better view of the fit. |
 |
| Tamica poses for a close-up of the slightly lengthened sleeves after I pulled on these to stretch them out. |
Nine-inch Keyshia (friend of Fashion Madness Kenya) temporarily tried Tamica's sweater on to illustrate the fit. The sleeve length still appears a bit short on her.
______
 |
| Smaller tan buttons were placed on the shirt before choosing which color to sew on. |
 |
| Smaller dark brown buttons were tried next. |
 |
| The shirt is now almost glue-residue-free. |
Reminder: If you ordered the Christmas Lights Ugly Sweater Ornaments, expecting to receive two sweaters in a package and received one sweater and a stocking, call The Greater Good Animal Rescue folks and let them know.
dbg
Thank you for reading. Was this post helpful?
Follow my sister blog Ebony-Essence of Dolls in Black
View the Doll Events page for updates. Check out my eBay listings here.
I have had so much going on that I have not had time to contact The Greater Good Animal Rescue site. I also got just one sweater and a matching stocking. I do really like the darker buttons on the Flannel shirt on Caleb -- nice job! Ahh, the things we do for out 1:6 scale friends!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Phyllis. Yes, we do go all out for our inanimate people. I don't even sew for myself (or anyone else, for that matter).
Deletedbg
We are all at the mercy of USPS. My local carrier is a gem, but the company he works for, not so much. I bought a doll from a seller in New Hampshire, and once the doll got to California, she took a little side trip to ... ALASKA. I note that she was not dressed for a colder climate. The central USPS facility for Northern California in West Sacramento often sends packages to the wrong local post office in Modesto, adding a day to delivery. My only consolation is watching how the tracking changes so as not to reflect badly on USPS; someone's got a fun job doing that!
ReplyDeleteHi Gini,
DeleteThe issues (plural) with the postal service are prevalent countrywide, I am told. I can't even wrap myself around how they are able to get mail delivered "rain, shine, sleet or show" (when they do and do it timely), but there seems to be a breakdown in their system of efficiency. Is it the workers who are not as dedicated as they were in years past? Are they under a tremendous amount of stress on their jobs (like most people)? I'm not sure what the answers are, but I do know that I expect when a package has been delivered to the post office and scanned in as being placed in my rented box, it should be there when I arrive to pick it up. How difficult is it to place a package in a PO Box?
I never had this problem at my former PO and only moved to the current one because it is closer to my house than the other. (This one had not been built when I began renting a PO Box over 17 years ago for privacy reasons.) Sometimes convenience costs.
dbg
I once bought an antique photo online. I happened to be standing at the window when the envelope was delivered, and watched the mail carrier *fold my antique photograph* to fit it in the mailbox at the curb. I called and complained, but I doubt that postman saw any repercussions. If they're like a lot of workers in other government offices, they can't get fired for any reason, so sadly, a lot of them don't care. I hope all of your issues get ironed out.
ReplyDeleteThat was an awful thing for the postal worker to do with the envelop containing your antique photograph. I'm sure there were no repercussions issued. It's unfortunate that our mail is not handled with care.
DeleteThank you for the hope for my PO issues getting ironed out. I hold my breath each time I have something shipped to the PO for fear that it will not arrive timely since this seems to be a recurring issue.
dbg
Australia Post has been the bane of my existence in 2017...I lost a Benetton Christie and Teresa that were two of my holy grail dolls (I was refunded and able to find Christie...but the Teresa is so rare and so expensive otherwise) and a couple of NRFB Crissy fashions...I definitely sympathise with your postal battles! So not even countrywide...international!
ReplyDeleteI regret you experienced such mail-system losses, Julius. It's hard enough for us to find vintage items at prices we are willing to pay; to have the finds thwarted by mail system losses can be devastating.
Deletedbg