Shippers beware!
Feb 25th, 2006, 08:31 PM
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Shippers beware!
I just returned from a 10 day stay in Maui and have some advice for anyone considering shipping anything from Maui to the mainland (in our case, Michigan). I sent four packages and here were my experiences and results:
1) Bought two Diller ceramic plates at Hilo Hatties. Paid for shipping ($37). They arrived yesterday Fed Ex (very fast delivery) but one of the pieces was broken. It wasn't the fault of FedEx. The shipping idiot at Hilo Hatties (Kihei) put the much larger piece on top of the smaller piece.
I called the Kihei store and they are issuing a call ticket for the package, and once received back in Maui, they are shipping a new one out. So all will be well in probably a month.
2) Shipped three packages out of the Mailbox Etc shop in Kihei. The manager is a jerk and I believe he takes advantages of tourists. I first shipped 2 packages (highway robbery if you want them to supply box/packing) and it took a full week using UPS. Everything in one box was fine but a turtle piece was broken in the second box. It was the fault entirely of UPS since the piece was in a custom styrofoam box INSIDE ANOTHER BOX. I've fixed it, but I'm still debating putting in a claim.
The second visit to that store is where I began to suspect that they scope out which customers to overcharge for packing. We bought a tiki at the Old Lahaina Luau for $400. I took it the Kihei store and the young man in the store quoted $67 for everything. He asked us to come back in 20 min when it would be packed and he could ring it up. By the time we got back, the manager was there and he rung it up as $114 !!!! I told him about the quote and he simply said that the first young man shouldn't have quoted me that price. And he said he had to charge me an extra $30 for packing peanuts! The cusomters in the store were appalled to hear this. It was clear that unless I had him unpack the tiki, it wasn't going anywhere without paying the $114. I clearly told him that I felt he was being dishonest but he simply didn't care. His mother owns the place and she is relatively nice, but he is aloof and unfriendly.
Oh, and BTW, I shipped it priority mail and it got to my home 2 days faster than UPS. UPS is really starting to suck.
3) The third store was laughable. I took the same tiki to the Mail Room (not exactly sure of the name) but it's in the Napili marketplace and a worker stated it would be $225 just to pack it. I literally laughed in her face. That is just simply shipping rape. Now you know why I ended up shipping it in Kihei despite the bait-and-switch technique.
On our next trip, we will secure boxes in advance, go to Kahului to one of the "marts" and get our own bubble wrap, etc and ship priority mail from the post office, conveniently located in Kihei. All the shipping places see a tourist coming a mile away.....avoid them all like the plague if you can.
1) Bought two Diller ceramic plates at Hilo Hatties. Paid for shipping ($37). They arrived yesterday Fed Ex (very fast delivery) but one of the pieces was broken. It wasn't the fault of FedEx. The shipping idiot at Hilo Hatties (Kihei) put the much larger piece on top of the smaller piece.
I called the Kihei store and they are issuing a call ticket for the package, and once received back in Maui, they are shipping a new one out. So all will be well in probably a month.
2) Shipped three packages out of the Mailbox Etc shop in Kihei. The manager is a jerk and I believe he takes advantages of tourists. I first shipped 2 packages (highway robbery if you want them to supply box/packing) and it took a full week using UPS. Everything in one box was fine but a turtle piece was broken in the second box. It was the fault entirely of UPS since the piece was in a custom styrofoam box INSIDE ANOTHER BOX. I've fixed it, but I'm still debating putting in a claim.
The second visit to that store is where I began to suspect that they scope out which customers to overcharge for packing. We bought a tiki at the Old Lahaina Luau for $400. I took it the Kihei store and the young man in the store quoted $67 for everything. He asked us to come back in 20 min when it would be packed and he could ring it up. By the time we got back, the manager was there and he rung it up as $114 !!!! I told him about the quote and he simply said that the first young man shouldn't have quoted me that price. And he said he had to charge me an extra $30 for packing peanuts! The cusomters in the store were appalled to hear this. It was clear that unless I had him unpack the tiki, it wasn't going anywhere without paying the $114. I clearly told him that I felt he was being dishonest but he simply didn't care. His mother owns the place and she is relatively nice, but he is aloof and unfriendly.
Oh, and BTW, I shipped it priority mail and it got to my home 2 days faster than UPS. UPS is really starting to suck.
3) The third store was laughable. I took the same tiki to the Mail Room (not exactly sure of the name) but it's in the Napili marketplace and a worker stated it would be $225 just to pack it. I literally laughed in her face. That is just simply shipping rape. Now you know why I ended up shipping it in Kihei despite the bait-and-switch technique.
On our next trip, we will secure boxes in advance, go to Kahului to one of the "marts" and get our own bubble wrap, etc and ship priority mail from the post office, conveniently located in Kihei. All the shipping places see a tourist coming a mile away.....avoid them all like the plague if you can.
Feb 26th, 2006, 02:51 AM
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I agree that what you were charged sounds exhorbitant but I'd like to point out that boxes never stay rightside up so there's a good chance the bigger piece was under the smaller piece for part of way. UPS suggests 2" of packing material around each item. It's also possible that once packed the added dimension of packing material plus box puts a package into an oversize 1 category (weighs less than 30 lbs but box is big) - see UPS shipping guidelines about this. I have found the post office is much cheaper than UPS when shipping between the East Coast and Alaska so I wouldn't be surprised if it's also the best way coming from Maui. You can calculate cost and time in transit on UPS's website ... and make sure you have a tracking number when you do ship. UPS has guaranteed time in transit policy so if a package doesn't arrive on time, you can request a REFUND. You have to make your request within 15 days.
Feb 26th, 2006, 12:03 PM
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What UPS service were you using? Overnight and it didn't come?
Other than that I've always found UPS to take longer than the post office - and to be quite unrealiable - leaving packages with no signature, putting thme in garages etc. The only really reliable fast shipper is FedEx.
Other than that I've always found UPS to take longer than the post office - and to be quite unrealiable - leaving packages with no signature, putting thme in garages etc. The only really reliable fast shipper is FedEx.
Feb 27th, 2006, 07:44 AM
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SoonerOrLater, I'm sorry you had this problem, but thank you for posting this to help others. UPS and FedEx and incredibly expensive from the islands, which is why there's almost always a huge line in the post office (Christmas is insane!). As far as packing material, dirty clothes can do a good job. 
Alternatively, you can do what my parents did and ship your dirty (but light and not particularly valuable) clothes home via USPS, freeing up space in your luggage or carry-on for treasures.
Alternatively, you can do what my parents did and ship your dirty (but light and not particularly valuable) clothes home via USPS, freeing up space in your luggage or carry-on for treasures.
Feb 28th, 2006, 12:07 PM
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We actually thought of that shipping suggestion later in the trip, and naturally after we had shipped out the souvenirs. We live in Michigan, so certainly we wouldn't have needed our summer clothes and most of clothing we packed.
However, it might have been hard to pack the tiki (30") in my luggage. And, have you ever watched baggage handlers? Maybe he needed his own seat on the plane!
However, it might have been hard to pack the tiki (30") in my luggage. And, have you ever watched baggage handlers? Maybe he needed his own seat on the plane!
Mar 2nd, 2006, 10:35 AM
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Yes, it was that exact store. In the Longs drugstore complex. I cannot stress enough to avoid that store. And, don't take any Diller ceramic pieces to him because he refuses to insure them, regardless which service you use (Priority mail or UPS). Evidently, he doesn't know how to correctly pack them, and he had a high claim rate against him for broken pieces. He admitted that himself to me!
Mar 2nd, 2006, 05:06 PM
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judyrem -
Don;t see how they can refuse to reimburse if you have the receipts and paid insurance. Whye not just take them to small claims court?
As for how good they are - I've shipped literally hundreds of packages overnight and the only times (twice) they didn't arrive was due to a blizzard and airports being closed. Have lots of stuff shipped to me by UPS (avoid it when possible - but often not - and they are fatal - take forever, leave them anywhere - in a 48 apartment building - and once left a package in my parents garage with no notice. The contents were soaked, they had no delivery signature, and claimed it wasn;t their fault. They had to sue them to get reimbursement.
Don;t see how they can refuse to reimburse if you have the receipts and paid insurance. Whye not just take them to small claims court?
As for how good they are - I've shipped literally hundreds of packages overnight and the only times (twice) they didn't arrive was due to a blizzard and airports being closed. Have lots of stuff shipped to me by UPS (avoid it when possible - but often not - and they are fatal - take forever, leave them anywhere - in a 48 apartment building - and once left a package in my parents garage with no notice. The contents were soaked, they had no delivery signature, and claimed it wasn;t their fault. They had to sue them to get reimbursement.
Mar 3rd, 2006, 08:08 PM
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I stated that it was my second trip where I suspected that they were overcharging after the packing was complete. My only complaint on the first trip was that UPS took forever for me to get the two packages. On the second trip, they increased the price after they asked me to come back after it was packed (tiki).
