Studio Calico Refugees

I just got off the phone with the Midwest regional ofc of FTC. The rep I spoke with said that the issue with duplicate shipping is a shipping error. If the company made a good-faith effort to resolve (e.g., providing free shipping for return), then the recipient should return the duplicate item(s). He did concede that recipients might possibly interpret this as unordered merchandise and keep the duplicate, but he cannot possibly predict what the company will do. He said that if additional charges are imposed the individual will have to resolve it with his/her credit card company.

He told me that the FTC does not resolve individual complaints and they do not act on behalf of individuals. Their agency will only take action against a company if there is a recognizable pattern (via consumer complaints) of deceptive practices. He also told me that the FTC does not interpret individual state laws, and his suggestion is to contact the state atty’s general office if further clarification is needed.

So…I called the Kentucky State Consumer Protection Agency (KY Atty Gen) and landed on someone’s voice mail. I left a message but I’m not holding my breath that I’ll get a call back (so much going on in Kentucky right now).

Anyway, that’s all I got. I just hope this is somehow helpful.

At least it wasn't deleted. There's some good Q & As in there.

FYI~ there was a thread recently saying that sometimes posts on a thread could be on different pages depending on whether you're reading on a tablet, phone, or computer. I wonder if that's what happened to yours? I can't imagine the Fairy Podmother removing posts, certainly not without an explanation.

Hello, As your shipment comes in, you will notice that we accidentally sent your order twice. You should receive two identical boxes, and each of these have the same contents. Please set one of these aside as I have already reached out to UPS and arranged a pickup to help make this as simple as possible for you. At some point in the next two weeks, a representative from UPS will come back to your house to collect the unopened duplicate. For your convenience, they will attempt to collect the package three times. We have taken care of the shipping cost and UPS will provide the label for the return upon pickup. Thank you so much for your continued support and business. My sincere apologies for the inconvenience. Have a great day, Savannah

What if I type my message board responses HERE first, then copy from here and post it on SC?

So to be nice to the new girl, I messaged her and welcomed her to SC.

I figured if she were a real person she would respond.

Yeah, no response. Go figure.


Question though - a couple months back (maybe 6? wasn't there another shitstorm and a 'new' girl came to handslap then as well. Does anyone else remember that? Co-winky-dink? I don't think so.

mom I looked at her profile, too, and was a little disconcerted by her location and how many years she's been married. I only have 1 kid but my hubs and I celebrate 14 yrs next week. And she's from my state. Could purely be a coincidence..and probably is...but my conspiracy theory spidey-sense got me a little freaked out.

whoa, did you see this posted on the smack blog?? Seems like there is a disgruntled SC employee

Anonymous Anonymous said...
think the biggest scandal is about to happen.

Want to know what I think it *really* is?

People are going to open those duplicate boxes. You know, the ones with the vastly different shipping weights listed?

And they are going to see they contain EXACTLY THE SAME QTY OF MERCHANDISE.

Which will beg the question: Why are they saying things are heavier than they really are? Is it to soak more shipping money out of customers?

Do not ask me how I know this.

This situation stinks to high heaven big time. Please wait and see.

I also HIGHLY ENCOURAGE all customers to weigh their boxes themselves.

Care to ask how the same customer shipping list was somehow created twice with the different weights listed? Perhaps it had something to do with a new employee not being up to speed on how they pad their shipping fees to maximise profit. Oops, printed the wrong manifest with the "old" rates calculated.

I can't say anything more. But not everybody is a happy worker bee over there. If you think they treat the customers badly, think of the packers and shippers in our warehouse.

September 14, 2015 at 8:39 AM

dont feel bad, if I were getting a duplicate box I'm not sure I'd return it either. I don't think for one second that they intend to correct the orders that were messed up because of this error. Let's see in a few weeks if I'm right.
I didn't get a 2nd box thankfully so I'm not really in a position to have to decide!

Just want everyone to watch your accounts. I cancelled my PL sub and took the $15 fee, but it still shows active even though they've acknowledged my cancellation. When I cancelled my other kits it was instant but this is my last kit on the account so I think they might be stalking to catch me after the 24th.

Interesting! Thanks for sharing it here. New employees are not yet up to speed with the company culture 

from the ftc website:

www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0181-unordered-merchandise

Here are some questions and answers about dealing with unordered merchandise.

Q. Am I obligated to return or pay for merchandise I never ordered?

A. No. If you receive merchandise that you didn’t order, you have a legal right to keep it as a free gift.

Q. Must I notify the seller if I keep unordered merchandise without paying for it?

A. You have no legal obligation to notify the seller. However, it is a good idea to write a letter to the company stating that you didn’t order the item and, therefore, you have a legal right to keep it for free. This may discourage the seller from sending you bills or dunning notices, or it may help clear up an honest error. Send your letter by certified mail. Keep the return receipt and a copy of the letter for your records. You may need it later.

Q. What should I do if the unordered merchandise I received was the result of an honest shipping error?

A. Write the seller and offer to return the merchandise, provided the seller pays for postage and handling. Give the seller a specific and reasonable amount of time (say 30 days) to pick up the merchandise or arrange to have it returned at no expense to you. Tell the seller that you reserve the right to keep the merchandise or dispose of it after the specified time has passed.

My packages should be here anytime now.  I will definitely be weighing (and taking photos) of the discrepancies.  BEFORE I cut any tape.  

Either the poster on the blog IS just effing with people or they are a legit disgruntled SC employee and about to do some major whistle blowing.  Either way, the weight discrepancies is kind of a big deal and cause for investigation.  What weight were my shipping charges based on??  Verrrry interesting.  

I wonder how long it would stay up on the SC board if someone repost the comment from the smack blog and asked them about it.