[Mr Rick]

   
I find it unbelievable that shipping services leave your stuff at the door if you're not there to pick it up.

I am old enough to remember when UPS and FedEx required a signature, or they did not deliver. Obviously that didn't turn out well.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Guys, to clarify: no real worries with billing and shipping addresses that don't match--heck, I do it all the time as well. However, if it's a first-time order from a brand new customer and it's, say, for a Ragnarok and Yggdrasil (when available) and it's shipped next day, you bet we'll be taking a longer look at the order.

 

[Zojokkeli]

Almost everything that isn't delivered by the regular postal service here requires a signature. Usually they just call you beforehand and arrange the time and place for pickup. It just seems absurd they would leave your stuff unattended.

 

[Mr Rick]

  Almost everything that isn't delivered by the regular postal service here requires a signature. Usually they just call you beforehand and arrange the time and place for pickup. It just seems absurd they would leave your stuff unattended.

During peak shipping periods people have been known to follow the UPS / FedEx truck and do their own five-fingered pick-up...................until the got caught.

 

[David Aldrich]

  Almost everything that isn't delivered by the regular postal service here requires a signature. Usually they just call you beforehand and arrange the time and place for pickup. It just seems absurd they would leave your stuff unattended.

I don't think Finland has as big of a problem with the entitled prick syndrome. We want it yesterday and the cost of ground shipping with a discount on top for being a customer at all.
 
Also from what I understand due to the smaller population in a small geographical area most European countries have excellent couriers.
 
Nice thing about living in Irvine, CA and specifically a gated community I don't worry much at all about couriers leaving packages unsigned for at the front door. I had a $1000 package from Canada left at the door just a couple of weeks ago with no worries on my part. It may bite me in the ass some day but it hasn't yet.

 

[Serenitty]

I"m violating a few of these right now.  I ordered an AK120II through Amazon, had it shipped to my address for my credit card.  It shipped signature only, which is fine.  But it also shipped so that UPS cannot hold it at the Depot.  Well, I'm away from home for work from 6am to 5pm, so I only see brown on the weekends.  The first delivery was supposed to be today, then thursday, then friday and they send it back.
 
So I've been trying to get the shipper to drop the hold restriction, or ship it to another address (work).  It probably looks bad...  They're rerouting it to work now.  So hopefully I'll still get it this week.  UPS is being a little slow in showing the change on the tracking...
 
Of course with the number of times I've used that credit card (an amazon card) legitimately though Amazon, I'm sure they're not worried... 

 

[kstuart]

Jason - two questions:
 
(1) If the credit card number is "stolen" (i.e. not the legitimate credit of the person receiving the products), then what do the credit card companies say to justify not reimbursing you ?
 
(2) What are the specific countries that have more scam orders than real orders ?
 
( You can answer the second by PM if you don't want to post that here. )

 

[rovopio]

  Guys, to clarify: no real worries with billing and shipping addresses that don't match--heck, I do it all the time as well. However, if it's a first-time order from a brand new customer and it's, say, for a Ragnarok and Yggdrasil (when available) and it's shipped next day, you bet we'll be taking a longer look at the order.

 
Jason, How do you (or in my case Nick and Laura) determine which south east asia order is legit or not?
 
I ordered schiit item to SEA at the end of december, and got my product shipped the same day. I think it was 2 hours after i pay. Which was really really quick. How did they determine whether a SEA order, say my order.. was legit or not?
 
Because i myself have to agree with what you said about the condition of orders from SEA

 

[Alex Martin]

The signature requirement is not even remotely bullet proof.  The last time we rotated FedEx guys I decided to have a little test.  I signed every delivery by drawing the batman symbol on their signature pad and told them my name was Bruce Wayne.  I would get a funny look and then the driver was on his way to the next delivery.  The number of people who cared: zero.
 
The number one rule is protect yourself first.  Fraud is like wet paint and no one wants to get it on them.  Paypal will dodge responsibility.  FedEx will point at their contract.  USPS will make arcane rules that require you to bring a druid, a wizard, and a shaman to the post office during the height of the vernal equinox to submit the proper form.  Then just as you finish the animal sacrifice and are getting ready to read the entrails they'll tell you that the guy who normally handles that is on vacation and to come back during the summer solstice. 
 
Check every order.  Look for inconsistencies.  Look for patterns in how customers normally do things and when an order doesn't fit that pattern look at it very closely.  Don't be afraid to say no to an order.   Good honest customers will come back and work with you.  Scammers won't.

 

[Alex Martin]

  Jason - two questions:
 
(1) If the credit card number is "stolen" (i.e. not the legitimate credit of the person receiving the products), then what do the credit card companies say to justify not reimbursing you ?
 
(2) What are the specific countries that have more scam orders than real orders ?
 
( You can answer the second by PM if you don't want to post that here. )

The credit card company doesn't have to justify it to the merchant.  The merchant isn't their customer.  The credit card company tells the processor that the charge is contested.  Our processor has us fill out a form.  6 - 8 weeks later the credit card company says they find in favor of their customer and our processing company pulls the money from our account.  If I want to get paid I need to go after the customer.  I used to complain and I was told to look at my contract.  I have never won a contested credit card charge claim.  The last two claims I filled out our written response in Haiku.  I still lost the claim but I felt better about it.
 
The only protection we have is to require questionable orders to pay via a Paypal verified transaction.  That puts Paypal on the hook if there is a problem.  I have only had one Paypal verified transaction contested as fraudulent.  I won that claim. 

 

[cspirou]

Different shipping and billing addresses is a regular occurrence for small items especially during Christmas time. I don't think anyone really has worry about getting rejected. Its only a flag for closer scrutiny after all. Not unless the gift is multiple Gungnirs.

 

[jacal01]

 
  The last two claims I filled out our written response in Haiku.

 
Too bad contested
Charge claims are outside the realm
Of adequation.

 

[Pirakaphile]

I've only ever got Magni/Modi from Schiit, but I'm glad I chose the slowest shipping. Just chill out and save a bit of cash, dudes. Great new chapter, quite informative and entertaining. Glad to know that you guys keep the bullschiit down.

 

[kstuart]

 

  Jason - two questions:
 
(1) If the credit card number is "stolen" (i.e. not the legitimate credit of the person receiving the products), then what do the credit card companies say to justify not reimbursing you ?
 
(2) What are the specific countries that have more scam orders than real orders ?
 
( You can answer the second by PM if you don't want to post that here. )

The credit card company doesn't have to justify it to the merchant.  The merchant isn't their customer.  The credit card company tells the processor that the charge is contested.  Our processor has us fill out a form.  6 - 8 weeks later the credit card company says they find in favor of their customer and our processing company pulls the money from our account.  If I want to get paid I need to go after the customer.  I used to complain and I was told to look at my contract.  I have never won a contested credit card charge claim.  The last two claims I filled out our written response in Haiku.  I still lost the claim but I felt better about it.
 
The only protection we have is to require questionable orders to pay via a Paypal verified transaction.  That puts Paypal on the hook if there is a problem.  I have only had one Paypal verified transaction contested as fraudulent.  I won that claim. 

That does not make sense.
 
Suppose my credit card number is stolen by "A. Romanian Scammer".  A. Romanian Scammer submits an order to Schiit and has you deliver it to Bucharest instead of my billing address in California.
 
When I find out my card is stolen, I report it to my bank.  Of course, Visa Processor is going to return the money to my card.  But if I report the transacation as not being done by me, why would they charge the merchant ??

 

[rovopio]

  That does not make sense.
 
Suppose my credit card number is stolen by "A. Romanian Scammer".  A. Romanian Scammer submits an order to Schiit and has you deliver it to Bucharest instead of my billing address in California.
 
When I find out my card is stolen, I report it to my bank.  Of course, Visa Processor is going to return the money to my card.  But if I report the transacation as not being done by me, why would they charge the merchant ??

 
The company is returning your money to you by taking back the money they gave the merchant in the first place