Verizon gift cards "lost" by UPS

[CruzCrazy]

So I just checked to see when my $500 worth of gift cards would be delivered by UPS. Entered the tracking number and find the following message:

 

"Merchandise is missing. UPS will notify the sender with additional details. / All merchandise missing, empty carton was discarded. UPS will notify the sender with details of the damage."

 

I immediately called Verizon Rewards and was told the usual "we'll check into it and issue a ticket." They said somebody would be in contact with me in 3 business days.

 

We leave for our cruise in a few days. Even if the issue is resolved quickly, they probably won't have replacement cards ($500) to send me since they are not available very often. I'm going to tell them I don't want the cards and request a refund if they won't be here before this cruise since these were ear-marked for our S&S account.

 

Very disappointing.

 

PS: Incidentally, UPS' website said they tried to deliver the package on Friday. We weren't available to sign on Friday. Very interesting...I would assume that the package was intact on Friday, but who knows? All I know is I don't have my $500 worth of cards for which a $450 charge is currently sitting on my credit card. Plus, now I'm out the intended $50 discount.

 

Bummer. Thanks for listening. I know there's nothing anyone here can do. I just thought I'd post this as a caveat to these gift cards. I wish they'd work out whatever issue they had with the electronic cards.

[RiotAct]

Sorry to hear. I've found that, over the years, UPS (and FedEX) are both one small step above carrier pigeon.

[skittl1321]

I would recommend calling Verizon and seeing if they can cancel the order. If they will not- I would recommend calling your credit card company and see if the charge can be reversed because terms were not fulfilled.

 

Unless you plan to cruise again soon, late cards are worthless to you, right?

So I'd spend a bit of time on this.

 

Sorry you have to deal with the hassle.

[evandbob]

You can always notify your credit card company.

 

Last time I ordered Verizon gift cards I was able to print them myself. I prefer that option when available. Verizon sent me a confirming email with a link to print, very simple.

 

I recently had the same deal through AARP, and their delivery method was through UPS, signature required. More of a PITA that way.

[KevInPitt]

Truly a bummer - sorry this happened to you so soon before your cruise. Hoping you have a terrific time regardless and that whatever happened to those gift cards can be rectified before you leave so it's not weighing on your mind during the trip.

[nwcruiselover]

I agree with those who suggest contacting your credit card company to dispute the charge. You didn't receive what you paid for and hopefully they'll reverse the charge. It will take some time though. It most likely won't be done before your cruise. I have been reluctant to order these cards for this exact reason. I know 99% of them are probably delivered, but I don't want the hassle of trying to track them down.

[tallyho8]

I don't know why they don't send the letter with the cards USPS Priority Mail since it is just a small letter. It would probably be cheaper and USPS is better at handling letters than UPS or Fed Ex are.

[fligster]

I don't know why they don't send the letter with the cards USPS Priority Mail since it is just a small letter. It would probably be cheaper and USPS is better at handling letters than UPS or Fed Ex are.

 

 

Mine came via usps, but I only bought $200 worth and didn't need to sign or anything.

[lizardhowson]

Sorry to hear. I've found that, over the years, UPS (and FedEX) are both one small step above carrier pigeon.

 

Agreed, I ordered an item from Amazon to be delivered to Columbus, Ohio. Two days later when the tracking was finally updated, it showed the package went from Lexington, KY to New Jersey (wrong destination). Then it also showed the package was ruined during shipment, not listed as damaged, it actually said destroyed or ruined or some similar term.

[lappy22]

I definitely would not want gift cards mailed to my mailbox!! UPS and Fed Ex are much better at handling this.

[christyran1228]

I'm so sorry that happened to you ... that is just beyond frustrating. If you can't get it resolved in time for your trip, call your bank and initiate a chargeback on the charge.

 

You wouldn't have that extra $50, but at least you would have the extra s&s money available.

 

Good luck!

[Viv0828]

I am sorry to hear of the lost cards. Mother's Day 2014 I mailed my DD a $50 Target gift card. She never received it. It must have gotten lost or was stolen.

 

Now I only give gift cards that are sent via email or mobile device. Lesson learned.

Edited June 30, 2015 by Viv0828

[Jenhem31]

Oh no! I hope you can print them somehow. They should have on file the gift card numbers. And I'd definitely get in contact with the bank and have that charge reversed if Verizon can't help you. UPS should be able to take responsibility. They lost a package of mine once.

[NCTribeFan]

They haven't been available as e-cards for quite a while. Now, when they are available, they are real cards. I would much prefer the e-card.

 

First time I ordered some when the e-card was no longer an option, they came in the mail. I never see anywhere to select a delivery option.

 

I came home from work one day and an envelope was stuck in my front door. It was my cards! They had been put in the wrong mailbox! Thankfully, my neighbor was considerate enough to deliver them rather than throwing them away!

 

I ordered a $100 card on 6/23. It arrived yesterday in the mail.

[ready2cruzagain]

Mine came via usps, but I only bought $200 worth and didn't need to sign or anything.

If you order the $100 gift cards they come regular mail. If you order the $500 gift cards they come via UPS or Fedex and you have to sign for them. At least this has been my experience. I have ordered both several times.

Edited June 30, 2015 by ready2cruzagain

[mrneil001]

Bummer.. And so close to your cruise time. If you order next time, or anyone else orders a $500 card, I recommend doing what I did. After I ordered my 2 $500 cards and received the shipping email, I went on to UPS.com and chose to have them delivered to my local "The UPS Store" instead. Easier than having to wait around for them to be delivered. Just drove to the store later that evening and signed for them there.

[IllinoisCruiser]

If you order the $100 gift cards they come regular mail. If you order the $500 gift cards they come via UPS or Fedex and you have to sign for them. At least this has been my experience. I have ordered both several times.

 

When I ordered 5 of the $100 at one time they came via UPS and I had to sign for them.

[CruzCrazy]

OP here. Thanks to everybody for the moral support.

 

This time I had ordered five of the $100 gift cards because the $500 cards were sold out by the time I checked on the 23rd. I'm assuming with a value of at least $500 they require a signature so send them by UPS. I've gotten $300 worth by regular mail, and I got one $500 card by UPS a few weeks ago by UPS with no trouble (signed for that delivery).

 

I'm going to give Verizon until tomorrow to contact me (or rather my husband since he is the official account owner). If we don't hear from them by then, I'll call them and put the pressure on. If I don't get any satisfaction, then I'll call my credit card company and dispute the charge.

 

UPS doesn't have a really good track record for deliveries to our house. Once I ordered an artificial Christmas tree (7-1/2 feet) from QVC. When it hadn't arrived by the time I thought it should have, I checked the UPS website. It said "delivered," but we didn't have it. Imagine when I called and they said maybe we overlooked it! I don't think you could miss a box that big. Anyway, that was long and drawn out. By the time I called QVC, told them I didn't have the shipment and then insisting that I didn't have the shipment and QVC investigated with UPS, it was past the time when I normally put my tree up. I kept calling to see what they were going to do, and finally QVC removed the charge from my card (this took a couple of weeks and multiple calls--their info from UPS was that it was delivered--so I kept insisting that they use the tracking numbers and try to find out WHERE it was delivered). Great, but now I don't have a Christmas tree because the item was sold out. I was dreading having to go out and try to find one that I liked around home, but there was nothing else I could do.

 

Then one day the box just showed up in my garage. The UPS people often just open the walk-through door in my garage (we live in a rural area where people leave their doors open all the time). The box was a little beaten up, but when I opened it, the tree was fine. Now I had a problem. I had a tree, but I had also gotten a refund. Back to the phone to call QVC and tell them I never wanted a free tree, so put the charge back. I'll bet that was a first. They didn't seem to know what to do and had to call a supervisor so I could pay for the tree. I wish now I had asked for some kind of compensation since the tree was about 3 weeks late getting to me, but I didn't. Then I wondered whether UPS had paid QVC a claim and they got the money twice. Oh well. I had my tree. (An aside to this story--I swear this is true--I used that tree for one Christmas and then got a recall notice on it from the manufacturer because of a potential fire hazard and had to end up cutting the power cord, rendering the tree useless, and send the cord back to QVC, and then had to wait on a refund again!). Maybe I just have bad luck...

 

Anyway, I later found out from the UPS man that my tree had originally been delivered to an address on the other side of our county. My thought process was that the other people saw the box and just assumed somebody else in the household had ordered something and it took a while for anyone to actually look at the shipping label. Then probably one day when UPS was at their house, they said, by the way, you left a big box here that doesn't belong to us...

 

Anyway, that was a long story about UPS and its inherent problems. They handle lots of packages, and stuff is bound to happen. It just never seems to happen at a good time. Christmas...getting ready to go on a cruise...whatever.

 

When I hear from Verizon, I'm definitely going to ask if they can check on the card numbers and invalidate them. Somebody may be booking a cruise with those cards, if they haven't already. I wouldn't be so upset if they could just replace them, but we all know how scarce the cards are.

[cruizinisthebest]

OP when did you place this particular order?

 

I know there was a problem with cards ordered on June 4 & 5 but that was with the $100 cards. Never had an issue with the ones you sign for delivered by UPS.

 

That's really a shame. If they had tried to deliver it on Friday, why didn't they leave a door sign or something? That's standard. If they didn't, I don't know if I would believe that. This is exactly why as soon as I get the tracking info, I call UPS and tell them to leave it at the station. Luckily for me there are two locations close by. I would rather just go get them.

 

Have them refund your money immediately unless they can guarantee to mail you a new card via fedex by tomorrow.

[CruzCrazy]

OP when did you place this particular order?

 

I know there was a problem with cards ordered on June 4 & 5 but that was with the $100 cards. Never had an issue with the ones you sign for delivered by UPS.

 

That's really a shame. If they had tried to deliver it on Friday, why didn't they leave a door sign or something? That's standard. If they didn't, I don't know if I would believe that. This is exactly why as soon as I get the tracking info, I call UPS and tell them to leave it at the station. Luckily for me there are two locations close by. I would rather just go get them.

 

Have them refund your money immediately unless they can guarantee to mail you a new card via fedex by tomorrow.

 

This particular order was placed on 6/23. You know, I thought the same thing about trying to deliver and not leaving a little sticky note about "we tried to deliver...you weren't home, blah-blah-blah." The more I think about it, the fishier it sounds.

 

FedEx (or any other carrier) is just as bad. When we ordered our wedding invitations and paid for express shipping, FedEx couldn't deliver them because the airport was fogged in. UPS was landing planes...whatever...we were leaving for a trip and needed those invitations so we could work on them and get them mailed out to meet the "etiquette guidelines." They were in Richmond, VA, waiting for the fog to lift at our airport. We insisted that FedEx put them on a truck, and we went up to their facility at the airport to meet the shipment. Pony Express was probably more efficient.

 

I guess I should go on record as saying that I've gotten hundreds of shipments from both UPS and FedEx without problems...like I said, stuff happens. It certainly happens to me :o

Edited June 30, 2015 by CruzCrazy

[jcearth]

OP - that stinks. If you cannot get resolution before you leave, definitely dispute the charge.

 

FYI, I ordered $600 worth of gift cards last month (6 $100 cards), and received them via USPS snail mail, so I don't believe there is a rhyme or reason to the delivery method. I definitely preferred over the winter when they did the e-cards.