Complaint Review: Gribble Grabble

I received an Amazon Christmas gift card but I was very disappointed when I discovered it could only be used at Amazon.com. Now that I reside in the UK, I now was only buying from Amazon.co.uk.   However, I thought I could make use of the card for at least one purchase I knew it could not be sent to the UK but had it sent to my sister in Colorado.  She is an expert on dealing with postage to the UK and always handles these purchases, finds the best rate for the weight or side of the package and she understands the custom regulations.  The other purchase I made would deplete the card for what I thought was an inexpensive item and hardly any weight.   I did not expect any shipping problems for this light weight small item that could fit in an envelope.  Now this item has become an absolute nightmare and the company I purchase the item from seems to be getting away with overcharging their customers. To set the record straight most of the gift card went to the first purchase for which I have no absolutely no dispute with and that bill was promptly paid.                                              

The second purchase through the merchant Gribble Grabble was for a soft needlepoint cloth sunglass case with cleaning cloth that cost $ 8.99.  (Attachment C).  I did look at their shipping rates which are very confusing.  They state to Europe (by weight) $ 4.50 I presumed was for each pound weight (Attachment B).  I knew it had to be way under a pound (per weight as it states) so the total should have been just $4.50.  By shipment it states it is $45.50.  That said to me that my item would be for up to 10 pounds and that was not come even remotely close.  I went to the US Postal Postage Calculator and put in what I thought the weight/price would be.  I send jewelry to the US and receive jewelry supplies so I am familiar with this resource (Attachment A-1 and A-2).  I noted that the first class international service was $12.75 which was around the prices of their international standard scale for 21-42 days between the rates of $14.95 and $16.95 (Attachment B).  So I requested the international standard amount.  Although my item was more in line with the weight of a DVD or CD or even a VHS – the item is small, lays flat and does not weight even 4 oz., I honestly thought I was more in line with this shipping amount.   So I specifically plugged that in, put my credit information.  When the invoice showed $45.50, I immediately cancelled.  I honestly thought that I made a typing error or the system was not working.  I put the information back in, again asked for the international standard for the 21-42 days.  This was an item I was buying showed as a credit of $8.05 so that item actually cost me 94 cents.  It is absolutely absurd that I would pay so little but be saddled with a ridiculous shipping payment. Anyway after ensuring that I had put down for the international standard amount, I clicked and upon the second click I realized that my receipt this time did not reflect the amount I thought it should.  I printed the receipt (Attachment C) but now I was totally confused because not only did it not give me the standard international rate, nor did it go by the weight of $4.50 per pound nor did it charge me the $45.50 (attachment B)  but the amount was for $47.21.  I have searched their entire shipping rate page and cannot find that amount – so now where did that amount come from?   

I knew that I needed to wait for the transaction to show up on my credit card statement before I could make an inquiry.  I honestly thought there was a mistake during the transaction and I could deal directly with the company later.  So I waited a few days to see if they would contact me about the irregularity. 

After a few day when I didn’t receive a “we are sorry but there was a mistake on your purchase”, I thought ok, maybe no one has addressed as of yet.  I waited a few more days and the more I waited, I became upset about this transaction.  “Could they honestly believe anyone would ever pay five and a half times the postage for such a trivial cheap item?”  So I contacted Gribble Grabble asking them to explain the  amount for shipping applied to my order – it had to be a huge mistake and  I wanted the order cancelled  I honestly felt that they applied an unbelievable postage amount for such a  very tiny and insignificant order.  I was given tracking information so I approached asking for the order to be cancelled.  I sent the following email:

Well if you have the ability to track this item, then you have the ability to stop the delivery of this item.  If I didn't have a date of delivery until August 4 to Aug 19 that is plenty of time to stop it before it leaves the US.  I had absolutely no idea that you were going to charge such an outrageous amount for this glass case that weighs next to nothing.  You are asking me to pay 4 times the amount of the case for shipping.  I will not do it and if the order is not stopped, I am filing a complaint with my credit card company.  I will weigh this item, and have the postage checked by our system here.  It doesn't weigh even a pound.  I have this come from the US that weights a full box and the whole package is $26.00 or so.  You are ripping me off and I do not like it.  I was using a gift card which apparently did not cover but $8.00 of your sale so that means for something that was $8.99 and $8.05 was taken off, I am paying $47.21 for something that I only paid $.94.  That is absolutely insane.  I won't do it.  As I said if you do not cancel this order, I will follow through with the postal system, my Credit Card Company and Amazon.  When I placed the order it was all together with other items I paid for.  I believed that shipping was a total for all items.  I expect a full refund.  Also if it does arrive and I ship it back to you....if the cost does not come close to what you are quoting, I will make sure this is known, Amazon will hear about it and also on feedback.  I know I am not being very polite here but if you cannot see how absurd this situation is, then the only way to approach it is with a firm hand.  However, if this matter is resolved quickly and immediately I will also ensure that Amazon and the feedback gives a more positive response.  Thank you for your immediate attention to this situation; again it is absolutely such a ridiculous transaction.

 Their response was:  hello,

you can't tell the US post office to stop delivery.  maybe with UPS or fedex but not with the post office.

the cost of shipping was clearly stated during checkout. i am not sure why you are complaining now.  “you paid for standard shipping but i upgraded you to priority mail”.  tracking says it is on its way to you.

your amazon purchase during checkout told you the expected deliver date
Estimated Delivery:     Aug 4, 2014 to Aug 19, 2014 your item has until Aug 19 to arrive there before it is considered late.
your postage cost well more than you think it did and “i bumped your order in front of other people who paid before you to get your order out quickly.”
i regret you are unhappy however nobody ripped you off.
you were informed of the shipping cost AND expected delivery date.
you agreed to both and made the purchase.  you have no grounds to file any sort of complaint.
since your order was shipped Priority it will be there well before the 19th.
have a pleasant day.

After them telling me that”they changed my shipping request”… this is when I felt, they were really taking liberties with my purchase.  So I wrote back:

 Well you said it: “I paid for standard and you took it upon yourself to upgrade to priority - did I ask for that (you paid for standard shipping but we upgraded you to priority mail.)?

You are totally correct especially if I only asked for standard shipment...... (your postage cost well more than you think it did and i bumped your order in front of other people who paid before you to get your order out quickly.)  Again did I ask that you put my item on a priority shipment?  Did I make any suggestion that I wanted this sooner than later?  

 Right there in those two sentences, without asking me you did something I didn't ask for.

 Unhappy yes I am.  And once I find out what the difference between standard shipment of a few ounces of this eye case and what the priority shipment would be, I will be following through with this.

 You have a nice day too.

 I have not heard from them since.  On July 30, I finally received the page (Attachment D) which as of this day, I have not opened it.  I tried to find the amount of postage that was used but could not find any indication on the package.  It only states on the custom tag that the glass case is valued at $9.00 (Attachment E) and the weight is 6 ounces (which is only .375 of a pound – not even half of a pound).  So I thought if I paid $4.50 per pound, it would only be for half a pound $2.25!

I took the sealed package to the Royal Post office and she was initially flabbergasted that something so small and lightweight was in such an unnecessarily large bubble lined package.  She said you know there are smaller bubble packages and I told her I didn’t send it, I received it.   Her comment was they made a pretty penny off of you!  So she felt it and couldn’t really feel it because it was so thin.  Then she weighed it and said  that if I were to send it back unopened, exactly as it arrived here, the cost would be first class international (even in this large bubble wrapped package) it would be £4.75.  At today’s exchange rate of $1.68, the total would be $7.98 for this same package going back to the same place in California and would arrive in approximately 14 work days without sending it priority.  The package ONLY weighed (in the large bubble package with the lightweight glass case) a total of 163 kgs which is 5.75 ounces (Attachment F).  So with that verification from the post office, I was determined to find out what options that would have been available. 

I went back the USPS Postage Price Calculator for international services to (Attachment A-1 and A-2).  I entered the package was small weighing less than 6 oz. (0.170 Kg) to United Kingdom (Great Britain/Northern Ireland) and my chart showed me three price results that applied to this purchase.

I asked for Standard First Class Package International Service (Attachment A-1)with thepackage being within all measurements and value) it stated the amount of $12.75.  However, I would have even accepted the Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Box (within all measurements and value), at the cost of $24.75.  BUT I did not receive a box; it was a padded envelope so this would not apply.

 I was charged for Priority Mail Express International (Attachment A-2), without asking for this But they decided to do this.  They did not ask me about whether I wanted delivery of the item quickly nor did they inform me that they changed my order.  This small company out of Amazon.com is charging exorbitant shipping amounts, using larger unwarranted packaging and changing the orders from standard to priority without the customer’s knowledge.  They used excessive packaging to apply higher rates knowing that the item inside does not warrant it.

I am asking for a refund from this company in the amount of $40.00 which they blatantly over charged me with mailing the package which is actually five and a half times the amount, placed in a larger unwarranted package and also changed my request from standard to priority of which I did not ask for. 

I honestly believed the amount of shipping that I was going to be charged was o/a $14.95.   As I also said, I have proven that the package weighed slightly less than 6 ounces (0.0057497 oz.), which is also less than 0.170 kg (0.163 kg), the rate provided by the USPS.  The item would not have cost any more than $ 7.98 to send back to California for the same amount of time as when this shipment arrived here at my front door.  Also it did not need to go priority.  This on line company has all these various charges for domestic shipments but has chosen the lazy way to apply shipping charges as just a lump sum for most of their items.

As I stated, I have not as yet opened the package and I will gladly send back the item and pay the $7.98 to do so happily.  However, then I want the entire amount of $48.16 credited to my credit card.  I will also never use another gift card from Amazon.com; it has been a total disaster.  Thank you for looking into this matter and if you require any additional information,