I was hoping to avoid this but Mike has forced the issue by stating he would start a thread on me ( to be honest I had thought of starting one on him, but was willing to let the issue rest where it was, he got his snake and I got paid, should've been the end of the story).
In a nutshell, I posted a hatchling cornsnake on cornsnakes.com, Mike offered to buy it, I looked into shipping FedEx, next day( I am FedEx certified to ship and have shipped many snakes and never had this problem) he wanted me to find a location convenient to him so I sent him a link with staffed locations ( he later states he's had snakes shipped there before so I'm not sure why he had me go look up locations for him?) and he decided to go with the standard rate for next day delivery.
After agreeing to this he PayPals me the money and then I ship on Monday and send him the FedEx shipping link so he can track it.
I didn't get any response so I repeatedly tried to contact him via two email addy's I have ( one for business, the other for contacts) and through PM's and messages at cornsnakes.com. I wanted to make sure he knew, for sure, the snake was coming ( for this Mike later calls me paranoid), finally after the Monday emails I get a message Tuesday ( today) he will be picking it up after work.
At approximately 7:20 PM, my time (4:20 in AZ, where the snake is), I get a call from FedEx stating that the package has not been picked up and that they know it's a snake because it's been sitting there for seven hours now and I had written the scientific name and common on the box, very small...per the LACY ACT
( something Mike later calls "crap" and admits he doesn't do).
The woman is very nice and helpful, and she says that because it's an animal they can only hold it there until 5:30 PM or they will ship it to Tempe for the night because that facility where it is at can't keep it, (at that point she is unclear what will happen with it if he doesn't pick it up tonight and she said she's looking into it), but he can still pick it up in Tempe before 7:30, this info was from two different conversations when she called me, one before and then after they shipped it to Tempe.
I immediately again send emails and messages, the same as before, to Mike basically reiterating what I've been told, I also send him the phone number of the very nice FedEx lady ( she really was helpful and just trying to get this resolved, in the later conversation she said if he didn't get it in time, she'd pretend they missed it and she'd try to keep the snake there in Tempe until the next day by 5PM) which it appears he never bothered to call her.
At this point I'm frustrated with the lack of being able to communicate with him, I've done everything I can to see he get's this snake, delivered to exactly where he wanted, when he wanted it and to where he's had snakes shipped before. I'm worried about the snake and just hoping he get's it in time, as it will probably be another day of travel with temperatures dropping (even with the 40hr. heat pack) if they had to send it back, a possibility if he doesn't get it in time.
Then I get this
I tried to make this easy to read;we had two sets of emails going at one point, but I can post them all as they are if that would help((blue is me, writing in now)
At the same time after my first email we had another set of them exchanged, I send this:
and I send this:
Much adoo about nothing? Happy Mike ( link sent).
I do admit to two mistakes:
1. Not getting his phone number.
2. Not checking into that facility, although calling any of these places and asking about shipping live animals where the employees don't know squat would not be the best idea either.(we both could have been more diligent, he said it was fine and had shipped snakes there before).
In a nutshell, I posted a hatchling cornsnake on cornsnakes.com, Mike offered to buy it, I looked into shipping FedEx, next day( I am FedEx certified to ship and have shipped many snakes and never had this problem) he wanted me to find a location convenient to him so I sent him a link with staffed locations ( he later states he's had snakes shipped there before so I'm not sure why he had me go look up locations for him?) and he decided to go with the standard rate for next day delivery.
After agreeing to this he PayPals me the money and then I ship on Monday and send him the FedEx shipping link so he can track it.
I didn't get any response so I repeatedly tried to contact him via two email addy's I have ( one for business, the other for contacts) and through PM's and messages at cornsnakes.com. I wanted to make sure he knew, for sure, the snake was coming ( for this Mike later calls me paranoid), finally after the Monday emails I get a message Tuesday ( today) he will be picking it up after work.
At approximately 7:20 PM, my time (4:20 in AZ, where the snake is), I get a call from FedEx stating that the package has not been picked up and that they know it's a snake because it's been sitting there for seven hours now and I had written the scientific name and common on the box, very small...per the LACY ACT
( something Mike later calls "crap" and admits he doesn't do).
The woman is very nice and helpful, and she says that because it's an animal they can only hold it there until 5:30 PM or they will ship it to Tempe for the night because that facility where it is at can't keep it, (at that point she is unclear what will happen with it if he doesn't pick it up tonight and she said she's looking into it), but he can still pick it up in Tempe before 7:30, this info was from two different conversations when she called me, one before and then after they shipped it to Tempe.
I immediately again send emails and messages, the same as before, to Mike basically reiterating what I've been told, I also send him the phone number of the very nice FedEx lady ( she really was helpful and just trying to get this resolved, in the later conversation she said if he didn't get it in time, she'd pretend they missed it and she'd try to keep the snake there in Tempe until the next day by 5PM) which it appears he never bothered to call her.
At this point I'm frustrated with the lack of being able to communicate with him, I've done everything I can to see he get's this snake, delivered to exactly where he wanted, when he wanted it and to where he's had snakes shipped before. I'm worried about the snake and just hoping he get's it in time, as it will probably be another day of travel with temperatures dropping (even with the 40hr. heat pack) if they had to send it back, a possibility if he doesn't get it in time.
Then I get this
to which I replied:Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2010 19:51:00 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: RE: You've got money!
To: [email protected]
Kyle,
Next time PLEASE do NOT tell them it is a snake!! Everything would have been just fine had you not let them know that. (Here I think Mike assumes I just called FedEx out of the blue and screamed "snake!" I know better and he should know better!) The Fed-ex office where you shipped it was open until 9pm and I got there at 5:50pm. I have had 2 other snakes shipped there in the past but because you told them it was a snake, they shipped it off to another Fed ex place 45 minutes away where they keep some types of animals. "except for snakes". Fed ex employees know nothing about reptiles ( Here I would agree with Mike, but I do know about the LACY ACT and I'm FedEx certified)and according to the manual which they showed me, snakes cannot be delivered anywere in AZ unless you have a certain reptiles shipping approval which they said you do not have (If this is true that is on me, but not relevant to how this played out). Anyway, I finally found the package at around 7pm and he is doing well in it's new home with water.
thx,
Mike Udall
now Mike:From: kyle howard <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: You've got money!
To: [email protected]
Date: Tuesday, October 26, 2010, 8:22 PM
Well Mike, All I can say is that this has been a very disappointing, frustrating and time consuming transaction.
After I made all shipping arrangements and found a place convenient to you, communication on your side ended, I had to keep following up.
I DID NOT tell them it was a snake!!! They knew when they called because they looked at the label because the darn thing had been sitting there since 9:30 this morning!, If you were unable to pick it up until after work other arrangements should have been made, it wasn't a pair of socks I was shipping you.
The reason the very nice lady I kept speaking to on the phone moved it, was because 5:30 was the latest they could hold it until it had to be shipped back.
The reason I wrote, in the tiniest, smallest, lettering in black possible to match the writing on the box ( look at the label) what was contained is because the LACEY ACT, makes it required that I write the common and scientific name of the animal contained, I was following the law.
I've shipped over a hundred snakes and never had this problem, never.
She also told me that my FedEx, that know me because I ship because I'm certified to ship and do so often, can for any reason (like any other) decide to now refuse to ship for me.
Next time do what every other person does and have it shipped to your home or somewhere it won't be sitting around for eight hours.
thanks, Kyle
Buckeye River Reptiles
Serpent Specialists
my replyI've shipped over 50 snakes and NEVER had this problem. I communicated with you just fine. You are the one that was so incredibly paranoid that kept emailing me over and over(Just trying to communicate what's going on with YOUR snake, Mike. Usually it's the buyer emailing me to make sure everything is OK, but you had me doing all the work from the get-go...'you find me a place for you to ship it'). Not everyone Kyle keeps has a laptop with them 24/7. The dissappointment is on MY side for errors that you made. 5:30 is NOT the latest they could hold items FYI, I don't know where you are coming up with that.Probably from The FedEx lady that initiated a call to me, that's where!) The representative tat Fed ex told me it was there error having sent the box over to the other store and that it should have stayed where it was. 9pm was the latest time to pick up packages at the store we had agreed on so why would it matter if I come in at 2pm or 6pm!!!!!!!????? If it would have went to my home I guarrantee you the box would have been stolen as I live in an apartment! Do you think every NORMAL person lives in a house you piece of shit snob(I'm not sure how I've become a " piece of shit snob" because I thought he might live in a house. ). First I get extremely poor customer service (How's that? emailing you to let you know what's going on with YOUR snake.)and then I get an earful from the person that gave it!! I have purchased well over 150 snakes and NEVER have I had this kind of an experience.
Mike
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To [email protected]
From: kyle howard ([email protected])
Sent: Tue 10/26/10 11:46 PM
To: [email protected]
This message is too wide to fit your screen. Show full message
So following up and communicating is "paranoid", sounds more like projecting. People stay home from work to receive snakes (house or apartment or otherwise), I have many times, but that's because I care for their well being...The woman on the phone, who initiated the call to me, because you didn't give me your phone number ( although I should have asked and you should have offered) gave me that information ( you have the number call her and ask why this came to their attention), the box sitting there all day drew their attention. That's great you're into personal insults now though, very mature.
You're the one that left a snake sitting there for 8 hours, take responsibility, plan better and move on, I have.
If you can't respond without insults then please don't contact me again.
thanks, Kyle
Buckeye River Reptiles
Serpent Specialists
At the same time after my first email we had another set of them exchanged, I send this:
he send this in reply to that one:kyle howard
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To [email protected]
From: kyle howard ([email protected])
Sent: Tue 10/26/10 11:30 PM
To: [email protected]
I'm glad the snake is doing well, he should be ready to eat after he settles, hope he works out for you.
thanks, Kyle
Buckeye River Reptiles
Serpent Specialists
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To kyle howard
From: mike udall ([email protected])
Sent: Tue 10/26/10 11:37 PM
To: kyle howard ([email protected])
This message is too wide to fit your screen. Show full message
And I've never had to write any common and scientific name of anything. Not sure where you are coming up with this crap( It's called the LACY ACT Mike, you could've googled it). I always put that it is "live perishible goods" and I put "fragile" stickers on the outside So you admit to intentionally shipping illegaly?). Not a smart idea to put down snakes as very very few employees know the rules. Sorry about being a little disrespectful calling me a " piece of shit snob" is "a little disrespectful"?, it just pissed me off that you would blame me when in my mind I did NOTHING wrong.
Mike
and I send this:
To which my final one from him that I have not responded to is this:Well, it looks like we have a nice email thread and a not so nice one...the snake's there, everything worked out, let's let it go.
thanks, Kyle
Buckeye River Reptiles
Serpent Specialists
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To kyle howard
From: mike udall ([email protected])
Sent: Wed 10/27/10 12:00 AM
To: kyle howard ([email protected])
It will be over once I leave my BOI message. Prick.
Mike
Much adoo about nothing? Happy Mike ( link sent).
I do admit to two mistakes:
1. Not getting his phone number.
2. Not checking into that facility, although calling any of these places and asking about shipping live animals where the employees don't know squat would not be the best idea either.(we both could have been more diligent, he said it was fine and had shipped snakes there before).