VPost

[Marcheline]

Hi Mods, I'm unsure whether this thread would be in violation of any stated Chapter or Section that governs this forum. If it is, kindly remove it. Thanks.

 

Wondering whether any of you have used VPost, be it VPostUSA or VPostJapan. If you plan to, or have, kindly drop your feedback here.

 

Myself, my first shipment was a total shock. I bought a bag from the States costing about S$100. Sent it to VPostUSA thinking that I could get some savings on shipment. When they sent me the bill for shipment, costing S$80, it totally made me hit the roof. Below are excerpts of my email conversations with their customer service representative:

 

From: ***** ****** [mailto:**********@hotmail.com]

Sent: Wed 18/6/2008 11:03 AM

To: VpostUSA

Subject: Volumetric Weight is too big

 

 

Hi,

 

I bought a bag from USA, my VPostUSA No is VP312***.

 

It states there that the volumetric weight is 7.3 kg. That is a lot of cost! Shipping to Singapore would cost $13.24 + $9.16(7.3) = $80.11.

 

If I had opted for direct shipping to Singapore from the American website, it'd only cost US$32.00 (S$44.16).

 

Where is the savings mentioned, if so?

 

The bag is not so huge. Is it possible for it to be removed from the huge box and be transferred to a smaller VPost box? Paying for a huge box is an unjustified cost. Moveover, the bag can be compressed because there is nothing inside!

 

Kindly help and revert as soon as possible.

 

Thank you.

 

Regards.

 

The customer service representative's reply:

 

Subject: RE: Volumetric Weight is too big

Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:38:12 +0800

From: [email protected]

To: *********@hotmail.com

 

Dear ***** ******.

 

We sincerely apologised for all the inconvience caused.

 

We wish to inform you that we do not open or re-pack you packages to avoid any missing/damage to the item; we will re-forward the packages received at US directly to you. You may wish to inform your Merchant or seller to pack you item in compact box in future.

 

 

Thank you.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Mariani

vPOST Customer Service Officer

vPOST

 

This was just simply unreasonable. So I replied:

 

From: ***** ****** [mailto:*********@hotmail.com]

Sent: Wed 18/6/2008 8:40 PM

To: vpostusa

Subject: RE: Volumetric Weight is too big

 

 

Hi Mariani,

 

Thank you for explaining the process, however the crux of my problem currently is that I'm going to be paying more than 50% of the shipping cost to Singapore, due to empty space in a box! I understand that I can actually inform the merchant to ship it in a compact box; but I could never have known the box was going to be so big! (61.0 X 42.0 X 17.0 cm). The main factor being the height of the box at 17.0 cm. The bag, being empty would not take up more than 7.0 cm of height.

 

Actual weight being 2.1kg and volumetric weight being 7.3kg is simply illogical.

 

Is there any way in which I can authorize the package to be opened and be placed in another box belonging to VPost, simultaneously indemnifying VPost of any liabilities arising from theft/damage? How much damage can be done to a school bag anyway?

 

If nothing can be done to help, I will pay the $80.11 for the shipping (costs almost the same as the bag I'm buying itself!), but do take note that I will not be a returning customer to VPostUSA anytime soon, simply because it doesn't make any economic sense when UPS Ground shipping from the merchant website only costs S$44.16. Notwithstanding I've already paid US$9.95 (S$13.73) for shipping from the merchant to VPostUSA at Portland, Oregon.

 

Regards.

 

 

Dear ***** ******.

 

We sincerely apologised for the error in the dimension of your package.

Please be informed that i have amend to all the necessary details. You may generate your bill by following the steps.

 

 

1) Log in to your vpost account with user Id & password

 

2) Click on vPOSTUSA at the top

 

3) Click on 'Pay Shipping Charges' on the left panel

 

4) Click on 'Generate Payment Advice'

 

 

Sorry for the inconvience caused.

 

Thank you.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Mariani

vPOST Customer Service Officer

vPOST

 

They subsequently informed me that the height had been measured incorrectly, and that it was 7cm instead of 17cm! Total cost was now reduced to S$40. I was about to pay S$40 extra for an error? Anyways, a simple Google search would return plenty of "errors" in package dimensions.

 

Click Me!

Me too!

Me Three!

 

Bottomline is, if you feel that you are being overcharged for your VPost shipment, you probably are! Make a ruckus and you could probably reduce it by at least half.

[Raptor]

Thanks for sharing.

 

Alot of people have been taking advantage of the weak US dollar and are buying alot of things from the USA.

[Vicar007]

well, i have used their service. They are very costly and service is not upto mark. infact since 2 years i am using viaddress which is much cheaper than Vpost. and they fast too. items are shipped in 2-3 days with no issues and they are always in excellent conditions.really fast and reliable. i would highly recommend viaddress this is their link

http://viaddress.com/

[WildCard]

You also can try: http://www.borderlinx.com

 

I still use vPost for now for the sake of convenience. If there is an option to ship directly, I would. Also I would ask the seller to give me the dimensions of the parcel.

 

Recently I had a fracas with vPost when shipping my iPhones over. I bought a 2G and a 3G from different sellers. But gave clear instructions to ship to the same vPost receiving address.

One seller shipped by normal ground shipping while the other did a faster UPS.

Somehow or rather, the ground shipping one turned up faster.

I waited one more week and there was no update on the UPS one.

Checking on UPS website, it showed the item had arrived at vPost and was signed for.

 

Turns out the clerk made a mistake when preparing my shipment advice and gave seperate receiving addreses for each phone (vPost now has 2 receiving addresses in US).

So while the phone arrived at the correct address, the alternate address was waiting for it. And the best part was, no one at the correct receiving address bothered to check why an item arrived without a shipment notice (no problems before when I tend to get sellers to ship first before informing vPost).

 

I made so much noise because I wanted the phones by Hari Raya.

They had to rush the items through that it made it on the Saturday before Hari Raya, which was almost a screw-up as well. Despite my repeated requests to the duty manager that I will collect the phones myself, it ended up the phones got sent out to my home address almost immediately, with no one at home.

[lutein]

Yes, VPost will calculate both weight and volumetric weight and use whichever the higher to calculate shipping post. So a large envelope that is rather flat (just bulging in the middle) will have a large volumetric weight also. My friend kena and she was so angry. I emailed VPost asking if they would just fold up the envelope to make the volumetric weight smaller and they gave the same standard reply as you received.

 

So if I'm shopping via VPost I always ask the merchant to pack as compactly as possible. Often, it's always cheaper to go direct.

 

I have to say, that wrong calculation thing is simply inexcusable!

 

BTW one of the links you posted is my friend's

[cougar]

Yes, i agree with most views here, vpost is not that fantastic. They lost my package before and claim liability upto $60 only. I was so furious i go "bang table"(actually is my super-pissed off email which i kinda regretted writing ever so harshly), they finally relented and do full refund. After that, thanks but no thanks, not using vpost anymore.

 

RE: vPOST Payment Confirmation‏

From: ###### (#####@hotmail.com)

Sent: 14 January 2009 11: 41AM

To: [email protected]

 

Please give me the number of your manager, I demand to know why vpost collect freight from me when the shipment is lost?

What is all these nonsense shipment confirmation i received in the mail if it is lost? How do i know if your staff didnt take the shipment and declare it lost?

You collected GST, freight and send confirmation, and promised delivery upon payment within 5-8 working days, and now one month later just give me a call and said is lost and your liability only limited to $60? Is this the way you do business??? Somebody in your organisation should be fired!!!

 

What for promised delivery if the shipment is lost, full of deception. Stop treating customers like a bunch of suckers, we have totally lost confidence. Cry wolf 3 times and nobody is going to bother.

I demand full refund for all my freight and cost of my goods.

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 18:17:41 +080

From: [email protected]

To: #####@hotmail.com

Subject: vPOST Payment Confirmation

 

 

 

Dear ******,

 

VPOST Payment Confirmation

 

Thank you for making payment via vPOST website. We have received your payment instruction dated 08 Dec 2008 for vPOSTUSA 8343264451 of the amount $ 56.02 . Please take note that your transaction reference number is V001083430824. Your paid item(s) shall be delivered to you within 5 to 8 working days upon payment. You may also login to vPOST to check the status of your package using our Track and Trace Feature. You may also click here to view your Tax Invoice. For the details of this payment, please refer to the Payment History on your vPOST profile. If you have any queries on your transaction, please call 1605 or email to us for assistance.

 

Customer Service Team

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.vpost.com.sg

Edited November 5, 2009 by cougar

[sICkbOi-dOt-cOm]

If you are a citibank member more best.

[pichudot]

one thing to add bros, i have encounters as well as my friends on vpost delivery...

 

they deliver it to your house and if your home have no one in, sometimes they will forgot to put the "i am here before" slip! in the end, u could be waiting and waiting for ur parcel to come to you but it will not... in the end when u called vpost to check, they said it's with them... wth!

 

it's more worse if you have called oversea to have an arguement with the seller or the shipping company there!

 

 

you should keep track of where is your goods from the web... yes, but sometime it does not helps...

 

so bros, do take note of this too...

[Marcheline]

I... posted this last year.

 

Anyways, have used VPost numerous times afterwards without a hitch, to ship over bike parts. Just keep track of your shipment regularly to keep them in check. Keep calling them if there's any delay or if you suspect something is amiss.

 

Have heard more horror stories bout Borderlinx too. Many pros and cons for each.

[sICkbOi-dOt-cOm]

well, i have used their service. They are very costly and service is not upto mark. infact since 2 years i am using viaddress which is much cheaper than Vpost. and they fast too. items are shipped in 2-3 days with no issues and they are always in excellent conditions.really fast and reliable. i would highly recommend viaddress this is their link

http://viaddress.com/

 

1st post and dig up old thread? Advertising for VIADDRESS?

[Guest john1123]

Vpost actually what is that.......

Every body telling that it is a very good technique through which one can send his goods in a quick manner in a affordable price....

Therefore i want every one use this technique and get benefited......

http://viaddress.com

[bikerg]

To shop from the United States, I've been using a free package forwarding service from viaddress.com for a few months now, and I'm quite satisfied with them... I used them to shop on Amazon.com and Ebay.com and it works great!

 

The registration is free n They provide you with a personal US address that you can use to shop from any US merchant and have them forward your packages to your country.

 

If the US merchant does not accept international credit cards, Viaddress can buy the products for you, with no commission fees, and then forward the packages to you. Their prices are very competitive; u can log unto their website to see their price comparison chart.

[lwrncc]

i've been using borderlinx for the last year or so, pretty good although they raise their charges a little this year. ordered 30+ items from ebay/other usa stores and works great. but i think they only accept citibank card holders for singapore.

 

average charge for 3 pairs of shoes for me is S$80.

[Mestophis]

I've used VPost to ship items from the US before and so far they've been quite reliable, though delivery usually takes quite a while.

 

Honestly I guess your problem here lies with the merchant who packed your bag, usually one wouldn't consider about the size of the box that is being used. I wouldn't expect VPost to provide the service of repackaging because it would be a nightmare if every customer requested for something like that.

 

Maybe use this as a learning experience when buying other items from overseas.

[zoomx]

Agreed. Not Vpost fault. Though the thread is quite old, I think Vpost is only good for those merchants who do not ship to SGP.

 

Cheers