‘I tell all my customers’: Delivery driver shares why damaged boxes are sometimes a good thing

A delivery driver says that if you're calling the parcel company over a damaged box at your door, you're just wasting your time.

Sal Duarte (@notmariolopez) says that giving UPS, USPS, FedEx, DHL, etc. a call and reaming them out isn't the best course of action—you'll be better served calling the business you purchased the product from instead. And maybe, you might end up with two products as a result.

He says that you've got a better shot of a major business that utilized the parcel service to ensure its customers receive its products in a prompt manner calling them up to handle the situation. That's because a major corporation is probably going to take a concern expressed by another major corporation more "seriously" than the ravings of a singular consumer.

He breaks it down in a viral TikTok that's accrued over 33,000 views as of Tuesday morning.

Why are damaged packages sometimes a good thing?

Duarte begins his message with a recording that appears to have been taken from the driver's seat of a delivery truck. "So, I don't know if it's considered a shipping hack but I tell all my customers if you get something and it ends up being damaged [or lost, he adds in a quick overlay in the clip], you need to call the company that you bought it from and especially if it's a big company," he instructs.

The TikToker adds that the size and reputation of the company play a significant role in this tactic: "Now, if it's a small company, it's a little bit different. But if it's a big company, and you bought it from them—people say, 'I don't want to call the company that I bought it from because it was the people that delivered it to me that messed it up.' And I say, 'You know what? Sometimes it was, sometimes they didn't package it right. But even if it was, if you're just this regular person and your calling this big company that delivered your package to get your money back, are they gonna take you seriously?'"

The TikToker was a bit coy about naming which companies he was referring to, but he says these large companies get caught up in communications while the customer gets a sweet deal. "They'll get it worked out, but in the meantime you already got your replacement sent because it wasn't your fault that it got there damaged," he says.

He says that taking the gripes directly up with the company that sold the product is probably the best way to go about it, meaning that you're more than likely are going to get said product sent in the mail to you much more quickly than if you were to air your grievances with the parcel service.

"It's easier that way, because if you do it the other way around, you're gonna be waiting for weeks sometimes to hear back," he says. "And sometimes, you still haven't heard back after a month, you know? I've had that a lot with some customers. So I tell them, 'Call the company you bought it from.'"

Commenters second Duarte's shipping advice

One user who responded to his video further explained why Duarte's video contained such solid advice: "Because they have business account with ups and have a salesmen to keep up does accounts in good standing good."

"Especially because they have an account and reps that handle things efficiently. UPS Clerk here, and our customer service hotline is horrible," another wrote. "Let the account reps handle it."

Someone else agreed with Duarte, noting that the shipping company isn't necessarily serving the customer that purchased the product—the business that contracted them is: "They’re technically aren’t our customer, the shipper is. I always tell them to contact the company they bought their item from so they can start the process."

"Amazon can issue a new product way faster than ups can issue a refund," another added.

However, there were some folks who said that they experienced issues with both the company and the carrier after having an unsatisfactory delivery experience.

"Not @Ulta Beauty from my experience, they will not refund you or send you a new item if the delivery was 'complete,'" one user wrote. "I went back and forth with them and the carrier service. Both did nothing."

Duarte had a suggestion for this scenario as well: "Next time this happens no matter how dumb it may sound file a police report for a stolen package then call ups back with a report number."

@notmariolopez #foryou #package #delivery #deliverydriver #lifehacks ♬ original sound - Sal Duarte

Another commenter said Duarte's advice could pose issues for small business owners. "As a small business that just had UPS misdeliver a package and your rep said for them to contact me for a $200 refund… not cool," they wrote. "UPS lost the package and theres no reason I should eat that cost."

Duarte agreed with the above-mentioned sentiment, which is why he said the case was different with small businesses. "I agree with you 100 percent! That’s why I said small businesses are different, so I totally understand where you’re coming from," he wrote.

The Daily Dot has reached out Duarte via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment for further information.

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