So When does UPS and FEDEX not allow you to ship paintball markers????

[Konigballer]

well, as an actual FedEx employee, I can understand both how this could happen and how you would be totally pissed.

I don't work in shipping, I try to stay out of it cause it's so confusing. There are litteraly a million different rules and regs for shipping, whether Ground or Express, domestic or international. It's CRAZY, and the thing is they change rules and add new ones all the time, often without notifying anyone taking the packages at the counter. What you have is a system so complex that every shipping person developes their own way of doing things just to make it sensible to them, if not to the customer... It can often lead to mis-understandings, mistakes, and pissed off customers.

Really, unless they engineer terminator robot counter people who never make mistakes and memorize every possible shipping rule, it will always be like this. Sorry peeps.

[bojangles1983]

It was an ignorant clerk

By definition firearm needs fire to propel it's projectile, if it were a propaine tippman they would have had a point, but not for a regular one. Anyhow, for future reference, pack at home and when they ask if it's going to explode or is a firearm say "no"

I had a C3 shipped to me in its original box, no problems, so its just the clerk. They can deny any customer service if they feel threatened or feel that you are lying. Not saying you were or anything.

[Ravenneon]

America is a bunch of babies about firearms, thats why I Open Carry when I get the chance, get the woosies to get used to seeing firearms... Otherwise I conceal and carry everywhere. We lose the freedoms we don't exercise.

AMEN!!!
Wish I could do that here. Illinois, stupid Liberal state. Pansies that are afraid of everything!

[Pha|anx]

I always ship from a UPS hub in the states... So much cheaper & less stupidity. UPS store, while convenient, are expensive.

[RehKal]

This is why I always try to refer to paintball markers as MARKERS. Too many people hear the word "gun" and immediately can't see or think anything else. I don't think of them as guns and never have, I handle them with the same respect because they can seriously harm someone if proper care is not taken with them.

I actually had this same problem when shipping a cheap airsoft P90 in it's original box. I just took the box as is to the UPS store to have them package it up for me and ship it. They asked if it was a firearm, I calmly opened the box to show it was a plastic toy and explained that to them. I get the feeling thinking back that had I called it a airsoft gun they wouldn't have shipped it. They took it but I got the feeling they didnt' really -like- taking it to ship.

I can understand their reluctance when it comes to that particular rule or law however, it's THEM that's gonna get in trouble if anything bad comes from it.

[mostpeople]

Wow man sorry to hear that. I usually bring my markers in as they are, no box or anything to my local UPS store. I ask that they box it up nicely with the service they offer and I also have them ship it.

I have never had an issue.

Next time, get the manager I would say.

[halB]

A gentleman never takes his concerns about a business to the lowly wait staff. A gentleman knows the only person to talk to is the manager or owner. A gentleman knows that a waiter or clerk will only screw your night up more if you direct criticism towards them.

A gentleman also never tells a manager he will take his business elsewhere. A gentleman either will or will not, and nothing the manager does should change that. A gentleman also always knows that the manager will already be well aware of, and scared of, such a risk.

[kwood]

i usually go to my local grocery store and get some paper bags to wrap it in if i ever ship things in the original box, just to avoid situations like that

[shadawg]

The problem with brown wrapping paper for those of us who have never worked in the shipping industry, is that wrapping paper rips.
I worked as a courier for Fedex for over 5 years.
In Memphis, where they sort all packages in the fedex system, they have a really awesome department called overgoods.
What is overgoods?
It is the area where every package content that has been separated from it's packaging goes. since contents not wearing their jacket of packaging typically don't have any address info on them, overgoods is tasked with trying to unite the package content with where it is supposed to go. Usually they are unsuccessful.
So if you ever wonder where lost shipments go, they go to overgoods. You usually never here from them again.Most shippers will not take packages covered with brown paper anymore for this very reason. Although the people in Memphis probably have a lot of cool random **** in their homes from the sales Fedex has with all the unclaimed items they end up covering through insurance claims.

[steve_81]

Why would you add more weight by adding another box ?
All you need is a roll of packaging paper.
Looks like a brown grocery bag.
Wrap it in that and they will ship it.

Or, turn the box inside out and put the contents back in it, and tape it up good.

Because part of what the buyer is paying for in regards to a new or like new marker is the box. I hate sellers who ship something to me like that. Don't be lazy and just put it in a shipping box.

Shippers are not gentle with your packages even when something is marked fragile they still toss it around.

[Lohman446]

She does understand that UPS and FedEx do in fact ship full out firearms right? You have to follow certain protocol but you can ship a firearm.

[ITSPB-Rogue]

Wow, glad to see I'm not the only one who's had this problem.

When I first moved to Jackson, I went down the road to the Howell UPS Store, and I too, had a female clerk tell me she could not ship a BT parts-marker because it "looked like a firearm". I had the same argument with her that you did, in front of several customers, reminded her that it was sporting goods and perfectly legal to own and sell without a license, contained no air system etc. She still refused. Then I tried explaining how when I had first bought the gun it had been SHIPPED TO ME THROUGH UPS. Flat out refused to listen to common sense. So I asked her how it felt to lose the business of someone who ships paintball gear fairly regularly around the country, and walked out. It wasn't even the fact she was refusing to ship it, it was the nasty attitude she had about it and complete lack of customer service she displayed. It was honestly the closest I've ever come to decking a woman in my life.

I was so pissed I went as far as emailing UPS corporate about it, but never got any sort of response and finally decided that I would not use UPS for anything any more. I use USPS Priority for everything now and frankly, it tends to be a lot less expensive and gets there faster. The only downside is the post office opens much later and is typically a zoo whereas I hardly ever had to stand in line to ship anything from my UPS store in the town I lived before this one.