PLEASE don't send chocolate via SurePost!

loriqvc · ‎11-06-2011

I understand that the UPS-USPS SurePost shipping handoff saves money for QVC, and I'm pretty patient about the extra delivery time it typically incurs. However, this approach is unacceptable for food items that contain chocolate! The easiest way to ruin even the best-tempered and highest-quality chocolate is to expose it to moisture and multiple changes in temperature, both of which are concerns when shipping across the country in the winter.

Because my recent order of chocolate-covered caramels was shipped using this very slow and inefficient method, instead of being able to get my treats last Friday when they arrived at my local UPS hub, I received them on Wednesday—which means that due to our weather conditions, they were likely freezing and thawing over and over as they were moved around the warehouse to be sorted for transfer, driven from one location to another, and then finally left in the USPS truck for the day until they reached me. In this case, there was a national holiday in the interim, but if the package had been shipped via UPS or USPS directly that wouldn't have mattered because both couriers deliver packages on that day even when mail isn't delivered. The SurePost transfer was what caused the delay.

Anyway, thank you for letting me voice my frustration, and PLEASE, QVC, rethink the way items with chocolate are being handled. As a shipper myself, I know that packages of the size and weight usually associated with these candy deliveries would only cost a few cents more to ship via UPS Ground in most instances (and for some locations, UPS Ground would even be cheaper than SurePost).

Jasmine19 · ‎07-16-2012

@loriqvc wrote:
I understand that the UPS-USPS SurePost shipping handoff saves money for QVC, and I'm pretty patient about the extra delivery time it typically incurs. However, this approach is unacceptable for food items that contain chocolate! The easiest way to ruin even the best-tempered and highest-quality chocolate is to expose it to moisture and multiple changes in temperature, both of which are concerns when shipping across the country in the winter.

Because my recent order of chocolate-covered caramels was shipped using this very slow and inefficient method, instead of being able to get my treats last Friday when they arrived at my local UPS hub, I received them on Wednesday—which means that due to our weather conditions, they were likely freezing and thawing over and over as they were moved around the warehouse to be sorted for transfer, driven from one location to another, and then finally left in the USPS truck for the day until they reached me. In this case, there was a national holiday in the interim, but if the package had been shipped via UPS or USPS directly that wouldn't have mattered because both couriers deliver packages on that day even when mail isn't delivered. The SurePost transfer was what caused the delay.

Anyway, thank you for letting me voice my frustration, and PLEASE, QVC, rethink the way items with chocolate are being handled. As a shipper myself, I know that packages of the size and weight usually associated with these candy deliveries would only cost a few cents more to ship via UPS Ground in most instances (and for some locations, UPS Ground would even be cheaper than SurePost).

At least you got them. My order was supposedly shipped on 2/15 but UPS has not received the package yet. I noticed that the reviews for the pretzels are pretty old.

Wonder what’s going on?

loriqvc · ‎11-06-2011

@Jasmine19 - In case you didn't know this, QVC only sets up food shipments for Wednesdays (sometimes Tuesdays as well for more perishable items that require dry ice), so that impacts the EDD and delivery cycles even when the shipment is coming from a vendor. If your item shipped on the 15th, it probably isn't in the "more perishable" category and is likely just delayed with the holiday earlier this week and/or the weather. I hope you get your package soon!

Out of curiosity, which pretzels did you order? I've tried several different brands and types from the Q, so I might be able to share my thoughts about 'em even if I haven't posted a review yet...

Jasmine19 · ‎07-16-2012

@loriqvc wrote:
@Jasmine19 - In case you didn't know this, QVC only sets up food shipments for Wednesdays (sometimes Tuesdays as well for more perishable items that require dry ice), so that impacts the EDD and delivery cycles even when the shipment is coming from a vendor. If your item shipped on the 15th, it probably isn't in the "more perishable" category and is likely just delayed with the holiday earlier this week and/or the weather. I hope you get your package soon!

Out of curiosity, which pretzels did you order? I've tried several different brands and types from the Q, so I might be able to share my thoughts about 'em even if I haven't posted a review yet...

Thanks for the info. I ordered the Landies dark chocolate sea salt caramel pretzels.

loriqvc · ‎11-06-2011

@Jasmine19 - Those are my faaaaaaaaavorites! We bought them when they first hit the website, even without a presentation, and gobbled them up so quickly that we had to buy another box about a week later. I think the reviews might be old because that variety still has never been officially presented on air, as far as I know. Just be prepared to eat 'em with a bib because that caramel is ridiculously gooey.

ETA: I just checked the item listing to see if I'd left a review, but it appears that I haven't yet. And I was surprised to see that these were offered as far back as 2015; I was fairly sure that our early 2017 purchase was when they were brand new. Hmmm. At any rate, I'm now trying really hard not to reorder!

Jasmine19 · ‎07-16-2012

@loriqvc Thanks for the review. When I ordered the pretzels they were $35.25. Now they are $44! Customer service suggested I reorder if they don’t come by tomorrow - I hope I don’t have to pay the current price.

loriqvc · ‎11-06-2011

@Jasmine19 - If you don't get your package in the next couple of days (UPS doesn't make regular deliveries on Saturdays), I recommend sending an email to the forum moderators at QVCSocialTeam@qvc.com with your order details to request assistance. I had a similar problem with a "disappearing shipment" recently that never had its status updated from being en route to UPS, and they sent an expedited replacement at no cost and with no hassle at all. (The original box never did show up, so I always wonder what happened to it.) Good luck!