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Anyone ship online purchases to their office?

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  • Jan 7th, 2011 4:18 pm
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Deal Addict
Nov 29, 2009
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Toronto

Anyone ship online purchases to their office?

So after missing my last half dozen deliveries from various couriers because I'm at work - I was considering just shipping to my office. I get shipments all the time from other offices and suppliers, etc.. so I'm not sure it would be an inconvenience for our office admin. I am wondering what happens if I get nailed with a customs charge on a parcel to the office. Usually custom charges are paid upon delivery from my experience but I wouldn't want to have the office cover it or have to talk to the courier and give my information for a personal delivery. I think that might be a little awkward.

I am however, tired of missing the delivery and driving out to the depots to pick it up, seems like a waste of my time and the courier's. Any experiences worth sharing?
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Jun 14, 2003
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I shipped everything to my office. I never ship stuff to home and I have been telling people here to do the same for years.
Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. -- Will Smith
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Have you ever run into issues with duty or customs fees?
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navigator416 wrote: Have you ever run into issues with duty or customs fees?

I don't buy from US. But I did had issue with fee. Once, I got a free baseball cap and UPS wants $20. I said "take it back".
Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. -- Will Smith
Growing older is mandatory. Growing up is optional.
Stay hungry, stay foolish.
Deal Expert
Aug 2, 2001
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I generally hold back from ordering items to my office because I don't feel it's an appropriate use of our resources (All our deliveries go to a central warehouse, who them delivers it themselves to the offices). I did once because the item specifically stated someone must be around to sign it.

My wife had several items shipped from the US for Christmas presents, and on one of the items she had to pay customs charges. It worked the same as it would if you shipped it to your house; the courier asks for the money that is owed. I'm not sure if there is an option to have a bill sent (while still keeping the package) as my wife was around the office and just paid for it. This would be the biggest hassle I can foresee - if you are in a meeting, at lunch, etc... and the package comes owing money. I can't see them leaving it there without the money...
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Oct 15, 2004
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navigator416 wrote: Have you ever run into issues with duty or customs fees?

At my work place, the systems somehow always catch the address as work address. As result, UPS/FedEx/Purolator/Canada Post would call me in advance and tell me to give them a cheque. In rare occasions, the mailroom would refuse package and ask for redelivery next day, and tell me to write them a cheque or get shipping company to call me for a credit card payment first.
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Jan 30, 2007
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navigator416 wrote: I am however, tired of missing the delivery and driving out to the depots to pick it up, seems like a waste of my time and the courier's. Any experiences worth sharing?
The experience I would share is to ask at the office. They may or may not have policies against this sort of thing, so rather than getting opinions from random strangers, I would suggest you ask at your office mail room (if there is one) or the Admin person.
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Aug 20, 2005
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iamnotamerican.com wrote: The experience I would share is to ask at the office. They may or may not have policies against this sort of thing, so rather than getting opinions from random strangers, I would suggest you ask at your office mail room (if there is one) or the Admin person.

Why??? That would make perfect sense but it wouldn't up his post count. Why is common sense so lacking these days? I blame Mike Harris.
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Cheap Cat wrote: Why??? That would make perfect sense but it wouldn't up his post count. Why is common sense so lacking these days? I blame Mike Harris.

Yes that it, let me just call the office admin at 9:30 at night, at home to find out. Morons. I didn't ask if it was against my office policy, I asked about others' experiences.
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navigator416 wrote: Yes that it, let me just call the office admin at 9:30 at night, at home to find out. Morons. I didn't ask if it was against my office policy, I asked about others' experiences.
And you need to know right this very goddam minute!!!!! why? It's a new day. Somehow I doubt you'll be making a purchase and having it shipped to your office before the day is out anyway, and if you do, that's what your home address is for.

What use is asking about other experiences, if it's against your office policy? What good is asking about other experiences if your office accepts packages for employees, but only in certain situations?

We may be morons for daring to suggest **gasp** that asking at your office would be the most direct and logical process over asking a bunch of random strangers who don't work at your office what they do, but you are an ungrateful moron, which I would submit is worse.

Betcha you'll be asking at your office today what their policy is, and the entire thread will be moot.
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Nov 11, 2008
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I normally will not send packages to the office that originate outside Canada.

When I make purchases, I make sure my packages arrive via Canada Post if these were purchases outside canada.

If I incur taxes/duty, it will be waiting for me at the local canada post office close to my home. No worries missing the package
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Jan 7, 2002
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navigator416 wrote: So after missing my last half dozen deliveries from various couriers because I'm at work - I was considering just shipping to my office. Any experiences worth sharing?
In a small office it's never been a big deal for me. But then I was the boss ;)

In general use common sense. Ask your receptionist/admin person if they'd be kind enough to accept/sign for something on your behalf. If you expect some duty/taxes then you should make arrangements. Some places are OK with paying out of petty cash if you reimburse them the next day. Other places will want you to leave enough cash up front to pay for it. Make sure that all paperwork is in your name, e.g. "Joe Blow, c/o Acme Anvils Inc." Be sure to thank everyone for their cooperation, remember them at Christmas/Valentine's, etc.

N.B. If any problems arise, e.g. disputes with UPS about brokerage, etc., leave your company out of it. Consider that to be the price you pay for the convenience of delivery to your office.

With larger companies you'll need to consult the policy manual, seek permission from the relevant manager, etc. It may not be worth it depending on the hassles involved. Remember that in a larger organization if "everyone" did it, that would place a significant burden on the shipping/receiving staff. OTOH some large companies, e.g. Google, try to do everything they can to keep you happy and productive.

P.S. Many vendors won't ship to an address that isn't on file with your credit card company. You can add your business address to your CC file by calling the card company before you place the order.
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Jan 28, 2009
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I ship all of my online orders to work. I am in a relatively small office, so if I do owe duty or something when it arrives, the receptionist just comes to get me. A few times she has had to use our firm's petty cash reserves to float me until I get back from lunch.

They even fronted the $300ish duty on my suits when they arrived.
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Sep 13, 2005
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You probably already asked about the mail policies at your employer but be careful. My last employer was a jackass to the biggest level. I learned my lesson as nobody told me not to ship stuff to work and didn't read about it in the employee handbook. Plus they even let employees ship stuff using the corporate discount for packages. So I figured it was ok to have stuff shipped there. So stupid me shipped the Sharp air filter from FS (had to get it shipped and not ISPU as it was the cheaper way with the coupon) there since I was too lazy to pick it up at the depot. WELL....when the mailroom guys brought me my air filter guess what, they opened my packaged then re-taped it back up, and opened my receipt letter that was in a sealed envelop addressed to ME! I honestly do not know to this day why and to what authorization do they have to opening up my mail. I created a thread about this topic a while back in the careers section. I think I was the only one with a sh@tty employer.....
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setell wrote: WELL....when the mailroom guys brought me my air filter guess what, they opened my packaged then re-taped it back up, and opened my receipt letter that was in a sealed envelop addressed to ME! I honestly do not know to this day why and to what authorization do they have to opening up my mail. I created a thread about this topic a while back in the careers section. I think I was the only one with a sh@tty employer.....
I'll bet the "mailroom guys" get lots of stuff every day. While they should check the name the package is addressed to, they're human and so sometimes they may make a mistake and open something they probably shouldn't have.

So what?

Sometimes the simplest explanation is the correct one: they made a mistake. Are you suggesting that the "mailroom guys" knowingly opened a package that was addressed to you in order to violate your privacy?

BTW I've accidentally opened mail that Canada Post delivered to the wrong address, taped it back up and delivered it to the intended recipient. Does that make me a shitty person too?
veni, vidi, Visa
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iamnotamerican.com wrote: And you need to know right this very minute!!!!! why? It's a new day. Somehow I doubt you'll be making a purchase and having it shipped to your office before the day is out anyway, and if you do, that's what your home address is for.

Instead of asking at work, he was busy sending harassing PMs to people or at least, he did to me. Besides calling me a name, he wished a terminal illness on someone close to me. Very mature person. I have reported him.
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Mar 19, 2003
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Cheap Cat wrote: Instead of asking at work, he was busy sending harassing PMs to people or at least, he did to me. Besides calling me a name, he wished a terminal illness on someone close to me. Very mature person. I have reported him.

By the looks of your avatar, it already seems like you could seek some medical attention :razz:
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Dangaizer3 wrote: By the looks of your avatar, it already seems like you could seek some medical attention :razz:

You don't like the Grinch?? His heart may be two sizes too small but there is nothing wrong with him. :cheesygri
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Oct 26, 2008
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setell wrote: WELL....when the mailroom guys brought me my air filter guess what, they opened my packaged then re-taped it back up, and opened my receipt letter that was in a sealed envelop addressed to ME! I honestly do not know to this day why and to what authorization do they have to opening up my mail.

Not that unusual.

I have worked at organizations where ALL mail is opened, for a couple of good reasons to do with running a business efficiently:

- it could be an inquiry about a product or the business, and may not be addressed to the person most qualifed to answer it (mail admin. has responsibilty for redirecting it)
- the addressee is out of town/on vacation/on course and letter may need immediate action

Nothing to do with infringing on employee's privacy - just making sure that things get done on time and by the right person.

In how many organizations do letters to the CEO get handed to her unopened? In small companies maybe, but not large ones. Wouldn't be good use of the CEO's time.

May be harder to see why packages should be opened by mail room staff,
but there again the assumption is that the item is work-related, and mail room staff could have the responsibilty for confirming no shipping damage, and disposal/recycling of packing materials.

Might not be relevant to your workplace, but this is the larger picture as I see it.

As already recommended by others, send personal mail and packages to your workplace only if you know that the mail handling procedures support it.

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