Does this sound right to you?

[rnt80]

I received a message this afternoon from a gentleman that worked for a company representing a carrier company.  He was calling in regards to a shipment that the carrier had sent me last spring.  The store I bought the product from had not remitted payment to the carrier and they haven't been able to contact the store owner.  He concluded his message by asking for my help in contacting the store.  If they continued to not have any success in reaching this person, he stated that they would then consider holding me liable for the shipping charges ???  He threw out some federal statute that I didn't catch that would allow him to do this.  Does this sound right to anyone?  How is it that I could be held responsible for the shipping charges after I've already paid for and received the product?

 

[Pete Pedisich]

rnt80, that does not seem right, but the grossly unfair aspects of our society never fail to amaze and surprise me.

I'd check with you state dept. of consumer affairs:
http://www.azag.gov/consumer/

good luck,

Pete

 

[mouppe]

Forget about it. He's living in dreamland. You paid for the shipping. The debt is owed from the seller to the shipping company.

 

[Bob Marino]

 Russ,

I agree with Pete, obviously "unfair" but  worth pursuing with your state's Consumer Affairs. Hopefully, you can get the info you need at that level to reply properly.

Good luck.

Bob

 

[KRWong]

rnt80 - it's important to know the freight terms on your sales order.  Was it FREE FREIGHT or did you PAY SHIPPING CHARGES?  If the merchant you ordered from was offering free freight, and you met their qualifications to receive the benefit then the burden is off of your shoulders.  The freight company needs to try to get paid by the merchant.  Which, by your description, is what they've been trying to do.

It is not uncommon that when a forwarding company runs into trouble like this, they will try to get their money from either side.  For example, say a company uses FedEX to ship goods to  a consumer outside of the USA, the customer is supposed to declare and pay the duties upon receipt of goods.  Very often the customer refuses to pay and FedEX will try several times to collect.  If they are unsuccessful, they will turn around and invoice the shipper for the duties.  

You should have no reason to get involved with the freight company nor do you have any obligation to help them to communicate with the merchant.  Unless, of course, you made the arrangements for the shipping.

So, that is why the shipping terms on the order is the key and will guide your response to the back freight company.  Doesn't sound like the freight company would have too much to stand on.  

Hope this helps.  

 

[tbellemare]

It sounds pretty simple to me, Russell.

If you didn't initiate the shipping, (meaning place an order for the shipping with the carrier), and they didn't ask for money prior to giving you the goods, (COD), they are out of luck trying to collect from you.

Even if the order was placed as a COD order by the initiator and the carrier failed to collect prior to letting you take possession of the delivery, they are out of luck trying to collect from you. COD means Collect on Delivery not Collect Later.

Tom