These are the recent messages regarding problems re packaging and mailing of objects, in this case drives, won on eBay. The latest, at the bottom, indicates that a compromise has been reached:

 Message sent September 18th

Hello,
Was expecting USPS not UPS; the charges are extortionate. I am waiting for four more drives from you and I hope they are USPS as the details seemed to indicate.
Not happy if that's not happening. The border fees are nothing to do with you, but UPS adds these charges that double the price of the object.
Regards,
Paul

 Message sent September 19th

Hello,
Well, to receive four drives today was excellent. Still one to come. The UPS charge on the parcel was not what I wanted, but at least it was for just one box. So, basically you can forget my harangue about UPS in my previous email. I would hope, however, given what I found on Google, that you _only_ send by USPS to Canada in future. It costs the customer a little more up front, but nothing when it arrives.
Regards,
Paul

 Reply September 20th, twice actually, referring the two messages above

Re: Message from eBay Member Regarding Item #130151262594
Customer Service [sales@greatdeals00.com]

Hello, 
Thank you for letting me know.  
Regards,
Melissa

 Message sent October 5th

Hello,
I am really annoyed. I have contacted your company about using UPS previously. I asked for USPS, which is what your details quoted for mailing packages to Canada.
There was another $60 added to the cost, for the package I just received, because you are not following your own advertised method of transportation.
What is happening with the other two packages still coming to me? I really hope they were sent USPS, not UPS.
This is really unprofessional, isn't it?
Paul Dickins

 Reply on October 5th

Re: Fwd: Message from eBay Member Regarding Item #130156155981
Jas [greatdeals00@yahoo.com]

Hello, 
Due to the number of drives the safest method with tracking would be UPS as USPS does not allow tracking for their airmail service. If your drives were paid for on different days they will ship by USPS. 

Hope this helps. 
Regards, 
Jas

 Message sent October 5th

Hello,
I'm sorry, but this does not help at all. 

The sales were made to my account, and all the transactions that I have made with your company have stated USPS (United States Postal Service) and by airmail, although surface transportation is adequate. 

One other thing is that by noticing that a customer has multiple orders you are able to save money by combining the packaging. 

I had had a response from your company when I complained about the UPS package that you sent containing three drives I had ordered. UPS has a third party operating at the customs which charges an extortionate amount just to do the paperwork. USPS does charge, but it is a fixed charge, and much less than the UPS charade. 

I do not accept that if I see USPS that that will not be used. It has nothing whatsoever to do with tracking, given that one can never guess or otherwise estimate how long goods will take to arrive in Ottawa from anywhere in the USA. In fact, tracking is often impossible between Canada and the US. 

I know that FedEx and others have the same arrangement. I have had no problems on other purchases when emailing the vendor to request that the object is despatched via USPS.  

What happens at your company, which I can detect by noticing when I won each drive and when the accumulated number is dispatched, is that you are aware of customers and whether or not they are making multiple purchases. 

I have won and immediately, in most cases, paid the amount to your company. I have had a good record with eBay and PayPal. I have had problems with two other drives won from other vendors, and they were resolved with replacements.

I will probably approach eBay to open a resolution dispute, because a) the drives are never in actuality Fujitsu, although they seem to work properly and be in good condition, and b) if you state USPS then I believe that I should be guaranteed that should occur.  

I would be happy to settle this with a refund of $60 to my PayPal account, given that I have had the same problem earlier but merely advised you of the problem. That you responded proves that you have knowledge of UPS brokerage charges. 

Please advise me as soon as possible. I would really like to use eBay to catch more of your drives, but that will depend.  

I know that other customers for goods in the USA have also incurred costly UPS brokerage fees, to the extent that even the UPS delivery drivers do not use their own company in similar situations. 

Regards,

Paul Dickins

 Reply on October 5th

From: Jas [mailto:greatdeals00@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, October 08, 2007 2:59 AM

To: Paul Dickins
Subject: RE: Fwd: Message from eBay Member Regarding Item #130156155981

Dear Paul,
Thanks for the mail.. Please do not bid on any more drives until we can resolve this.

If you are unhappy please return all the drives for a full refund. I am willing to refund 30.00 to you to resolve the issue and this is the best I can do. In the future if you wish for items to ship seperate please pay for them on different days from Mon-Fri.

Regards,
(no signature)

 Message sent October 7th:

Hello Jas,
Thank you for replying to my complaint.
I will accept your offer, payable to PayPal as paul@mattoid.com. 

The caveat is that the classification of the drives as Fujitsu remains incorrect.

ModusLnk if googled for brings up many pages where no one has ever found the company, somewhere in Malaysia though it might be. And a silent partner of Fujitsu, possibly. 

It's unfortunate that one can't, by your comment about separate packing, have multiple wins combined for Canada using USPS. This border crossing should be possible to earmark at your company. So, as I understand it, if I won several drives in a short period of time, I would not pay for any one of them until I receive notification that the previous one had left your premises? 

Furthermore, combining packaging would make you a little more money, because I, for one, have not asked that you provide a lesser cost for such an arrangement.

Regardless, I appreciate you meeting me halfway, and that matters will prosper.

Regards,

Paul Dickins