Laptop stolen from shipment

A

agentmilo

Disciple
We ordered a laptop for a new employee at our office last week (wfh), and the shipment arrived today with the laptop missing. There were heavy wood pieces in its place. The charger, mouse and other items were not taken. We had asked the vendor to upgrade the ram of the laptop before it was to be couriered (we have done this a few times in the past).

The vendor claims that the package was sent with all items left intact. The employee did not take a video of it being unboxed (no one asked him to). Before the item was couriered, someone from the store had called the employee asking if he minds opening the package to check the ram upgrade, to which he agreed. That person also claims that everything was intact before shipping.

There is mild panic as this is a fairly expensive machine (~2L) and I had been part of selecting and placing the order.

Things are slow right now as this is a Saturday and the concerned higher ups from our company haven't responded yet.

I'm looking for input as to what we can do as immediate steps- we're in talks with the shopkeepers, but are waiting for the managers to respond before reaching out to the courier company. I'm not sure if the shipment was insured.
 
A similar incident happened in two different past employers. In both the cases, the company absorbed the loss and changed the process of such deliveries. It eventually became a game of passing the blame in the admin department as the bosses only needed a head to pin the blame but nothing came of it as this action was beyond their control. I'm curious to know how things unfolded at your place?
 
We always use empanelled courier vendor to send and receive valuable items, never faced any issues. Only downside is the higher cost of shipment. Otherwise, we use Blue Dart.
 
agentmilo said:
I'm looking for input as to what we can do as immediate steps- we're in talks with the shopkeepers, but are waiting for the managers to respond before reaching out to the courier company. I'm not sure if the shipment was insured.
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Immediately go to local police station and file an FIR on the incident (mention every minute detail and all proofs you have - laptop purchase receipt, shipping receipt etc). Share a copy of that FIR to the shipping company. Let them investigate in parallel and share your findings periodically with the police.
 
agentmilo said:
Before the item was couriered, someone from the store had called the employee asking if he minds opening the package to check the ram upgrade, to which he agreed. That person also claims that everything was intact before shipping.
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something fishy here...
  1. why a store employee called (if they installed RAM), RAM is not like mouse/cable that it get misplace in transit or someone remove it while opening package?
  2. Is the NUMBER, from where your employee received call belong STORE EMPLOYEE?
  3. Are you have 100% sure that some unethical practice not done after package received at your office?
  4. Isn't it strange that only Laptop missed and mouse etc. is at place, why they left Mouse etc.?
  5. Check the weight of parcel while booking shipment from sellers end and check weight of parcel that your employee received.
 
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zero_cool said:
A similar incident happened in two different past employers. In both the cases, the company absorbed the loss and changed the process of such deliveries. It eventually became a game of passing the blame in the admin department as the bosses only needed a head to pin the blame but nothing came of it as this action was beyond their control. I'm curious to know how things unfolded at your place?
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It turned out to be a total sus event. They were trying to possibly pin it on people but them.

But the same night, I noticed the weight on the outside package said 2kgs. However, the laptop alone weighs 2.5kg + the 300w charger is close to a kg on its own. Coupled will the weight of the packaging and all that, the total weight should have been close to 4.5-5kgs- which is the next volumetric slab step I think. I immediately raised this discrepancy with all people concerned, and didn't want vendor / shipping company to get our legal deposition without first answering this- that how do you answer having sent the package with a significantly wrong weight? That alone suggested some malpractice- and it should mostly be to do with the vendor, and not our company or the shipping company.

The knee jerk response from the vendor was to say that they have CCTV evidence of them properly packaging the laptop. But that does not explain how you can sign off on with clearly wrong weight.
Asked my colleague to weigh the package as it came (including the wooden pieces) and it was exactly 2kgs, as was on the sticker and receipt. So no excuse.

The next day, the vendor said they are sending the same laptop again- and they did. This issue was not further pressed and I don't know what came of it later- didn't want to get deeply involved. But I'm guessing it was a scheme to loot some kind of insurance money or something. Such a bad plan, as this demolishes all goodwill of the vendor with such a paltry game. Regardless, I think our company has decided to move to a different vendor after this.

I'm super glad I was able to spot the weight discrepancy. Else it would've been a tricky situation.

Emperor said:
something fishy here...
  1. why a store employee called (if they installed RAM), RAM is not like mouse/cable that it get misplace in transit or someone remove it while opening package?
  2. Is the NUMBER, from where your employee received call belong STORE EMPLOYEE?
  3. Are you have 100% sure that some unethical practice not done after package received at your office?
  4. Isn't it strange that only Laptop missed and mouse etc. is at place, why they left Mouse etc.?
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Yes, we did consider all this. But hope my reply above will explain better.

In this experience I also felt that its better to not get involved in such situations, especially with company property and if it doesn't have anything to do with me- I'm considered an outsider in this event and I'm ruffling feathers- including of people in my own company. Felt very conflicted about this, and the unspoken 'rule' of having to stay silent and mind my own business. Was weird because I thought I was helping my workplace.
 
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Emperor said:
can you name this vendor so future buyers will well alert before dealing with same
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I would prefer not to do that for various reasons. Will just say its B2B vendor and not general retail.

Also, I don't think the higher ups could be involved in such a pathetic minor scam (in the grand scheme of things). It could be a bad apple of an employee who somehow thought he could get away with it.

To me, that explains why the company shipped the same expensive laptop only a day later without further back and forth, which wasn't expected. Perhaps that was damage control.
 
Can't describe my frustration when we Indian are so afraid to take stand against any malpractice. Whether it's a company/startup who is imposing inhumane work practice or do all kind of scam.
 
agentmilo said:
I noticed the weight on the outside package said 2kgs. However, the laptop alone weighs 2.5kg + the 300w charger is close to a kg on its own
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Good observation and I am glad you noticed it.

agentmilo said:
response from the vendor was to say that they have CCTV evidence
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Of course they did. They are offering a proof as they see fit.

agentmilo said:
prefer not to do that for various reasons
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You were not the first victim as he had the CCTV footage as a ready to cover his misdeeds but there is no guarantee that he won't try the same with other buyers. This instance could've been an attempt for an insurance fraud but what if the next target is the end user. I understand as a B2B vendor, it is less likely for a retail consumer to be his victim and nowadays, most purchases are via Amazon or Flipkart so this will be highly unlikely to occur for most shoppers. However, at least do leave a negative review on Google Maps listing of his business and state the reason for leaving the same. The most he will do is cajole you to forget it and move on. He will be happy if you discontinue to partnership but the loss of reputation will be a far greater damage and hopefully he will straighten up.
 
agentmilo said:
I would prefer not to do that for various reasons. Will just say its B2B vendor and not general retail.

Also, I don't think the higher ups could be involved in such a pathetic minor scam (in the grand scheme of things). It could be a bad apple of an employee who somehow thought he could get away with it.

To me, that explains why the company shipped the same expensive laptop only a day later without further back and forth, which wasn't expected. Perhaps that was damage control.
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You have taught this vendor how not to be caught. Next time he will match the weight & size of the of such package to the weight/size that should be of the actual product.

He mentally harassed you so much and you are protecting him.
 
prime said:
You have taught this vendor how not to be caught. Next time he will match the weight & size of the of such package to the weight/size that should be of the actual product.

He mentally harassed you so much and you are protecting him.
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Yes, I can't fault you for thinking I'm being complacent. But context matters here.

I had to be a pain in the ass of my superiors for them to acknowledge what I was saying- bought this up in meetings and emails. Soon became apparent that I was weirdly being seen as a nuisance- and asked to not get involved anymore.

In this experience I also felt that its better to not get involved in such situations, especially with company property and if it doesn't have anything to do with me- I'm considered an outsider in this event and I'm ruffling feathers- including of people in my own company.
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That's why I mentioned this. I was being proactive about something that wasn't even my issue. I took the hint. Their loss, their money, their property, their problem, their time. I don't understand why, but I'm not going to spew any conspiracy theories. I just decided to mind my own business- just a contractual employee here.

Instead I chose to just guide my colleague, and made sure he didn't get put in an unfair situation- and that thankfully didn't happen. I was prepared for that kind of nonsense, whether my company agreed with me or not.

As for concealing the details of the vendor company (they're corporate, not a small retail)- its because I truly believe the vendor company was not involved. For the same reason I'm not leaving any reviews or anything online as well. The weight thing raises a lot of questions, and I have my own theories.

@napstersquest

Don't think for a second that their employee tried to get away with it and the company, in a day, without much proof, just shipped another 2.5L laptop unless they were also in on it.
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I guess the whole situation and evidence did not look good on the vendor company and they sent the replacement asap, probably to keep business going, while they "handled the investigation internally". Also answers why they didn't further press my colleague, nor the shipping company. That kinda damage control.

Whether they were in it or not, I don't know, but they didn't interlock us and prolong the matter / keep our work from getting delayed without having that laptop. Regardless, my company has changed suppliers and that is a loss for this supplier. Word gets around.

People can disagree with how I see and chose to accept certain things. I am not my company. If it was my personal situation on the other hand, things would've been different.
 
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