Team-BHP - Fragrancex.com - Anybody shopped from here?

I heard about this online fragrances website called Fragrancex (Discount Perfume,Discount Cologne and Discount Fragrances at FragranceX.com). A friend recommended it to me. They have best prices (comparing to offline stores in India) and perhaps one of the few online stores which ship to India. The icing on the cake was that they were running a promotion under which international shipping was free.

I went ahead and placed an order for CK One ($40) on May 14. To avoid customs hassles and duty etc., I waited for a few days and placed another order for Davidoff Cool Water ($24). Both orders were shipped on the next day of placing the order. I got a confirmation mail from them as well. The only catch was that international orders are shipped through USPS, without a tracking number and may take upto 3 weeks to reach India. They say that from the port, it is delivered to my address using local post. I was fine with that. Checked with my friend and he said that all his previous orders arrived within 1 month's time and in an impeccable condition.

Now it has been over 6 weeks since my first order has been dispatched and still there are no signs of its arrival. I am clueless where to follow up. Is there an office/Counter at the Customs or at the Post office for this kind of follow up/enquiry? Again, which post office to go to?

Does anyone else have an experience with the above mentioned website? Or any clues where to follow up? Without a tracking number, the Customer Care of the website or USPS or India Post also cant help much I guess.

Why should YOU have to follow up?

Shouldn't the website (and their provider - USPS) be responsible for delivering the product to you?

^^ I guess that is also why most companies dont want to ship to india! They've got their fingers burnt in the past as well.

And on a side note - when i shipped my stuff from the USA to India, the only thing that got stolen from my boxes was a bottle of cologne :p

cya
R

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpha1 (Post 1364493)

On a more serious note, first contact your post office. Then track the way up to customs.
My friend had a penchant for getting his guitar accessories shipped from online shops.
He used to find most of his stuff lying at the Post office.

Which post office to contact? GPO? Or the one nearest to delivery address?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rehaan (Post 1364506)

I agree Rehaan, I shouldnt be the one doing the follow up. But as I mentioned, Customer Care of FragrancX said that they have no control over international shipments since they are sent without a tracking number.

In an ideal scenario, if the product is undelivered to me, it will be shipped back to them. In that case, they will refund the money into my credit card.

I mailed USPS as well but they said they cannot do anything without a tracking number.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nishantgandhi (Post 1364561)

I mailed USPS as well but they said they cannot do anything without a tracking number.

This international shipping-without-a-tracking-number business is most befuddling. I can't for the life of me understand why wouldn't USPS allow that (it's not as if their fees looks like those of a homeopathic charitable hospital when compared to Apollo/Fortis-like fees of DHL/Fedex).

I ordered my HU from ebay US and the seller says he shipped it via USPS priority mail- but doesn't have a tracking number to pass on to me. Now, I'm also waiting for the HU to appear at the door out of thin air one of these days. Frustrating indeed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scooby05 (Post 1364755)

The foreign post parcel office at Flora Fountain handles these posts parcels. You will Have to go there and track down your parcel!! The people there are a bunch of lethargic officers/employees.

Thanks Scooby sir, I will go there and check. Do you know if there is a specific counter/person whom to check with? Though I have slim hopes that the package would be lying there. Nonetheless, shall give it a try.

BTW, this is the response that I got from FragranceX Customer Care.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,

Thank you for your email. Again, we are very sorry that your package is taking so long to arrive. Please understand that this is an issue with customs and security in your country and not with fragranceX.com or the postal service.

Unfortunately, we have no way of tracking the order since the postal service does not offer this service at this time. It should be arriving soon, but sometimes the delays are longer than expected.

We appreciate your business and hope you will be receiving your order very soon.

Sincerely,

Cherice
FragranceX.com
Call us toll free 1-888-557-3738
Outside the USA call 001-718-482-6970
The World's Largest Fragrance Outlet
Shop over 14,000 brand name fragrances, skincare and cosmetics products at Discount Perfume,Discount Cologne and Discount Fragrances at FragranceX.com.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scooby05 (Post 1364755)

The foreign post parcel office at Flora Fountain handles these posts parcels. You will Have to go there and track down your parcel!! The people there are a bunch of lethargic officers/employees.

I went to the Foreign Post and Parcel office in Ballard Estate today. Had a tough time explaining to the person that my packages were shipped without a tracking number! They were just not ready to believe that!

I asked him to trace it on my name and address. He disappeared for a while and came back with an expected answer - NO.

I have written several mails to FragranceX and USPS. The former says the issue is with India Post/Customs (see mail in the post above), whereas the latter says they cant do a thing without the tracking number.

The weird part is that if USPS accepts to ship products without tracking number, why cant they have a system to trace such packages also?

I am quite lost here and have given up all hopes of receiving my perfumes.