Economics: Why I Boycott Purolator

TORONTO, ONTARIO - Companies that want to do business with me in Canada take note--as a result of my experiences this week, I will continue to boycott any entity that requires using Purolator for shipping. They seem to have no clue about customer service, and seem to behave more like a monopoly like their 91% owner Canada Post--except that unlike the postal service, they aren't a monopoly.

Purolator claims to be a more convenient courier than their major competitors because they won't deliver a package requiring a signature--which is most of their business--without an "appointment." Personally, I think this is ridiculous--why should one have to call the company--paying for the call--just to schedule a delivery time. I'd much rather watch the on-line tracking provided by the other major carriers and anticipate delivery that way--and I'll note that if delivery is missed, one can call most of the other couriers and schedule an appointment if desired. It's optional with them, not mandatory like it is with Purolator.

Where Purolator fails beyond the realm of acceptability in my opinion is that they refuse to deliver to my address, even by appointment. This is a bizarre policy that they won't explain to me. When I call to make an appointment, they say they won't deliver to me and that I have no choice but to pick up the package at their facility in Etobicoke. All other carriers--including their owner Canada Post--have delivered packages to me requiring a signature without issue. "That's our policy" is all they tell me. The first time I encountered this issue, they actually returned the package to the sender before I managed to get to their Etobicoke facility to pick it up, I and had to beg my way out of double-shipping charges. From that point onward, I have avoided anyone that ships by Purolator.

A shipper recently lied to me about how a warranty shipment would be sent out, and it went Purolator. I received the same explanation--"We won't deliver to your address--it's our policy." So, this week I had to walk over five kilometers to the Purolator Etobicoke facility, and carry the parcel five kilometers home with me. How they expect people to carry packages that they were contracted to deliver for five kilometers or more is beyond me. In this case, it was especially ludicrous since the shipment was only coming from nine kilometers away in the first place. Purolator didn't even move the package halfway from its origin to its destination. They call that a service?

So, be forewarned--if you ship by Purolator, you will never receive business from me again. And as for Purolator, as far as I am concerned, they provide no services and I have no interest in ever dealing with them again.