Williams-Sonoma Corporation
Misdelivered Package of Autographed Books Not Returned

On January 7, UPS mistakenly delivered a package I had shipped to a UPS store to the Williams-Sonoma distribution center at 4300 Concorde Road in Memphis, Tennessee. The package was clearly marked with the name of the friend I was mailing it to, as well as the UPS box number and complete address of the UPS Store. All of the items shipped were books, so there was nothing in the package that might be confused with merchandise sold by Williams-Sonoma. However, the package was not returned to UPS at any time on January 7, nor the following business day, Friday, January 8.

When my friend went to pick up the package on Saturday, January 9, the delivery mistake was discovered and UPS placed a lost package tracer on it. Since the package contained autographed books of both monetary and sentimental value, I called the distribution center and got a recording informing me of their Monday through Friday hours. I then called the Williams-Sonoma customer service line to see if I could get another number besides the public listing, knowing that crews often work weekend hours and hoping someone might answer a line that went directly to the docks or the receiving office.

After being on hold for thirty minutes, a customer service representative spoke to her supervisor and told me that other than filling out a customer service request, she would be unable to help me. She said her supervisor had told her that packages that end up in Williams-Sonoma distribution centers by mistake enter what the supervisor termed a "black hole." She was told these items were sometimes returned to the shipper and sometimes destroyed. The reasoning, according to her supervisor, is that Williams-Sonoma receives so many packages each day that they cannot be held responsible for any items which reach them in error. She did take all my contact information, as well as all the information about the package and its contents, for a customer service request, and promised me she would forward it to the distribution center.

I realize UPS is responsible for the initial delivery error, and I am indeed holding their feet to the fire. But why didn't the Williams-Sonoma employees in the distribution center return my package to UPS once the delivery error was realized? As I said, my package was clearly marked with the name and address of the intended recipient, and it would be clear after a quick look inside that none of the items were sold by Williams-Sonoma. Why wasn't my package simply handed back to the driver that day or the next?

On the "Corporate Values" page of the Williams-Sonoma website, it states, "Williams-Sonoma, Inc., and all of our brands are committed to maintaining the highest level of integrity and honesty throughout all aspects of our business." Does this integrity and honesty stop at the doors of the distribution centers? Are the employees at these centers not expected to have the integrity and honesty to return items that are clearly not the property of Williams-Sonoma or anyone associated with the company?

If this company and its employees are willing to make such little effort to return a small package delivered to them in error, will they really make much of an effort for customers who actually order merchandise from them?

Company: Williams-Sonoma Corporation
Country: USA
State: Tennessee
City: Memphis
Phone: 8778126235
Site: williams-sonoma.com

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