PriceBreak Shipping Scandalous Practices! Panama City Panama

In May 2007, I decided to move back to my native Scotland from the United States and started making inquiries into various household goods shipping companies. I received many quotes but decided to go with PriceBreak Shipping as they appeared to offer the best deal - how wrong I was!

My first point of contact was with a Dawson Jones who gave me the initial quote. The price given was based on an estimate using PriceBreak Shipping's spreadsheet calculator and came in at $2895 for 500 cubic feet for door-to-door service.

Service option #1 Door Door Services
From: Bristol, Wisconsin 53104
To: Isle of Raasay, United Kingdom
Volume: 500 cubic feet
Rate: $2895.00

Service includes:
-Professional pickup / Self loading
-Free 30 days storage
-Ocean freight
-Customs clearance
-Port fees
-Door delivery, off loading
-Unpacking
-Removal of debris
-Furniture setup / reassembling

As they advertise on their website full packing services, I requested and was assured by Mr. Dawson that I would get that service but it would cost me extra. My date was set for the 14th July and I was flying out on the 15th. I was informed that the packers (note
the word packers) would be in touch with me a week prior to my move.

We shall now jump ahead to the week before the move - No word from packers. I emailed Mr. Dawson who assured me they would get in touch. Nothing. I again contacted Mr. Dawson and again was re-assured. Finally, on the 12th July, I received a phone call from the packers. I had a big surprise as the name was not PriceBreak shipping, but In and Out Moving. They told me that they would be there on the 14th and I made sure that they were providing full packing services and I was assured that yes, they would be doing that. Okay, nothing I could do about it then so I waited. July 13th. Phone call from In and Out Moving - they may not make it on the 14th due to delay in Iowa. I informed them that I was flying out on the 15th and I was guaranteed to be all packed up by the 14th so I was then told that they would try. Again I made sure about the packing. Later that day, another call from In and Out Moving. Packers would be there at 9am.

July 14th - 9am came and went and it wasn't until around noon that the packers showed up. The first thing they did was say that they were only told that it was a 'partial pack' and that they did not have all the packing materials. They walked around my apartment
and came back with an estimate of $400 for the packing. Fair enough, I thought and signed based on that estimate. Of course, they did indeed run out of packing materials and when it came to my couches, I was assured that it would be plastic wrapped when they reached their facility. Then I was presented with the final packing bill. Imagine my surprise when it came in at $1090! I had no choice but to sign the dotted line.

I arrived back in Scotland and waited for my goods. PriceBreak then contacted me and informed me that the cubic feet could for my household goods came to more than estimate and submitted their final bill:

Contract: $3390.00
Deposit $847.50
Balance $2542.50
Additional volume: $1772.71 (269 additional cubic feet @ $6.59 pcf)
Packing service: $1090.50
Palletizing: $520.00 (8 pallets/ Banding/Strapping/per pallet: $75
---------------------------
Total: $5925.71

What could I do but pay as they were holding all I owned in the world.

On 25th September (yes, September) I was informed by EuroUSA International Movers that my shipment was due in port any day and to fill in needed paperwork and pay 48 for security fees. Now firstly, who was EuroUSA? What happened to PriceBreak?

By November 2nd, I still did not have my goods. Next thing I knew I was being asked for an additional $1000 because the transport of my goods was considered long haulage'. Now, didn't I pay for door-to door service? PriceBreak did agree to pay half and finally on 13th November, my things arrived.

I will not go into all the damage that occurred but lets just say that there was significant damages and the packers failed to live up to their promises of plastic wrapping my couches. Also missing was my son's $1000 signature series guitar.

I immediately informed PriceBreak who response was Did you purchase insurance with us? To which I responded, I was not informed that I need additional insurance. They then proceeded to tell me that I signed refusal on insurance with the packing company, which I certainly did not. I asked for the ocumentation and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the signature where I supposedly declined insurance was identical to my signature singing for the packing costs. No person signs their signature the exact same way every time and upon closer inspection, you could see parts of the signature were slightly off like they had been doctored in Windows Paint.

I contacted Mr. Richard d**k' Bell and gave an itemized list of damages totaling approx. $5000 and was offered $1200 by Mr. Bell which then dropped to $1000 when I pushed the issue.

The next step was to contact the Federal Maritime Commission and file an Informal Docket. My docket was heard on August 5th 2008 and I was offered $2000 by PriceBreak shipping and a denial of breach of contract for the door-to-door services. Needless to say, I declined their offered and am in the process of taking it further.

This is just a summery of the problems I had with this company. I cannot begin to describe the stress I went through and the rudeness of the employees and Mr. d**k Bell. A bill that started at $3000 went up to $7000. I have had to borrow money from my pensioner mother to help pay for this move and then to suffer all this hassle.

Never again.

Oscaig
Isle of Raasay
United Kingdom