How one man convinced a billion-dollar company RI isn't an island
I love stories about outsiders who don’t “get” Rhode Island, like folks who think we’re part of New York — but this one may be my favorite.
You’ve doubtless come across the Chinese company Anker, which sells phone chargers, cables and so much other stuff they’ve got a $24 billion market cap.
Well, sorry to break it to you, but if you live here, you could have trouble getting your purchase delivered.
Anker doesn’t ship to islands.
Including Rhode Island.
This week, that news was amusingly posted on Reddit, a discussion website, by an R.I. user named Sesto.
“Anker won't ship to RI because they think we're an actual island,” Sesto wrote.
He was not pleased by this, so wrote to the company explaining RI is indeed part of the contiguous United States.
Anker’s response?
“They have doubled down and told me that it's an island,” he posted.
Anker’s customer service response to Sesto: “We are sorry to say that we do not ship a product to an island as of yet.”
This seemed to touch nerves among Rhode Island Redditors. Hundreds responded, and I agree. How dare Anker. We’re ridiculed enough for being the smallest state – a sixth as big as tiny Hawaii. Casual U.S. maps sometimes leave R.I. out. I once heard of a visitor from England saying, “Rhode Island's such a funny little state - is it necessary?”
And now Anker declares us an atoll or reef? It’s one thing to be the Ocean State, another to be cast into the sea.
Reddit commenters weighed in with amusing thoughts.
“Maybe a snarky comment about how New England isn't in England?” said EllisDee3.
More from Patinkin:Seriously, who still has AOL email? Why I held on until the shame was too much
Others, noting that Rhode Island was founded by outcasts and still acts that way, felt Anker had a point.
“I mean mentally that’s pretty accurate,” said devinmarieb.
EpicSteak had fun with it, too: “I live in Attleboro, is this Island you speak of close to me? Is there a ferry?”
We managed to reach “Sesto” — real name Jon Del Sesto. He’s 34, born in Johnston, grew up in Smithfield, lives in Cranston and works for Warwick’s Gamm Theater as manager of design and media.
He is used to his home state getting no respect. Once, he flew to San Diego to work at Comic Con, and they assumed Rhode Island was a Boston suburb. The name badge they gave him read, “Jon Boston."
Such moments prompted him to stand up this week for Rhode Island’s geographical honor.
He explained that the “Anker thinks we’re an island story” was first posted by the state’s legendary online humorist, @rhodeislandprobz, who has 127,000 followers on Twitter and 90,000 on Instagram.
Del Sesto, his RI pride offended, followed up by contacting Anker to insist we really are part of the contiguous states.
“I explained Rhode Island shouldn't be grouped in with The Marshall Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, etc.,” he said.
Anker’s response?
“If you have a friend or family member in the US mainland you may consider having the product shipped there,” they wrote. “Then they can forward it to your address.” How convenient.
Admittedly, Rhode Island was originally the island of Aquidneck, which today, along with populous Jamestown, makes us a bit of an archipelago. But so Anker doesn't panic, we have these things called bridges.
Del Sesto vowed to make this a Reddit crusade, and by Thursday, with all the sharing, it went viral.
By Friday, the crowd had won.
Anker’s website has a page explaining that U.S. orders only go to the contiguous states, not to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, a few others, and Rhode Island.
High times:A still-paranoid '70s guy visits a RI cannabis store and finds a brave new world
Friday morning, Del Sesto checked that page again, and Rhode Island was no longer on it. Apparently, someone in China determined we’re not a reef after all and restored us to the contiguous 48, a major victory in international diplomacy.
I’m thinking the State Department’s China desk might want to hire Jon Del Sesto.
“I woke up today,” he wrote on Reddit, “and am very happy to announce that Anker now has 1 million more people to ship to.”
Another poster observed: “All it took was a little internet bullying.”
Del Sesto’s victory became doubly clear midday Friday when he got a message from an Anker rep named Tina who apologized and said, “We’ve officially confirmed that Anker products can be shipped to Rhode Island.”
Perhaps, Del Sesto mused, we’ll all get Anker gift cards to make amends.
But either way, he’s happy to say one more Rhode Island misconception has been cleared up.
Perhaps next, Reddit can convince people we’re not part of New York.
Nah – that’s wishing for too much.
mpatinki@providencejournal.com
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Anker wouldn't ship to Rhode Island, until John Del Sesto stepped in
