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View Full Version : 4425s Damaged via UPS, need advice



ooppalla
09-22-2004, 09:37 PM
I just bought my dream speakers, 4425s, from a new seller on ebay. I talked with the seller before bidding and confirmed that the speakers were in excellent condition (he told me that they were hardly used and were about 2 years old). If you want to see them, they are on ebay #3745678972
Unfortunately, he didn't follow my, nor UPS guidelines/instructions. He bubble wrapped and single boxed the speakers, which I think means that UPS will not stand behind the insurance, if he indeed purchased the 1,000 of Ins that I requested. I paid all the frieght/ins and $60 for packaging via check and CC via Paypal for the 4425s so I have recourse if there were problems.
Because of the packaging there is a good amount of burnishing marks on the horns and edges of the speakers from rattling around in the boxes, not good, but not fatal
The second speaker I opened had the same problems with burnishing, but also had two cuts into one side of the horn. The cuts of 3" and 1.5" extend through to the back of the radial horn's side at about 35% of the size of the front cuts. There is also something rattling around inside this speaker.
:help: I need JBLers advice
Can the horns be replaced easily? Can I buy them? Locations of service centers, etc.
Should I have the speakers bench checked to see if there are any problems with drivers, cross-over, etc? Or is that a waste of time?
After I find out what UPS says I will remove the woofer to see what is rattling around
I live in Tucson, AZ.
Good news, Even with the problems, the speakers sound great, clean, crisp, full, etc. Happy Ears and mind
Thank you for your advice

Zilch
09-22-2004, 10:39 PM
Don't give up on the UPS insurance. You, as recipient, can file a claim at the UPS website, but final settlement will be with the shipper.

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/service/tracking/claims.html

KEEP ALL OF THE PACKAGING for the UPS inspector to examine. This is REQUIRED. Recover it from the trash if you've thrown it out.

If they inform you they'll come pick up the speakers for inspection, tell them firmly you want them to send the inspector instead, as they are too heavy to risk further damage in handling.

Hopefully, your seller DID purchase the additional insurance. If not, he should cover the damages, but you'd be lucky to collect directly from him. Check with your credit card company for the terms of their consumer protection. Their toll-free number is on the back of your card, typically, or on your statement.

Neither eBay nor Paypal will be of much assistance in this. Any claim you file with Paypal must be made within 30 days. With eBay, it's after 30 days, but within 60.

Open a cordial line of communication with your seller immediately regarding the problem. You'll want to work together to get the insurance paid.

Replacement parts are likely available from JBL. Thankfully, the cabinets themselves were not damaged. Find your closest JBL Authorized Service Center here:

http://www.jblproservice.com/service/arizona.html

Get a written estimate from them for the bench check and repair costs. You'll need that for your claim. Print out the auction page, and copy both of the photos there to your computer, and print them as well. The auction will be accessible on eBay for 90 days using the auction number or the link in your End of Auction eMail from eBay.

I note your seller's phone number is on the auction page. You'll need that to file your claim.

Sorry this happened; hopefully, it will all work out....

andresohc
09-22-2004, 11:50 PM
Check out this thread

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3200

Zilch
09-23-2004, 12:04 PM
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3276&item=5722309667&rd=1

OUCH!

andresohc
09-27-2004, 11:41 PM
I went to Orange county speaker last Friday and they said the 2342 horns are still available from JBL for $154 each.

ooppalla
09-28-2004, 07:29 AM
Thank you

Zilch
09-28-2004, 12:14 PM
Let us know the progress and outcome. Were they fully insured, in fact? And your experience with claim filing, finding parts, estimates, etc.

It can be instructive for the rest of us contemplating similar transactions....

ooppalla
09-28-2004, 03:48 PM
Update:
Turns out that UPS automatically puts $100 of Ins. on each box. I asked the seller to put $1,000 of ins on the order. He put an additional $300 per box for a total of $400 per box. The speakers sold on Ebay for 820, UPS shipping and Ins appx $110. UPS locally (Tucson), gave me a phone quote of $45 to double box, the UPS in NJ quoted $60.00 per box so the seller agreed to box for the price of supplies which he said was $60.00. The seller only single boxed the speakers and did not put any corner specific packaging on the speakers, @#$%^&*. This is a HUGE error. Always Double box, though UPS no longer requires that, and for a buck or two of cardboard protect the corners.
Damage to one speaker was mostly burnishing of the horn and related front black material. Grill material was fine. Not bad at all.
Box two had the burnishing and two cuts into the outside ear of the horn and the back two bottom corners of this speaker were knocked in about 30% of the particle board, unsightly, but the boxes are fully intact. There is also something rattling inside, but the sound seems fine... Actually it is Fabulous
I took Zilch's good suggestion to insist that the speakers be inspected at my home. The Call to report the claim to UPS Corp was easy and within 1.5 days they returned the call from their office in Phx (110 miles north of Tucson), but only to my house, not my cell, so phone tag for a day.
Anita called back first thing Monday, apologized for not calling the cell and said that Lauren who is a student/part time inspector is to call Don within 48 Hours ... she has 24 hours to go.
I spoke to the buyer last night who responded to my email regarding a cut in the side of one box, which I thought might be the culprit of the sliced horn. He said that the boxes were new. (I had inspected the boxes closely before his call) and when I asked about the cut on the box, he said there was no cut there when he dropped the packages off. The tape over the cut on the boxes side(same tape as the rest of the box, clear) has been taped over on the top of the box. The seller said they (UPS) probably opened the box to inspect the speaker because of Terrorists, etc. He insists that there was no horn damage at all when he packaged the speakers. Except for a couple of scratches and the UPS damage the speakers are in very good condition. The seller said they were only two years old and hardly used. He is also trying to sell me two power amps, a 12 Cerwin Vega sub and a mixing board.

Stay tuned for the next installment,
Who Goin Pay for the New Horn:rolleyes:

ooppalla
09-29-2004, 02:54 PM
Good news UPS Update:
the following notes are from my personal log:
** DON September 29, 2004 at 1:52pm
Lauren XXXXXX, from UPS, arrived around 120pm, inspected the boxes, took pictures of the boxes, Don showed Lauren the speakers, the cut in the BI-Radial horn, the 4425 model numbers, the corners smashed in, the scratches on both speakers, the burnishing. She said that she cannot approve the claim, but obvious that the speakers were well packed, that the boxes severely damaged so looks like they will honor the claim. Don said doing an "Article" for online forum Re: Ebay and UPS claim (Heck it couldn't hurt to tell her and it might help) Don asked to what level fix? She said like new condition up to the ins limit. That UPS's official Affiliate is Crawford Ins and they will be getting back to the Insurer (Ebay seller/shipper) within 2-3 days to say if they will honor claim, to what level etc. Don will have to take to JBL dealer to get quote on fixing the speakers to get the claim settled. Whole process, and don't quote her on this is 4-6 weeks... After her inspection it is in the hands of the Ins Co., etc. She advised that Ebay buyers contact seller in couple of days if Don't hear from seller.

Zilch
09-29-2004, 03:33 PM
So, now the appropriate question:

Does the Insurance Co. or UPS inform the buyer/recipient of the final claim outcome so as to prevent a potential lying/weasel seller/shpper from just keeping the settlement/money? :biting:

johnaec
09-29-2004, 06:16 PM
Originally posted by Zilch
So, now the appropriate question:

Does the Insurance Co. or UPS inform the buyer/recipient of the final claim outcome so as to prevent a potential lying/weasel seller/shpper from just keeping the settlement/money? :biting: When UPS busted up an amp sent to me, everything after the inspection was done with the seller. Here's where it pays to have a good relationship with the seller. I actually got the repair bid, though, since I opted to have the amp fixed. UPS needed an official quote, (from repair shop), which I had to send to the seller to present to UPS, after which they agreed to the amount. In my case, the seller and I also agreed that he would send a letter to UPS instructing they pay me directly, which they did. But it was the seller that had to request that.

John

ooppalla
09-29-2004, 06:40 PM
You guys are great. I will do that. Question: As the wood veneer is not an expertise of most JBL shops, do I get a separate quote for hopefully the new veneer and then get the horns replaced via JBL and submit two claims?

Zilch
09-29-2004, 07:25 PM
Chances are your JBL Pro Service Center will have a cabinet shop they use for repairs. They may include that in their repair estimate, or send you there for a separate one for that part. At least, expect them to be able to recommend someone. If you have a different cabinet restorer you'd like to use, get an estimate for that part from them directly.

All of the damage is against the claim(s) you have presently filed. From what John just said, you'll need to provide your seller with the repair estimates, from the several sources for the different trades, as required. Talk to your seller regarding what support documentation they need. It's apparently between them and the insurance company now....

ooppalla
09-29-2004, 10:54 PM
Zilch, great advice. Thank you.

SteveW
09-30-2004, 07:49 AM
FYI...awhile back I bought some 4430's via E-Bay for $1000 and seller shipped through UPS. The boxes looked ok from the outside so signed away and the guy left. Immediately grabbed a beer to celebrate the grand opening. Minutes later found a horn was cracked and knocked loose on one, and on both most of the rear corners were smashed in. Immediately switched to liquor. Anyway.....the seller had purchased insurance, and after a couple phone calls I found that I was totally out of the loop. Seller deals with UPS, since they bought the insurance. UPS finally called me and made a "phone assessment". They wanted to know if a box manufacturers classification was printed on the cardboard, the packaging technique and a description of damage. They said I had better be accurate - they may send someone out to look for themselves. During all this I was able to figure out that the classification must be of certain level for insurance to apply. They wouldn't tell me if this level was met - that was the insurers business, and if a claim was paid they would own the speakers. A month later the seller called me and said UPS/seller got an estimate from JBL on their value, and that UPS would be handling the damage as two separate claims. Two months later I received a personal check from the seller for $500, and a month after that got a check for another $500. I have no idea how much UPS paid the seller. Have yet to hear from UPS.

Zilch
09-30-2004, 11:14 AM
Originally posted by Steve Widman
Two months later I received a personal check from the seller for $500, and a month after that got a check for another $500. I have no idea how much UPS paid the seller. Have yet to hear from UPS. So, you were basically reimbursed in full for the purchase (minus the stress and beverages,) but still don't know the status of ownership of the speakers themselves or whether UPS will "claim" them for salvage?

THAT certainly sucks. Now, with ownership in limbo, you don't know whether to invest the proceeds in refurbishing them or not, and pressuring UPS for a determination might result in losing them. I doubt they actually want them, but I think I'd try to get in writing the disposition of actual ownership. It sounds like, since the settlement is with the shipper (a separate entity,) it's the SELLER who would have to obtain authorization to "scrap" them.

Alternatively, you might reasonably assume after some period of time (180 days?) that UPS, the shipper, and the seller have all waived any claim they might have to reposess the speakers themselves (your storage expense having substantially exceeded the salvage value,) and you will require a court order to relinquish them.

Your experience is instructive. Clearly, Don should obtain an unequivocal determination of ownership of his 4425's as part of any settlement. Same for me and my concurrent claim on a pair of 4628B's damaged by UPS. It's looking like we, as buyers, have limited rights here. The real players are UPS, the Insurance Co., the Shipper (the "ACTUAL claimant,") and the seller. We (and our speakers) are out of the loop.... :(

SteveW
09-30-2004, 11:56 AM
Yep

ooppalla
09-30-2004, 09:40 PM
Among that other good input, I think I have the benchmark to keep this from happening.
I called UPS Corp and talked about how to control Ins claims by the buyer. While UPS stores may not accept a Credit card from the buyer (that was my experience) over the phone to pay for the shipping/etc. you can use a CC to order a pickup, shipping and Ins via UPS Corp. That will require us to know the size: LxWxH, the weight and the shipping site's location and zip code to know the pickup location and calculate freight. Then We are the shipper to our selves and no longer a long distance kissing (!) buyer. Yee Ha
:yes:

Zilch
09-30-2004, 11:38 PM
So, the strategy is for the buyer to tell the seller they will handle the UPS (or, potentially, FedEx Ground, who also has local dropoff locations) shipping on their OWN account, make the arrangements for a "call tag" pickup at the seller's location (or the local depot store,) and pay the carrier directly.

The only problem there is knowing the exact dimensions and shipping weight. The carrier might determine that AFTER pickup and merely charge the buyer's credit card accordingly? I think they do that on regular accounts, kinda like "postage due" or "freight collect."

Maybe it would be possible for the UPS Store or FedEx depot to provide that information to the buyer if the seller were to drop it off there, with the call tag being issued to the store, particularly if the store is going to make its cut from packaging the items.

You're onto something here. There's a way to do this so the buyer gets to choose the carrier, acquire standing in any indemnity claim, assure adequate packaging, and simultaneously preclude the seller from gouging on the shipping: "Don't worry about the shipping. Just drop them at the UPS (or FedEx Ground) Store, there. I'll put it on my account...." :p

ooppalla
10-19-2004, 01:44 PM
October 19, 2004 at 1:22pm
Problem: Delays in settling claim. Office Depot is the Shipper :banghead:

Per UPS, Office depot is the shipper and they need to authorize Don to settle the claim. Don to get letter signed by Winston (the seller/shipper via Office Depot) Authorizing UPS/Crawfard and Office Depot to settle claim for damaged speakers with Don in Tucson. Once they get the authorizing letter that can be faxed to their Office Depot store, Office depot will fax the claim forms to a local Office Depot for Don to pick up and complete to settle the claim. They need to know the price of the units new and cost to repair.

Help. I have learned that the 4425s were discontinued in 2/04. I need an official site +/or price sheet of the retail price of a pair of 4425s for the claim. Any other prices of JBL Pro studio stuff would be great too. Can't get enough of the JBL :banghead:

ooppalla
12-06-2004, 10:40 PM
Hopefully what follows are key points in protecting your JBL, etc., purchase from being damaged by UPS weather through Ebay or a private party.

1. The purchaser pays for freight and insurance through UPS Corp via account or CC. I called UPS Corp and talked about how to control Ins claims by the buyer. While UPS stores may not accept a Credit cards from the buyer (that was my experience) over the phone to pay for the shipping/etc. you can use a CC to order a pickup, shipping and Ins via UPS Corp. That will require us to know the size: LxWxH, the weight and the shipping site's location and zip code to know the pickup location and calculate freight. Then We are the shipper to our selves and no longer a long distance kissing (!) buyer. Yee Ha. If this is not done the buyer or shipping agent controls the insurance claim according to their own agenda, which could be to make a profit at your expense.
http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/images/smilies/yes.gif
2. If there is a claim then what? As Zilch told me through this forum, paraphrased, "Keep all the shipping material and boxes for UPS inspection... And ask (demand) that they send an agent to your "place" to examine the damage, because you do not want to risk further damage and the units are very heavy. This saves you hassle, unless you can't be there easily. It also provides an advantage, the person they send is less likely to be a seasoned top of the line inspector (that they keep busy at the plant 8 hours a day) so hopefully they will be more customer, vs. Ins sensitive... It could help!

3. Stress that the Speakers are JBL Studio Monitors that are used by the World's Bla, BLa Bla... they aren't some Circuit City special that goes for $299 new.

4. Be very specific to your claims and have the seller back you up. A Timex gets a scratch, a Rolex is in terrible need of life saving plastic surgery. Creating a list won't hurt and make sure the inspector takes a picture of each item you noted damaged. Also contact the seller prior to inspection to recap that the speakers were in "like new," now be honest, condition, etc.

5. Know the cost of Replacement Products. JBL retail is a real price for Industrial products, i.e., Studio Monitors, etc. In addition to the last published retail price, I used Ebay prices for 4425s that sold within the same day. This was important, because my units were only two years old, from a brand new buyer (0), that sold for $820 vs. a scratched up pair from an experienced seller that sold for $1,220 just eight hours later.

6. Cost of repair. Remember these are JBL Studio Monitors, so repair must be exact and to new "speck". So my local JBL shop doesn't do repairs and the local tech seemed too busy ... So I went to a woodworking shop for custom work and got a quote for complete re-veneering of both speakers... They did suffer from numerous scratches on many, but not all sides, two knocked in bottom speaker back corners and burnishing marks on the horns and front black edges. The edges were lost in the shuffle, but the complete veneering was over $400 and likely $500+ in major metros. Also you really need to do all four sides, as the new veneer will not match the existing veneer.

The speakers needed to be repaired in Phx. So I listed everything that needed to be replaced. I did not over list items, but I did require that the drivers/crossovers be removed during the re-veneering process as to prevent solvents and sawdust from damaging my 4425s.

7. Office Depot Not UPS. When you ship through Depot they are the shipper not you or even the seller ... So, you must deal with them and then they deal with Crawford who is UPS's owned and operated ins co. That means that it takes four months. The assumes that you either followed the above recommendations regarding paying for shipping and ins., or you diligently kissed the sellers (!) to get them to sign a letter of release. I had to draft one, and it worked.

8. The Checks are in the mail... maybe before Christmas. First, UPS only processed one check, and forgot about the second speaker... So I should get the first check anyday now and the second near Christmas. Cost for speakers that were in "like New" condition $820. Cost for UPS $105-$110 from the East coast. Boxing(Yesshh) $60.00. I am told that I should get two checks in the amounts of $442.67 each. $885.34. Time spent to collect appx 40 hours/ four months... But now I know how and so do you. Print this out, cause I can hardly remember all the steps.

Special thanks to all JBLers help and especially the Z-man for top notch ongoing advice.
Don

boputnam
12-07-2004, 08:13 AM
There is also something rattling inside, but the sound seems fine... You need to remove the woofer and poke your head in there and find what's rattling. I suspect the network might be breaking free, or a duct has come loose...

ooppalla
12-07-2004, 09:26 AM
Thanks Bo, but I can't make this speaker rattle anymore. I suspect that a small piece just lodged in the sound proofing... By the network? I am not sure what you mean. Sorry, but my Electronic Tech knowledge is minimal. :rolleyes:

boputnam
12-07-2004, 09:38 AM
I suspect that a small piece just lodged in the sound proofing... :eek: But, a piece of what?

You should definately remove the woofer, and with gloves on, grope around delicately and see what's loose. If it broke free, it may be stuck in the batting now. Need to know what it is.
Lay the cabinet on it's back, and carefully remove the woofer screws. Place a towel on the baffle for a place to rest the woofer, once free. The woofer should come up/out, but may need some urging. Be careful not to mar the baffle!! The woofer is heavy, and may also may be stuck with some air-tight foam / rubber gasket. Hold it by the edge of the frame, only. Put the woofer on the towel, and disconnect the wires - note how they are connected.

Now, find the loose item... The network (crossover) should be fastened to the rear, I believe, of that cabinet. Make sure it's not dangling in a non-engineered fashion.

ooppalla
02-14-2005, 02:36 PM
UPS Update::applaud:
After over four months and countless hours and phone calls, etc. I finally got my checks for the 4425 damage. $800 Insurance and about an extra $85 for what I am not sure of except a partial refund of the appx $105.00 shipping charge. Specials thanks to Zilch and all JBLers for your generous time and great advice... It really helped ... but this is a painfully slow process. Local P/U or pallet shipping might save you time and agrivation

:barf: :banghead: :biting: :bs:
Next, much to my chergrin, I must retract all my advice on making yourself the shipper through ordering the shipping and insurance from UPS directly. I followed their instructions, exactly... But Crawford, who is UPS's owned Ins. company, will not follow what UPS told me, and I was very sure that I followed all instructions and asked, I thought, all the right questions. The insurance adjuster, Mr. $%^@#$ ($%^@#$), at Crawford, doesn't care what I did and how I explained it... He is making me work with he seller, even though I purchased the shipping and insurance directly. Yesssshhh. Thank goodness the shipper is a nice chap.

Thanks to a tip from Zilch, I purchased two Citation 7.4s from a chap in Wisconsin. He has another pair if you are interested. The subs use JLS LE14H-1s and the surrounds are in great shape. I mated them with the 500 watt plate amps from Parts Express and Whooo Baby they do the job ... got to love the panographic controls to shape the subs to take over from my 4425s... works well, but not overly loud, the 4425s, in a 24x24x13 room... Hey my hearing will last another decade.

The shipper did a great job of boxing with double heavy duty boxes and Styrofoam in-between the boxes and on the inside of the boxes.
The speakers had a lot of cosmetic damage, one grill cover had all four posts broken off, the back speaker connections rattle and the ports are not connected in the enclosures and rattle... Not a good thing for subwoofers.

:blah:
Tip: That I am pretty sure this one will stick, is... Don't ship your prize JBL purchase via any box (vs. pallet) shipper during the holiday rush season. All shippers are working to the Max at those times you are more likely to receive rough handling and damage... I am not sure I will order any collector speakers without local p/u or pallet shipping ever again ... it is just not worth the time and aggravation ... and I am not rich buyer.

Live and learn.
PS If I had to ship via UPS again, I guess I would purchase the shipping and Ins directly... But be prepared to explain why you paid $450 for a pair of speakers and insured them for $500 each. In my case, I just show the information from Harman on the cost for their LE14H-3s with built in power amps to the 7.4s with plate amps from Parts Express. Appx $1,200 Vs $2500 including freight. Thanks again Zilch for stretching my audio budget. :)

Zilch
02-14-2005, 02:59 PM
Good outcome, finally, it sounds like. I don't think it's possible to be involved in this very long before getting into wrangles with carriers and sellers over shipping damage. It's part of the territory, apparently, and the insurance providers know ALL the tricks beat us out of compensation. They're professionals and have had plenty of practice at it.

Of late, I'm having better luck with the newer carriers, i.e., FedEx Ground and DHL. There are others, too, that seem to care about delivering safely. Palletizing is an option for speaker systems, for sure, but when it comes to REALLY smashing stuff up, there's nobody better at it than trucking outfits with fork lifts. The more substantial your packing appears, the more and heavier the crap they'll stack on it, it seems.... :(


Thanks again Zilch for stretching my audio budget.NOW, you can buy more GEAR! :D

Phil H
04-07-2006, 06:02 PM
I want to thank ooppalla and all who responded. I received some 4425s that were damaged in shipping and now I have a better idea of what to expect. Oopalla's damage sounds much worse. My 4425s have a cracked horn, one mildly crunched corner and some other mild veneer damage. I have contacted UPS. An adjuster will call me early next week to arrange a time to inspect the speakers and the packaging. The guy that shipped them is very nice and seems more concerned than I am. He insured them for $1000.

I had a couple questions. Should I get a repair estimate before the adjuster arrives? I know how much the horn cost, but I have no idea what it will cost to repair the damage to the cabinets (I may live with it, but it decreases their value. I don't think any repair could be as good as new). I may have missed this in the above posts; will I be notified if they accept the claim or do they just notify the shipper (UPS store in AZ).

Thanks again, here are a couple pictures. When I saw the boxes, I was worried.

QwertyAccess
04-07-2006, 06:33 PM
aye, i'd cry if my speakers came in a box like that.

Titanium Dome
04-07-2006, 06:35 PM
The horn damage is worse, but it's replaceable. The corner ding is not.

Still if you replace the horn, things will sound pretty good if not look pretty good.

johnaec
04-08-2006, 07:33 AM
So the shipper just puts speakers weighing ~60 lbs each in boxes and expects bubble wrap to protect them?? The look of the boxes makes it obvious they weren't securely supported. I feel for you, but it looks to me like the blame is as much the shipper's packing as UPS...

John

hjames
04-08-2006, 07:55 AM
So the shipper just puts speakers weighing ~60 lbs each in boxes and expects bubble wrap to protect them?? The look of the boxes makes it obvious they weren't securely supported. I feel for you, but it looks to me like the blame is as much the shipper's packing as UPS...

John
I agree completely - I sold a set of 4312 Monitors around Thanksgiving and FedExed them from Virginia to CA. I bought $20 of pink building insulation (two 4' x 8' x 1' foam sheets) at Home Despot and cut it into strips so it completely wrapped the speakers inside the boxes. Those puppies had 1" of thick foam cushioning them from any kicks or drops that might occur during normal shipping abuse and they arrived fine. Bubble pack is only for small, light stuff.
The shipper is at fault for such poor packing methods ....

Titanium Dome
04-08-2006, 09:25 AM
Yeah, bubble wrap is the wrong shipping medium for sure. My GF likes to pop it though--drives me nuts. :eek:

At the very least, it's so easy and cheap to build decent corner protectors and spacers for this kind of shipping. Of course, I have a virtual "local pick up only" policy anymore, but on the rare occasion a heavy item needs to be shipped, I always send my own packing instructions.

Maybe we should put our heads together and come up with a stock set of instructions that our members could use to send to sellers shipping to them? This might be a real service to our members.

Titanium Dome
04-08-2006, 09:52 AM
Okay, I started a thread on the subject of packing.

We'll see if anyone is interested in the idea. :dont-know

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=105715#post105715

Phil H
04-08-2006, 06:59 PM
This thread already has invaluable information about the UPS insurance claim process. It is nice to see the other packaging threads started. At this time, I want the claim process to proceed smoothly. I am not worrying about the outcome. The guy I got them from wanted me to initiate the claim. If UPS decides that the damage occured soley because of poor packaging, I would like them to notify the shipper. It has more weight coming from them than anything I say at this time.

Here is a summary of events in my claim:
I contacted the seller. After he spoke to the UPS store that shipped the speakers, he asked me to initiate a claim with UPS. The shipper or the recepient can initiate a damage claim with UPS. All of the packaging must be kept for UPS to investigate.

I called UPS. There phone menu does not have and option for reporting a claim. It would ask if I wanted to track a package etc. After I replied with an invalid answer several times, the automated system transfered me to an agent. The agent took some basic information: tracking number, address etc. She wanted to know the contents of the package, a desciption of the damage. She wanted to know the speakers value and the cost to repair. I told her that I honestly did not know. (I know what I paid for them but I don't think that honestly represents the fair value. I will be completely open and honest when the adjuster comes). She wanted to know if the speakers could be shipped in the packaging they arrived in. I told her that I would not trust shipping them in the damaged boxes. She informed me that someone would contact me by the end of the week.

Another person form UPS called on Friday. She verified my address etcetera and said that the person assigned to the claim would call me on Monday or Tuesday.

Now, I am waiting.

johnaec
04-08-2006, 07:07 PM
When UPS damaged an item I received, they had an adjuster come onsite to look at it, (I told them I would not ship it back or to them). He also wanted to see a damage repair estimate from a qualified repair agency when he got there, (which he kept a copy of). I also had to present a letter from the shipper stating it was OK to pay me the insurance proceeds - otherwise, they go to the shipper by default. Shortly thereafter, I received an insurance payment from UPS.

Having the qualified estimate and the release letter from the shipper were very important!

John