Ups & Shipping

[Steve]

Aloha
Just reading the reports of the damage done by shipping has me cringing....
So far I have only received two speakers shipped to me undamaged out all the ones I have brought in. Those were in from different states and 5 years apart. I have now given up on having speakers shipped to me and opt. only for componets.
I have had speakers shipped, USPS, Fed Ex, UPS, ground and regular, DHL, DHX.
One that survived.... an old Altec Iconic model home made from Altec plans out, in 1957, of black walnut from CT. It was screwed down to a piece of plywood and then cardboard boxed, foamed and then a wood box around it. It was shipped ground via DHX or DHL. It was trucked all across the states, put on a boat and sailed to me and then flown from Oahu to Maui. NO DAMAGE...Shipping was $225, speaker $100.
The other speaker was a sub, Contra Bass from Chicago. That box and packing could have taken a drop from 10 feet and still be ok. I had it flown air.
I have a mint pair (were mint actually) of 846b Valencias with all 4 corners rounded, had to be the front corners on both speakers, had
Jubals with stand torn up and rounded corners, 4310's that not ony had rounded corners, but a corner that was pushed in about 2 inches, was dropped so hard that the LE5 was messed up, grills were broken up also..the list goes on. So far no $ has ever been paid by the insurance for the damage despite pictures of the packing at both ends, picts of the speakers before and after etc.

I do believe the solution is as mentioned above, have the UPS box stores do the packing, so they can't claim the packing wasn't up to par.
I have followed a similar thread on computer forums.... same BS in getting claims filled. Even a movie of a driver dropping and kicking and moving the box with his feet to the door didn't help.
I know that any thing of value I purchase and have shipped I will demand they get it packed at the UPS store....small increase of price compared to the frustration, blood pressure increase and time lost....let alone a fine collectable.

Steve

[JBL Dog]

Originally posted by Mr. Widget
I almost always ship by FedEx Ground. I have had very good luck with them ... so far.

Widget

I'm with you on FEDEX, Widget. I've never had a problem with them. Gotten lotsa stuff from "brown" damaged. Most was a packing problem. I was successful in filing a claim with UPS on a McIntosh MC7270 amplifier. Broken glass and a meter ended up costing them $376.

This message comes from JBL Dog

[Audiobeer]

Originally posted by dennis j leisz
I received an original woodstock poster, fairly expensive, shipped by UPS, with the shipping tube folded in half. Ruined. I only ship audio equipment via 2nd day air or ground transport. Its worth the extra cost.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...&category=3282

[Mr. Widget]

Who knew anyone would want one of those?

I guess I don't need one as my sole radio usage is NPR.

[Daniel B]

I wonder if any of these companies has a program where a client could ship a box in one of those reusable plastic amp racks for a flat rate. Foam padding and all. They could dress up the old Samsonite gorilla in a brown uniform for the commercial. Now that’s a movie I’d like to see.

Tagline:
"When it absolutely has to get there... in one piece."

Then again, that might only encourage them to be even more reckless.

[Audiobeer]

I was told and you guys correct Me if I'm wrong.....If you insure for either $1000 or $1500 the item stays with the seller while UPS makes thier decision. In otherwords UPS actualy has to come out to where it was shipped to evaluate. Also is there anyway a seller can have the claim process handled between the reciever and the shipping company. I always felt screwed whenever as a buyer not only had I paid for an item that the shipper gamaged but now i may never see the damaged item or the refund!

[Mr. Widget]

My claim was for $700 and a UPS claims adjuster came out to my house and examined the damaged goods and the packaging. It took weeks, many follow up phone calls by both the recipient (me) and the shipper to UPS and several rounds of multiple pages of paper work to be filled out by both of us. He assigned the payment to me and I received the $700 check directly from UPS.

[Wardsweb]

Originally posted by Audiobeer
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...&category=3282

Hey I remember that auction -

It will be triple boxed and shipped on the Buyers Fed Ex account.

[JBL Dog]

Originally posted by Mr. Widget
My claim was for $700 and a UPS claims adjuster came out to my house and examined the damaged goods and the packaging. It took weeks, many follow up phone calls by both the recipient (me) and the shipper to UPS and several rounds of multiple pages of paper work to be filled out by both of us. He assigned the payment to me and I received the $700 check directly from UPS.

My claim of $376 for the McIntosh amp involved:

1) Contacting UPS making them aware of the situation.

2) Repacking the item and having a UPS driver pick it up for a claims rep to examine it.

3) Having the seller fax a letter releasing any settlement to me.

I believe the unit was packed at a UPS store in California, so "finger-pointing" was in one direction. They told me to get the unit fixed and send them a bill. It took about four months from start-to-finish only because the Mc repair center had to wait over two months for the 7270 glass. I sent UPS a copy of the bill and they promptly issued me a check.



This message comes from JBL Dog

[thevott]

I have shipped many items including loudspeakers and tube equipment. Though I too prefer FedEx I have generally ship via UPS out of convenience. I have had two items damaged out of the several hundred I have shipped in the last couple of years (both claims were settled with out too much trouble). I largely attribute this success to my packing methods though dropping the item off the back of the truck or running it over with the rear wheel will likely damage or destroy it (yes I heard a story of a smashed guitar with a 'tell-tale' tire track on it!). Anyway, Items of mass MUST be firmly packed with at least 1" of polystyrene beadboard (preferably 2") which I purchase in 4' by 8' sheets at 'The Home Depot'. Packing popcorn is simply not suitable for receivers and other heavy stuff. Cartons must also be thoroughly taped on every seam to achieve maximum rigidity.
On the other hand, of the handful of audio gear that I have purchased on Ebay, at least half of the items have been packaged below my own standards. I am not excusing UPS, but it is important to expect the worst and pack accordingly. The amount of polystyrene beadboard surrounding an item must be directly proportional to its mass.

thevott