Dont use UPS.
10 Jul 2008 18:18:00 UTC
Topic 193754
(moderation:
I shipped a 52lb computer system in a double wall box rated at 44lb Edge Crush Test and 95lb gross weight.
This is well within UPS's rated specs and requirements for the weight and dimensions of the box.
Along with the standard styrofoam corners there was an additional 2 inches of firm sponge foam around the computer case.
Inside the system there was rolls of bubble wrap to firm up and support the internals.
Upon delivery, bottom corner showed evidence of a hard drop and crushing.
The system did not work, troubleshooting revealed the motherboard needed replacement.
Service tech $150, replacement motherboard $165........$310 total. It was insured for $500.oo
UPS is denying my claim based on insufficient packaging.
It has been weeks of phones calls to UPS and various 'agents' and supervisors, then dealing with the UPS store and its parent company Mailboxes ETC, their regional rep etc etc.
The end result is that I ended up refunding the money to my customer $485 and UPS stole $310 plus $65 in shipping from me due to their damages.
A google search of (UPS rip off) or (UPS claims denial) reveals that there are a lot of people that have been screwed by UPS and their blanket denial of damage claims because of " insufficient packaging " .
Dont use UPS.
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I feel your pain. Never had a bad experience, but that is because I rarely ship important cargo. If you have ever seen the inside of a UPS package handling building you might get an idea how things can go very wrong. They have automated package movement systems. I am sure those systems jam on occasion. When that happens, it is like a 50 car pile up on the highway. Bad things happen and they happen fast. The conveyors are well off the ground. So in a jam up, boxes likely fly off the conveyor to the ground. Not good for sensitive items even when well packed. The least they could do is admit that S#@! can and likely does happen an pay for the mistakes. I had a temp job at discount store warehouse where my job was to go around unjamming the package handling system. I applied for a job at UPS and saw the workings, but did not actually work there.
And I thought FedEx was when
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And I thought FedEx was when delivering packages!! I have had packages the were delivered via FedEx that looked like they were dropped from fifty feet!
Only tangentially
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Only tangentially related...
A coworker took a box to the post office here in Korea. He had marked it fragile as he has some vases and stuff they had brought back from a trip to China. The guy at the post office tells Jon "We don't handle packages with care."
I'm hoping that he really mean that they did, but this is Korea.
Kathryn :o)
Einstein@Home Moderator
Update...sort of. The
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Update...sort of.
The orginal box was a NEW (paid $9.95 at officemax) double wall ( 3 plys with 2 corrugations ) all the seams and corners were double and triple taped with the typical Scotch brand 2.5" clear packing tape.
The box had a full floor and lid, so this made them basically a quad layer.
The box mfgrs stamp was 200lb crush and 98lb gross.
It was returned in a single wall 44lb crush x 95lb gross.
The package is 52lbs total weight, the actual PC weighed 44lbs.
8 pounds of packing materials.
Either box completely exceeds UPS's stated ratings and guidlines for the size and weight, also the type and amount and method of EPS and PE foam also exceeds UPS's stated recommendations.
Yesterday entailed 5 different phone calls to and from UPS, speaking with 4 different 'agents' and a supervisor twice.
They were all very polite and apologetic but they all were clearly reading from the same cue card.....word for word quoting how when the system was inspected that is determined to have been "insufficiently packaged" .
That inspection consisted of a UPS driver walking up to box, never touching it, and walking away less than 5 seconds later.
I finally got an email response from UPS, they are using the position that my claim needs to filed by the UPS store ( the shipper of contract ) .
The store rep is wrangling the issue with a local UPS supervisor.
Word to the wise...if you package it yourself (correctly) Call UPS and arrange for a pickup from you directly.
This makes you the "shipper of contract" and requires UPS to deal with you directly and does not give them another layer of deniablity by requiring you to file a damage claim at the retail store level.
I realise that they are billion dollar business and if they paid every claim that UPS would not exist. I have never had a problem with UPS....and I have used them as exclusively as possible, the local UPS store is 1.8 miles from my house. The people that run the store are extremely nice and helpful.
So I have been kinda loyal to them, UPS gave me part time job as a loader at the local airport terminal and thats what got me through college.
Also being semi-active ebay seller.....lotsa UPS packages over the years.
My claim is small and reasonable at $310.oo.
The customer service from UPS on this issue has been abhorrent.
RE: Update...sort of. My
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Yep, the quality of service from UPS has steadily gone downhill over the last 10 years. There used to be a day where if you had a problem like this, they went out of their way to make sure you got satisfaction unless you completely screwed up packing the item.
Probably explains why I see a lot more FedEx and DHL trucks around, and it's a fairly rare occasion to see the UPS truck around nowadays. ;-)
In your case given the blatant runaround you seem to be getting, I might start thinking about using the 'L' and 'S' words. :-)
Alinator
Just to give UPS a little
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Just to give UPS a little credit... They deliver millions of packages without incident. I just had a washing machine problem. I figured I would try my hand at the repair because it was just replacing the bowl that holds the clothes. I ordered the parts over the internet and they were delivered UPS. The box the new bowl came in said 'GLASS HANDLE WITH CARE". The box arrived on my doorstop in pristine condition. When I saw those words on the box I thought that might be a flag to UPS to "HANDLE THE BOX AS ROUGHLY AS POSSIBLE". I'n not sure why the Handle with care was on the box because the part is actually made of sheet metal I think. But, in this recent case UPS did a typically good job.
RE: I shipped a 52lb
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Give the USPS a try. With their current over capacity of labor and equipment, I think you'll find them to be very accomodating. I switched 2 years ago and am getting 2-3 day delv. times to the East and West coasts from 1st class shipments coming from Missouri. Only one insurance claim coming from the loss of a gold Canadian Maple Leaf coin insured for $300.00 that was settled in less than 3 weeks. I sure can't say the same from my earlier experiences with UPS.
F. Prefect
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i worked for a dhl contractor
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i worked for a dhl contractor and i know first hand what can happen with packages.
USPS also did a number on a fragile item i had shipped overseas years ago.
had a glass flower that is top heavy with the bloom and light weight where it attaches to the stem. I had it liquid foamed at a glass studio inside a big box and then took it direct to the airmail center at the airport. they put big yellow tags on it and i insured it. it arrived overseas busted and the packaging was broken through on one end.
from my dhl experience i know that unloaders and loaders and autosorters can destroy such things. fragile or not it goes on the belt unless its dangerous chemical or to heavy to lift or to long to go on the belt and turn the corner.
you can have a light weight box get pounded by a 50 pound box sliding down the rollers on its slot or the rack loader just tossed it in the bottom of the rack and landed something else heavy on top of it. or it got dropped off the pallet while they were shrink wrapping it or any number of things. maybe it was on the outer edge near the bottom of the rack or the pallet and when the fork driver put it in the truck it got rammed by the next box or pallet edge. package handlers don't give a damn. the heavier the package the harder it gets dropped on the belt.
i also know from my days as a AV tech doing roadshows, that computers and screens are put inside hard metal cases that have 5 inches of hard foam around the inside and that these cases can handle a beating in a freight truck and the computer comes out ok everytime. that will be how you have to ship the next unit. anvil cases are about the only thing that can take the beating of a freight company and the inside will not be damaged.