making enemies with UPS

[Opcom]

They destroy everything. I bought a 9200B amplifier to use for a driver and as best I can tell it has been dropped on every side except the front panel. It will cost probably $250 to fix it, lots of bent stuff including the front panel. box looked like a ball.

"DRIVER AMP uses two 8117 tubes which drove 4CX3000A in separate amp (not available). Continuously tunable 1.5 to 31 MHz; has meter to monitor volt levels. Requires 115/230 VAC 50-400 Hz; 819x8.5x21, 150 lbs sh."

the pics are before shipping.. what a nice unit - one knob tuning. wish I had the manual on it but I will probably have to draw the schematic. I hope I can align it as one of the roller ind. mountings has to be fixed.

UPS=OOPS!

[KM1H]

And Im sure it was packed to UPS requirements too.

Ive been shipping 70-100+ Lb radios and amps all over the country for years via UPS and havent had damage yet.

What comes in is sometimes a different matter and all the Big 3 destroy stuff with FedWrex leading the pack here.

Carl

[K9PNP]

I used to use UPS until they dumped a box against the front door and left.  Found it the next morning after an all-night rain and sleet event.  At least nobody wlked off with it.  Of course, they had something scrawled in the 'received by' section of the hand-held computer so it was my fault I left it out there all night.  Expensive lesson.  Unfortunately, the others are not much better over all.

[KC2YOI]

I just received a judgment in my favor from PayPal to due with a wrecked Gonset, 811 based tube amp.
UPS refused to make good on the damage because they didn't pack it.

In all fairness I think a marginal packing job by the e-bay seller + heavy contents and the UPS Samsonite Gorilla treatment doomed the amp. UPS communication was piss poor.
Despite a clear request, the seller left the tubes in place also. The xfmr. tore out of the chassis and brutalized its' neighbors...
                                                                        
                                                                        D

[Opcom]

There is never an excuse for dropping a package.

And there is -1^0.5 excuse for dropping it 4 or 5 times.

[KC2YOI]

Aye Aye re: dropping,

The thing was double boxed w/ rigid and foam & bubble packing.

As it turned out I was glad in the end that I parted ways w/ the poor Gonset. It was a rough specimen that had been poorly modified for 11m op.

My plan was to use the cool looking BA Gonset chassis for a HB, 4-400 based, AM service, amp.

No worries, just a crap load of phone calls, pictures and e-mails back and forth.

It all worked out if you don't count time and disappointment.

[KM1H]

That well used carton should never have ben used or even accepted at the UPS counter. Cartons without weight certification stamps are another no no and that includee the Chinese crap. I'll spend the $$ and get triple wall, I set up an account with a box company in the next town so they will sell me 1-2 at a time.  Then its off to HD for sheets of hard foam; I already have a "mile" of large bubble wrap.

[W1VD]

Then its off to HD for sheets of hard foam

Cuts like butter on table saw with carbide blade 

[KC4VWU]

Oh boy! It's really too early in the morning to get started on this!

UPS is THE CRUMMIEST shipping service ever!

My post about the 32V2 a month or so ago -- still not resolved!

I know some are adamant about the packing; build it into a wooden frame surrounded by goose down feathers and encased in a little -known space age polymer padding and seated firmly upon a velvet pillow once owned by Queen Elizabeth Blah, Blah, Blah. I understand the need to try and pack an item as best you can to survive shipping ... BUT... Doesn't the shipping companies charge enough to do their job correctly? If a decently packed item with 8x11 placards posted on all sides stating "FRAGILE, PLEASE HANDLE WITH CARE" can't be given respect and treated accordingly, especially when they charge 100 bucks to ship such item, I mean WTH!!!

Another thing with their policy that I have a problem with is when a claim is made, the injured party cannot obtain information about the status of the claim; or the outcome. The claim adjustment check will also NOT be made out to the same said party, but instead to the seller. So, you end up hanging your cahonies out there helplessly waiting, only to get a swift kick.   

So, as far as the Collins goes, I packed the whole mess back up in the shipping box minus the broken dial glass, and put it away in the storage building just so I don't have to look at it and get any madder about it than I am. That's why I started on the junker ART-13; at least it's not bent up all to H3LL.

Phil

[KM1H]

Thats BS as FedWrex has the exact same requirements. Anybody that ships a 135# 32V that is not in a wood box is a damn fool. My prewar HT-9 came all the way from Monterey, CA without a scratch.

[KC4VWU]

It wouldn't matter if you shipped in in a titanium crate, if it is dropped and abused, inertia will do it's job without fail. Same results from policy would be the outcome; they'd try to weasel out of paying a claim and if they actually did, the check would go to the seller and not the purchaser. That is, if you could actually find out the information for a fact.

I work for a company that builds excavators. My job on the assembly line includes installing and aligning the access doors and panels on the sides of the body. These doors and panels are pretty heavy and I have to pick them up, walk to my station, and install them by hand. These parts do not belong to me, however, I am responsible for them while they are in my possession. If I were careless with them, dented, dinged, or scratched them, what do you think my employer would do?

These shippers weigh packages before they accept them. They are able to inspect the package, and reject it if they wanted to. Yet, they take your money and send it on it's way. If the employees know it is heavy (weight displayed on shipping label), and it is clearly marked "fragile, handle with care", and it does not belong to them, they should make every effort to move that package without damage. If it does become damaged by accident, they should make good on the insurance purchased by the customer since they agreed to ship it.

What it boils down to is if you have someone elses crap, you need to treat it better than if it belongs to you.

I'm not trying to totally justify how the seller shipped it. I do know the way the transformers and framework were shifted around, it took a pretty good fall and no packaging could have prevented that. On the other hand, if he would have shipped it in a paper bag and the shippers would have heeded the labels and handled it as such, it may have arrived here magically totally restored. Who knows?

Irregardless, the carelessness is not justified by any means.

Phil 

Phil

[Mike/W8BAC]

I ordered two bottle jacks recently from Northern Tool & Supply. They arrived last Friday and the box was trashed. The UPS driver tossed them on the back porch and got back to her truck quick. I spotted the box and ran after her to call her back. From the truck she shouted "if you want to refuse delivery, toss em back in the truck". I said I just wanted her to witness unpacking to see if the contents agreed with the packing list and to see if any visible damage could be seen. She wasn't happy.

The box had taken some rough treatment. It wasn't square anymore, it was more round. The top (taped with reinforced paper tape) had split open and more tape had been added in transit. Both bottle jacks arrived intact, no damage. What was shocking was the shipper had used just some wadded up paper for padding. It clearly wasn't the fault of UPS that the box was damaged. I thanked the driver and she left.

[W2VW]

Shippers use conveyor belts. None of those belts can read.

[Ed KB1HVS]

UPS/FEDEX, etc treat their employees like insects. They have delivered  boxes of splinters to me on more than on occasion. Still no excuse for this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VylIlHEdkuE

[Ed/KB1HYS]

When I worked at FEDEX, the freight got dumped on the belt, and you had to pull it to fill your container/truck etc. You couldn't miss any packages, and you had to bar code scan each one.  If you got a pileup, a LOT of stuff just got shoved to the floor with other packages landing on top until your destination slowed down again (if it did).  You also had to pack for MAX CUBE (filler up!).  That occasionally meant 10lbs of stuff in a 5lb bag.  None of which helps a handler move packages carefully or with attention to detail. 

managment stayed in the office, until the sort end time, then they came out and gave the slow station hell.  No matter what the freight couldn't be late. 

I quit because they cut my hours (from over 40 to 25), and then put me on "written warning" because I took a sick day in early December (Peak time) after working there for 3 yrs with no other problems, and always working holidays etc.  They expected a full time commitment for a part time check.

I walked out and have no regrets at all.