Damaged package from UPS, No Insurance???

[Rob MacLennan]

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I haven't had to worry about shipping for almost 15 years but, back when I oversaw the back end of a computer manufacturer, I had very few problems with UPS. If I made a claim they paid it, because we used adequate packaging. Purolator at the time, on the other hand, was a real stabbing pain in the nether regions. They routinely trashed product, regardless of how well packaged it was, then gave grief over covering it.

@jefflones: I hope that you took a lot of pictures of both the tank, and the packaging, in case they 'lose it'.

@JohnnyP636: Years back, when I used to fill in when the shipper was on vacation at my first computer job, a guy from Metro Express told me that "fragile" translates to "throw underhand", in courier-speak.

 

[You Know]

As someone who works as a driver for a large courier company let me first say that I don't take offence when someone takes a jab at my Employer, everyone has their personal experience. As a driver I vist 80-100 addresses daily and handle over 200packages on my truck alone! I personally have never kicked, punched or thrown a box(unfortunately thanks to some idiots we all get painted by the same brush...sound familiar fellow bikers?)

I don't load my truck, there are pre loaders that do this. If I notice a damaged box or envelope I always have the customer inspect it before signing offm this keeps them happy as well as I get to verify that the contents are in good repair. This assures no fraudulent claims of which we have MANY. As a result people with legitamte claims suffer. Please remember this and understand that large companies have policies in place to protect themselves. If you ship glass of any kind it is not insured, if you do insure it it will not be covered.

I have a specific run, more than 50% of my run are daily regulars both commercial, at home business and shopping channel addicts. I have someone making a fraudulent claim at least once a month. One story that comes to mind....A gentleman on my route orders old stereo equipment from ebay. The first two times I delivered to him he signed for them, the boxes were in tact and a day after he claimed the products were damaged...Each time they were insured for a large amount. Started to smell fishy!!! Next time I delivered to him I asked him to open the clearly intact box so we could inspect it together. The contents were bubble wrapped and taped very well, we opened it together to find a large bend in an amplifier, it was clear to me that this item was old and infact damaged when packaged by the shipper! Upon further investigation we discovered that each time he made a claim it was sent from the same person and insured for high value. He and his buddy were sending damaged products back and forth to each other and claiming insurance money! FRAUD!!

Big courier companies get burned alot more than our customers. Despite what many think all these companies are in business because of consumers choosing us, we want to keep our customers happy!

If a package comes to your door don't be afraid to ask the driver to wait for you to open it, I personally carry a pocket knife and am happy to do so, it costs me some time at the moment but saves time and headaches in the long run if their is a problem. It also keeps my customers very happy that I go that extra mile. Sadly not all drivers share my opinion.

Long story short, don't sign for it until you inspect it, a good driver is prepared to wait and accomodate. : )

 

[Jerico]

Purolator at the time, on the other hand, was a real stabbing pain in the nether regions. They routinely trashed product, regardless of how well packaged it was, then gave grief over covering it.

We used to use Purolator at a Power Tool Company I worked for to ship parts to end users when speed wasn't an issue. We never insured anything, as the parts were worth so little to us that when they lost the occasional package we were ok as they charged so little compared to the other companies that we came out ahead just shipping it again. My cousin works in appliance parts right now for a major manufacturer, and they still use the same logic.

When you need it fast, use someone else though.

 

[Rob MacLennan]

We used to use Purolator at a Power Tool Company I worked for to ship parts to end users when speed wasn't an issue. We never insured anything, as the parts were worth so little to us that when they lost the occasional package we were ok as they charged so little compared to the other companies that we came out ahead just shipping it again. My cousin works in appliance parts right now for a major manufacturer, and they still use the same logic.

When you need it fast, use someone else though.

Unfortunately computers don't like being dropped from a conveyor belt, that's 4 metres off the concrete floor, so we generally tried to ship via someone else.

 

[kneedragger88]

Why are you guys blaming UPS, to me it sounds like it was not packaged properly. Thats not UPS's fault, especially if it was not marked FRAGILE...

When you buy a tank from a dealer or a good motorcycle salvage place, ore even someone that has half a brain, they will pack the tanks good enough so they cant get damaged even if you toss the box around..Ive bought many tanks new and used, and they always come packaged properly an undamaged after shipping from the US or even Japan.

Its not your fault he didnt pack it good enough, its the sellers fault for not packing it properly so it wont get damaged during shipping....If you used Paypal file for a refund, notify the seller and give him a chance to take it back and refund you before hand, but if he refuses file a dispute

Wrong. We were warned by the UPS store that if we packaged it then the insurance could be void for bad packaging. So we spent the extra money to have them do it. It was going Toronto to Seattle for software upgrade. It was damaged on the way there. We took it into the same store when it was returned. They agreed and filled in their claim papers. We brought it back in for the regional rep to see and he agreed as well. Then it went to head office and they initially were to send an adjuster to see it then a coule days later they said we had to give it to them for a couple weeks even theough the damage was externally visible and we were not claiming any internal damage. They were just playing games hoping we would go away. Dirtbags!

 

[meester_jamie]

i.ve watched the couriers unload the semi's into local delivery vans..they back the semi up to a stage, and the vans back up to it too... they open the back door of the trailer.. first packages fall out and hit the floor.. I think they know not to try to save it from falling as a heavy, or glass package may cause injury to them,, so that box marked fragile... still hit the floor.. then,, they grab a box, read the town it is going to... and yell Kitchener ..out as they toss it into the center of a stage. The kitchener driver grabs it in midair.. and then takes it back to his van... then hears,, kitchener..kitchener..kitchener..kitchener.. lol... do you think he was able to grab all the parcels... for the most part, they "throw" kitchener..galt, waterloo, preston, hespeler,,kitchener.. so the driver has time to take it to his van.
then the larger, or awkward, or pooly packed parcel shows up... like the one day... the first box was full of shifter knobs from tractors.. just like a billard ball.. a box about 18" cube,, it caught another box and put a small tear appeared,, when he went to pick it up... lol.. it ripped,, and all the balls fell out ! and I bet to this day , you can walk along the fence line of that lot and find shifter knobs!
The next parcel was a car hood.. wrapped in one layer of cardboard... sigh.. dropped on every corner as it was "wheeled" back the truck..
Fragile does mean thro underhand!

 

[JohnnyP636]

Wrong. We were warned by the UPS store that if we packaged it then the insurance could be void for bad packaging. So we spent the extra money to have them do it. It was going Toronto to Seattle for software upgrade. It was damaged on the way there. We took it into the same store when it was returned. They agreed and filled in their claim papers. We brought it back in for the regional rep to see and he agreed as well. Then it went to head office and they initially were to send an adjuster to see it then a coule days later they said we had to give it to them for a couple weeks even theough the damage was externally visible and we were not claiming any internal damage. They were just playing games hoping we would go away. Dirtbags!

I am not wrong, because I was not posting about your package. Sorry but your package has nothing to do with the OP's situation....If you read my post it specifically mentions shipping tanks...

We have stuff being shipped by UPS all the time, instead of blaming UPS for damage after the fact, we just make sure we package our product properly...

I just had a new computer delivered last week via Fedex and the box was huge because there was 5-6" of foam around the entire computer tower...Thats proper packing...

 

[kneedragger88]

Sorry I cant comment on his. Still ****** though as we did exactly what was asked and paid extra for packaging, and insurance and they still broke it and didnt pay. I dont feel we did anything wrong its 100% on them. Its UPS's fault, plain and simple. They took our package talked us out of doing the packaging, took our money to "professionally package it", told us the only way to cover the value was to pay the insurance, took our money to do that. Had us take the package to the very same UPS store not once but twice for inspection by both the store manager then again with the regional rep. Both of which agreed it was there fault. Then wanted to take it for two weeks (we had an event that weekend) and do god knows what to it, seeing as its damaged externally. Refused to send the appraiser to the house or have us meet him at UPS. The only option was to allow them to take it and ship it again BTW. In the end no payment. Dirtbags!

 

[topendz]

As someone who works as a driver for a large courier company let me first say that I don't take offence when someone takes a jab at my Employer, everyone has their personal experience. As a driver I vist 80-100 addresses daily and handle over 200packages on my truck alone! I personally have never kicked, punched or thrown a box(unfortunately thanks to some idiots we all get painted by the same brush...sound familiar fellow bikers?)

I don't load my truck, there are pre loaders that do this. If I notice a damaged box or envelope I always have the customer inspect it before signing offm this keeps them happy as well as I get to verify that the contents are in good repair. This assures no fraudulent claims of which we have MANY. As a result people with legitamte claims suffer. Please remember this and understand that large companies have policies in place to protect themselves. If you ship glass of any kind it is not insured, if you do insure it it will not be covered.

I have a specific run, more than 50% of my run are daily regulars both commercial, at home business and shopping channel addicts. I have someone making a fraudulent claim at least once a month. One story that comes to mind....A gentleman on my route orders old stereo equipment from ebay. The first two times I delivered to him he signed for them, the boxes were in tact and a day after he claimed the products were damaged...Each time they were insured for a large amount. Started to smell fishy!!! Next time I delivered to him I asked him to open the clearly intact box so we could inspect it together. The contents were bubble wrapped and taped very well, we opened it together to find a large bend in an amplifier, it was clear to me that this item was old and infact damaged when packaged by the shipper! Upon further investigation we discovered that each time he made a claim it was sent from the same person and insured for high value. He and his buddy were sending damaged products back and forth to each other and claiming insurance money! FRAUD!!

Big courier companies get burned alot more than our customers. Despite what many think all these companies are in business because of consumers choosing us, we want to keep our customers happy!

If a package comes to your door don't be afraid to ask the driver to wait for you to open it, I personally carry a pocket knife and am happy to do so, it costs me some time at the moment but saves time and headaches in the long run if their is a problem. It also keeps my customers very happy that I go that extra mile. Sadly not all drivers share my opinion.

Long story short, don't sign for it until you inspect it, a good driver is prepared to wait and accomodate. : )

What a great intelligent post that gives everyone the prospective from the shipping company. Fraud is an epidemic in this country!

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