Audiophiles DO NOT USE DHL-READ MY NIGHTMARE

I had a problem with FEDEX freight damaging a pair of speakers I had purchased laset February. They of course refused to pay, claiming there was "hidden damage" and since they were dealer demo's, they considered them "used" and so were only liable up to $.30/lb. I had explained to their representative what we were shipping beforehand, and was told the speakers (600 lbs in crates)it would be covered for $25./lb. I got her name and extension.

Took me 3 months, 4 inspections, an accomodating seller and a lot of threats to finally get them to pay an $1100. repair bill. They really don't care. It helped that I had the name and extension of who I had originally talked to, but ultimately, I think it was the threat to go to the TV stations and newspapers that got the local regional guy to put some pressure on the corporate office. I had to pretty much prove to these idiots that the only way the damage they saw could have possibly happened was for the crates to have been dropped. Again - 3 months.

By the way, they tried to charge me $250. above what I was quoted for shipping and wouldn't unload the crates from the truck parked in the middle of my cul-de-sac for 3 1/2 hours when I refused to pay their inflated fee!! At that point I didn't even know they had been damaged. We even shipped on a Monday to avoid a weekend "layover" when most anything can happen to freight.

I don't have any brilliant answers here - the carriers hide behind the Interstate Commerce Commission rules and Common Carrier rules, which are written in advanced legalese using lots of arcane phraseology designed to protect them, not the consumer.

Its very frustrating - I had an OK result, but it took me 3 months of trying to communicate with people of the same mentality potrayed by David Spade in that credit card commercial running for the past several months - I must have heard 27 different excuses to say "NO"!!

any expensive item is worth a wooden box,bult around original packaging.cheap to make,15.00 worth of home depot stuff.also, at least with ups,if you insure for 7000.00 or more,i think this is the magic #,not sure,your item is hand carried in there routing[so i am told by my driver].this all relayed to me as i sent a marantz sa-1 for service,insured for 8000.00.the wooden crate is invaluable.more shipping cost,but it gets attention.

I have had the same problems with UPS and I spent months trying to get them to pay me. I even spoke with a manager with the insurance company that does their claims for them and she told me they are allowed to throw in the air or drop a box up to four feet. She said the box and the packing is suppose to take that type of damage. I told her that is great but I was not selling nor buying the box but what they destroyed on the inside. She did not care and was very hateful saying it was my problem and they were not going to pay. I got on my computer and emailed my state's Consumer Affairs Department and filed a complaint against them and the sameday they got the complaint the lady called me back and told me they would pay. She said I did not have to do that because they was going to pay but that was another lie. However, after the complaint I got a certified check for the total amount and my destroyed amp back. I know this will not happen but if we would all take the time to call or email a complaint to UPS, FedEx, DHL and all the others this might help if ALL of us would stick together. We must understand that all they care about is bonuses for the number of boxes they throw thru and that is it, period. I don't think on the most part anyone is trying to damage our stuff but Wall Street has caused all big America companies to care more for numbers than for their customers. I worked for Bell South for years and that is all they cared about was personal bonuses and the numbers sent to Wall Street. THE BOTTOM LINE!!!!