I recently shipped a Levinson 432 amplifier with UPS.I brought it to UPS and requested that they box it. It was insured. During transit UPS dropped the amplifier and pretty much destroyed it. I offered to pay for repairs, however the buyer had no interest in purchasing the item. UPS inspected the damaged amplifier and denied my claim, insisting the amplifier was not properly packaged. Corporate denied responsibility and said the issue was between myself and the UPS franchise that shipped it. I've been dealing with the franchise for a month and they are fighting with corporate in an attempt to adjudicate the issue. Meanwhile, I've repaid the buyer and have had no relief from UPS. The UPS website clearly states that if a franchise boxed the item they are responsible. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to resolve this issue, other than hiring an attorney? UPS seems to be somewhat of a scam operation. I did not realize that all UPS offices were franchises and am wondering why anyone would ship anything of value with them.
ebeneezerfeeblegeezer has it right in his assessment. I quit using UPS years ago when I watched a driver getting off his truck in front of my house drop a tube amp on the step of that truck. He looks up and sees me in the window and says nothing about it when I open the door. The sound of broken glass (tubes) within the box made my decision to refuse delivery due to damage. Hate them.
UPS destroyed an amp I had sent to the manufacturer for repair. The manufacturer handled everything, so I don’t know how it was settled, but the 64 lb. amp was not double boxed. The amp was obviously dropped at some point. When I sent it in, I had UPS Store box it up. They used a box way too large for it, with air-filled plastic packaging. I was not happy. It cost me over $140 to pack, ship (ground) and insure the amp. Also, I have heard that UPS stores can charge whatever they want for "insurance". There is no set price scale from UPS that they must follow.
In contrast, I just got a subwoofer delivered by FedEx. 80+ lbs. in the box. Two FedEx delivery guys brought it to my door and into the house. The box was in perfect shape. I think I will be sticking with FedEx from now on, even if I have to box things myself. In my area, Walgreens drugstores will accept FedEx packages for shipping. Very convenient.
catsally1, was your resolution verbally stated with UPS or was there something in writing? Documenting your case with either police report, letter or email is always a good idea. Hope you receive your check sooner than later. Cheers!
FWIW, I have had equally bad experiences with both UPS and FedEx. It seems to me that there is a direct relationship between the weight of the item and the likelihood of damage being incurred. FedEx roughed-up a Rogue Cronus Mag II that I purchased from a fellow in Las Vegas. I warned him - actually pleaded with him to double box it. He said he would do his best. No double box =d damaged amp. He made good for the refurb done by Rogue Audio (great folks), but I drove it to Rogue (I live in Pa about 90 minutes from them) and picked it up when finished. I didn't want the headache of trying to wrangle culpability out of FedEx as it came nearly across the entire U.S. and had been at multiple FedEx terminals. At which point was the damage sustained? I actually went to the FedEx terminal to pick the amp up as they had missed two proposed delivery dates (that I took off from work for) due to weather which wasn't so bad that I couldn't drive there. When the terminal employee (a lady) opened the truck that it was loaded in for delivery, the first clue that things were likely not going to go well was that the boxed amp - in it's original factory container - was standing on edge despite being clearly marked with large arrows and verbiage to do otherwise. The large puncture through the outer (and only) carton was the next reason my heart sank. I even opened the box up and eyeballed the amp. There was no apparent damage. It appeared that whatever they 'speared' it with, wasn't long enough to actually reach the amp which was suspended on heavy, dense foam carriers. Upon powering it up when I got home, it was obvious there were internal issues. On another occasion, UPS Ground Freight delivered a heavy (200 + lbs.) pellet grill to me that looked as though it had been dropped out of low-flying aircraft. I could go on, but you get the point.
Man I'm glad I read this post tonight. I just packed up a ML 432 amp today to send for repair and even though it "feels" like it's well packed. Inside a Dell/EMC SAN box that just fit the amp. I'm going to double box it tomorrow before having Fedex come pick it up.
Sounds like it’s resolved. For future reference, if you pay with a credit card, most have all different types complimentary insurance, extended warranties, preferred shippers & just general protection for you. Ex you never need the extra liability insurance for rentals. I have had a number of issues & Amex has always resolved in my favor. But Vsa, for me, has not been helpful (neighbors have had great support. But, always try to use your credit cards leverage.
I never and will never use ups for shipping audio gear. I was told that they have a 5’ drop from 1 conveyer to another. Not sure if that’s true. I have had luck with fedex and use them for everything. For large or heavy pieces of gear, I usually state local pickup only. For example, I just sold a pair of Usher speakers and the gentleman drove 8 hours each way to pick them up.
That's why companies get custom boxes for their product. If you couldn't get the original packing, you should have carried it there yourself....or not send it at all.
@catsally1 Your wife is an attorney? Shut up! You had this thing in the bag with in house legal talent! Nothing like sending correspondence on attorney letterhead. Super glad to hear that this is being resolved in your favor! Hopefully the wait for the check will be short. What do you plan to do with the money since the Levinson was destroyed? Also, sounds like you had a quality buyer. Hopefully he can procure an amp. to suit his needs.👍
I want to let everyone know that I spoke with UPS and they settled the claim in my favor. I haven't received a check yet. I didn't mention that my wife, who happens to be an attorney, had e-mailed a letter to the franchise owner letting him know that a lawsuit would be pending unless the issue was resolved. Thirty hours of aggravation, a wonderful amplifier destroyed, and probably two months will have gone by the time I'm compensated. The buyer went way out of his way to help me, taking pictures, and actually speaking with UPS several times on his own initiative. What I've learned from this is that it's imperative to find a UPS franchise that you feel comfortable with. Talk directly with the owner. Let him inspect the packaging and sign off on it. Secondly, even if one does their own boxing, UPS will go out of their way to find some sort of flaw with the packaging. I actually think that the amplifier was properly packaged. Unfortunately, it was dropped off a truck. Unless one gets some sort of certification from UPS that your audio equipment was packaged properly, or even if they packaged it; Beware. What I've learned? There has got to be a better way. At any rate, thanks for all the help and encouragement. I'll let you know if and when I get compensated.
I concur with Hifiman5, File a suit in small claims court. If they don't show up, you will win. If they do show up, present your evidence. I am not a lawyer, but I think you have sufficient claim. B
OP - Can you go back to the UPS location and get names of employees you dealt with that day who made the assurances you note above? A small claims suit may not be able to provide sufficient monies to compensate you for the value of the destroyed amp. So you might check that first in your locality. If the amount is sufficient, then take it to small claims and have the names of who told you what at UPS.
Based on your 10:50 AM post above, I can't see how you wouldn't win that battle. Once they receive notice from the local magistrate that a suit has been filed they may change their tune and pay up rather than appear with a losing case in court. Good Luck!🍀
When I went into UPS I requested double boxing and they stated it wasn't necessary They claimed to have special boxes for shipping heavy, fragile items. I spent a half hour there explaining the fragility and cost of the amplifier. I thought okay, they are the experts. I think resolution depends upon the particular UPS franchise that one deals with. I paid an additional $200 for 'insurance.' From what I've read it's not really insurance anyway. It's declared value, which is the maximum liability the franchise will provide. I've challenged corporate on this issue and they have no response. I guess real insurance would effect their bottom line too much. Almost as bad, my home owners insurance wants to pick up the amplifier and attempt to have it repaired. If you saw the amplifier, even if repaired, I wouldn't sell it to anybody. It's a Levinson 432, and the entire outer casing has been crushed. The face plate has come off. The handles on the back are bent.
UPS does advertise themselves as Packing Experts. From the UPS website:
Trust The UPS Store
Certified Packing Experts®
Let our
packing experts do the job for you so your items arrive safely and intact
We
are trained in advanced packing techniques like block and brace, double
box, and suspension
We can
pack almost anything
We specialize in properly packing fragile and high-value items like artwork or
electronics.
The Pack & Ship Guarantee may now be extended to include coverage for USPS® and DHL® shipments.†
If a participating The UPS Store® location packs your item using only
new materials purchased at that participating location, and ships the
package via UPS, USPS, or DHL (on that participating location’s
applicable UPS, USPS, or DHL account) and that item is damaged or lost
in transit, you’ll be reimbursed*:
The item's value (subject to the lesser of actual value, replacement or repair cost)
The full retail price you paid for packaging materials and services
Your cost for shipping (excluding Declared Value charges or costs for Insurance as applicable)
I am not sure on what basis UPS is denying your claim. Does your receipt indicate that UPS packed the amp
File in Small Claims Court. That might get them off their butt and pay your loss. If not you can always go thru with it. It is a pretty simple process.
You should have stood there and watched to make sure they packed your amp properly! I used my nearby UPS store here in Florida to pack and ship several components. All reached their destinations safely! Maybe my luck was better than yours! I didn't watch the packing process though!
1st - For the life of me I can't imagine shipping a piece of audio gear of such value without packaging it up myself.
2nd - You're talking about a 100+ lb. amp.!! A piece like that either needs double boxing in extremely heavy gauge cardboard or a wooden shipping carton. I seriously doubt that a local UPS shipping center would have the materials to do the job.😲
3rd - Your "audio malpractice" killed a fine piece of audio equipment.🤯
4th - If you want the UPS franchise to reimburse you for the cost of the murdered gear, you are gonna need some legal talent.👔
5th - You messed up, but so have most of us at one time or another. I wish you the very best. Regardless of the outcome, if you learn from this then emphasize that as a positive.👍
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