Another UPS Horror Story

My most recent experience with UPS was similarly horrendous. I sold a pair of pristine monitor speakers last summer and shipped them insured (in the original boxes, packing materials and with additional cushioning by me) to the buyer in NYC, who is about 200 miles away from me. One arrived with the tweeter damaged. The buyer notified UPS of the damage, the buyer carefully repacked the speaker, per my instructions and UPS picked up the package and sent it to their insurer. NOTE: that the insurer is a third party and not part of UPS and that a UPS store is similarly not part of UPS, rather they pay a fee to UPS to use the UPS name and the UPS shipping services.
The insurer denied the claim, saying the speaker had been improperly packaged. The damaged speaker was then returned by the insurer to the UPS store from which I had shipped it. Upon its arrival, I insisted that the store manager and I open the returned speaker package together. Upon doing so, it was obvious to the manager and I that the speaker had been mispackaged and that the manufacturers foam shipping protectors hadn't been installed as they rested at the bottom of the box under the speaker. As a result, the speaker had been bouncing around in its box and now had several chips and dimples along with the damaged tweeter. I was irate.
The store manager then began to take issue with my version of what had transpired, even going so far as to suggest that the speaker might have been damaged prior to my shipping it! Fortunately, I had taken numerous clear pictures of all speaker surfaces, their respective serial numbers as well as their drivers. The pictures were taken in two steps showing the speakers: 1. Prior to packing and 2. During the step-by-step packing process, showing my use of the factory materials and the additional packing materials. I showed the pictures to the store manager and he had no choice but to agree that what I was saying about the preshipped condition of the speakers was true. At this point, he told me that UPS claim issues are always very difficult to resolve and that they are time consuming. He volunteered to deal with UPS directly as he is prohibited from allowing direct customer contact with either the insurer or UPS personnel.
The resolution process took about 4-5 weeks and fortunately, the buyer was patient and understanding. During the claim resolution process I was required to also provide, for the insurer, additional information including: 1. the Audiogon trail of sale transaction emails and the purchase agreement with the buyer showing the price paid for the speakers, 2. documentation from the North American distributor of the speaker showing its new price and the price of its component pieces such as the drivers.
Finally, the claim was settled, but not at the value for which I insured the speaker (approximately half of their MSRP). Had I not accepted their lower-than-insured offer, they would've claimed the damaged speaker and provided me the insured value (approximately half of their MSRP). That would've left me with one speaker and about 1/2 the purchase price of a new one. Further complicating the issue is that the manufacturer will only sell the speakers as a matched pair and they won't separately sell a cabinet. The insurer was aware of this and thus made me a partial offer.
The buyer, was very gracious and agreed to accept the damaged speaker along with a new tweeter and remuneration from me for the cabinet damage.
Over this process, I learned that UPS will package your shipment at a cost of $20 per box and should there be damage that your claim will be immediately settled. Should you choose to go this route, I would be clear as to what documentation, etc. is required by them so that they will honor a damage claim.
This UPS experience was the single worst customer service experience I've ever had and I highly recommend that UPS not be used. If you have no alternative but to use them, I strongly suggest that you document everything and have a clear understanding with the UPS store of what a potential claim would entail.
Good luck with your claim.
Mike

I had someone tell me they double boxed items so the outer box is too big to throw and catch.

It may be a good tactic but it certainly makes you think...

it's not the throw and catch you have to worry about, it's the 6' fall from the high speed conveyor onto the concrete floor of the sorting center. Onc3 you realize that is the major risk, you can pack accordingly. IOW, after packing, the item should be able to survive a 6' straight drop onto concrete, hitting on a corner. Also make sure that the item cannot shift AT ALL inside the box. Last time I sent a high value item by UPS, insured for $3K, they shook it like a maraca (I knew that the cable could not be damaged) and when they heard it shift the tiniest bit, they opened it and added more padding. Also remember that the insurance is mostly good only when they lose something, which is not very often. Otherwise, they will fight like the dickens to avoid payment. In that regard, the post office is MUCH better.

And there is no doubt that it is the seller's responsibility to pack it safely and make sure it arrives undamaged.

This original Allnic packaging is double boxed, although not with any real space between the inner and out boxes. I have a few Allnic pieces and they seem to make it from Korea to Seattle just fine by USPS.

Crawford Insurance is who UPS uses for inspection, although I doubt anyone actually looked at the box.

I agree that I bought a working item and received a non-working one and its the sellers reposnisbility to pay.

Jazzcourier pretty much nailed it - overpack and hope for the best. I have had better experience with FedEx and USPS rather than UPS. If you must use UPS, the UPS Stores are a waste of money, pack it yourself, drop it off at a UPS depot and you will be better served for far less money...

-RW-