2. misc-audio
  3. 159379-115924

Shipping. Hard Lesson.

I'm selling some high end audio gear for the estate of a relative who passed away. I've never done this before. I'm using C's List, eBay and A'gon. It has been a lot of work and not a lot of fun.

Tons of scammers on C's list but excellent experience selling to a local audiophile.

Got a sale pending here at A'gon. Not too bad.

One good experience on eBay.

But then the Bryston 9B SST2 amp sold on eBay. I had actually about decided to purchase it myself when it sold via eBay. Super nice, experienced buyer.

Took the amp to UPS. It weighs 65 pounds. Asked them to double box and was ready to pay the price but the clerk convinced me that there was no need. They would wrap it well and the box she chose was supposed to handle 85 pounds.

Well, it gets to the buyer and he sends me a picture and it looks like the box has rolled down a mountain. The handles are broken off of the amp and it is dinged all up. Have no idea if it works or not. I'm not sure double boxing would have mattered in this case.

We insured it for the price paid. Buyer was very understanding but disappointed of course. I will get paid (by UPS) what I was going to get paid anyway but both the buyer and I commiserated over a fine piece of equipment destroyed. Or at least marred.

Anyway, sorry about the long sad sop story but I will probably have other gear to ship in the near future possible even the gorgeous Aerial Acoustics 5Ts which, even thought they are bookshelf speakers, are large and heavy.

So all of this is basically to ask: Who do you use for shipping large heavy delicate audio gear?
n80
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Asked them to double box and was ready to pay the price but the clerk convinced me that there was no need. They would wrap it well and the box she chose was supposed to handle 85 pounds.

Seriously?!

Manufacturers invest significant time and money on packaging that can withstand shipping. I’ve never had anything properly packaged arrive damaged. Was this box even marked "FRAGILE"? This side up? Anything??

Oh wait, you don’t know. Because you left it with some lady.

Seriously??!
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
If it's tight it's right. It CANNOT move inside the packing. It must be double boxed with a 2" standoff between the outside of the inner box and the inside of the outside box. The inner box cannot move inside the outer box...NO ifs, ands or buts... I use 1-2" styrofoam plates. NO PEANUTS EVER....

I have NEVER had a PACKING problem only shipping to the wrong address. I've shipped over 45 years. Thing much like stereo gear only EXPENSIVE.. Like 40-75,000.00 dollars and 30-100 lbs.. My stuff couldn't get hurt, there was a 6 week to 6 month waiting period for someone to build a new one... There were no others in the WORLD....
I shipped from the US, Canada, and Mexico, to Germany

I always pack as if it was being returned to me..not to YOU.... Big difference...in the packing... Think GLASS... ok!!!!!

Learn how to PACK, and LABEL the boxes.. NO UPS, sorry they don't even read the labeling. HEAVY, FRAGILE, This End Up!, Handle with care.

Wish you the best in your future, shipping...

Regards
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
Major red flag...EVERYTHING should be double-boxed, especially a 65 lb amp.  Have you ever received a 65 lb amp from a manufacturer not in a double box? 
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,470 posts
 
You should ask the manufacturer for the original packing material.   They spent lots of research with pros to design the right boxes.
n80 OP
2,117 posts
 
@millercarbon, you never miss an opportunity to insult someone do you? Sometimes I feel bad for you.


I've never done this before. I have never ordered or received hi-fi stereo gear. Zero experience here. (And hi-fi is not my life's calling either).


So when a UPS employee sells me thousands of dollars of insurance and assures me they will do a good job I had no reason to doubt them. Just the packing they did was over $50.


The box was not marked 'fragile' and had no other markings on it.

From the photos the box looked like someone was trying to mangle it. Every surface of the box was damaged. It looked like it fell off a truck and rolled down the road. No corners were square.

The estate gets the same amount of money so there is no loss in that regard. I learned a lesson the hard way. Fool me once.........

Anyway, what I'm hearing is that I need to pack stuff myself. So if I pack it, does it matter who I ship it with? Are some shippers, say FedEx, any better in terms of reputation?

At this point I'm about ready to take it back to the place the relative bought this stuff from. They will sell it on commission so they will price it to move and get 20%. But, this money doesn't come to me and I'm getting tired of the hassle.
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