UPS. Friend Or Foe?

I will not use UPS again, ever. Had a pair of speakers sent to the factory for refurbishment. Original factory packaging and boxes, sent insured for 4K. Got to the factory unscathed but upon arrival back home there was visible box damage to both boxes. Both speakers were trashed, broken cabinets, pieces rattling around inside speakers a total loss.

   Put in a claim with UPS and was denied. There fine print at the time lists UPS as a third party shipper and. Or responsible for damages. I fought it for close to year before finally getting any reimbursement, and ONLY after a good frien who was a comptroller at UPS put a bug in someone’s ear about it. Never got the insured amount, them saying it was a used product and subject to wear and tear, etc.

   on the other hand I’ve never had a problem with FedEx. Just my two cents worth.

Thanks for all the responses and excellent advice.

Hopefully will turn out as it should...

I have a good amount of transactions between here and a couple of other sights and can say with certainty that over the years UPS has been the worse BY FAR for damage, and not making good on insurance. I once had a pair of (heavy) mono blocks delivered to me- both damaged. UPS said they were not packaged properly so the claim was denied. They were both in the factory cartons with factory packaging. No UPS for me ever again. I use Fedex for the heavy stuff and USPS for everything else.

I’ve had the same experience.  My nephew who worked for UPS has large conveyor belts in their warehouses to move packages.  Regularly packages drop off the sides and fall considerable distances.  I received my smashed amp in a torn box.  Looked like. Someone took a sledg hammer to it.  Wouldn’t claim responsibility in not so many words indicated I could take them to court!  Never again.

Funny, in hundreds of deliveries I've never had a damaged box, except when a 'FRAGILE' sticker is on it, had an amp packed by Conrad Johnson sent to me, appeared to have been rammed by a forklift prong, no amount of overpacking protects that.

Agree that the drivers both UPS and FedEx are concientious, seems most of this manhandling occurs before the drivers get stuff, a FRAGILE sticker is a bullseye