Ebay selling my missing amplifier

@macg19 -- You’ve changed the subject. The OP was about a LOST package and NOT a damaged one.

Damage claims are a totally different animal -- not even remotely the same as UPS losing a package during transit. Damage claims are notoriously difficult to get compensated for as they will almost always try to blame the shipper for inadequate packaging.

To equate the two different types of claims is to confuse the subject of the OP. His item was lost, not damaged, and my comments spoke specifically to that situation.

@wesheadley I did not change the subject.

Things get lost, damaged during shipping, scheduled pick ups for RMAs don't happen, and getting paid on an insurance claim is nearly impossible and requires a ridiculous amount of time and resources. 

The singular example about a damaged item was my one and only personal example of being screwed by UPS.

Dozens of business examples. And all of our packaging has been drop tested by FedEx and they still make it difficult regardless of loss or damage.

In my case, the item was shipped in a custom wooden crate (real, solid wood, not fiber or particle board). Entire packing process and the pick up of the pristine crate was documented with video. The lid was screwed in by 8 long screws, and they still managed to destroy it. 

The point is that major shippers do everything they possible can to avoid paying all claims. Also, in the case of UPS, claims are administered by a separate company, which operates on a for-profit basis.

Because that is really none of your business.

I guess I'm the only person to NOT have had a bad experience? I have had a couple of lost items and they were expeditiously paid. I had a pair of speakers I shipped with a $10k value (unbeknownst to me at $5k each). One speaker arrived perfectly, one was demolished. At first they tried to pay off just $5k. I then had my dealer write a letter that the speakers were a pair and matching the veneer and electronics would be expensive. They paid the full claim. I have multiple excellent experiences, others claim to have none. Oh well.

FedEx and UPS don't operate the same way. UPS has its employees handling your package from beginning to end. FedEx contracts with 3rd party companies for local delivery. Those employees are directly responsible to their company, not FedEx. They just show FedEx a paper receipt saying something was delivered, especially in rural areas.

But FedEx has no direct way to interact with the delivery driver to trace your package. If the driver says they delivered it, end of story. You have to deal with the person you sent it to.