[mlundy57]

Last week I shipped a pair of NX-Oticas out to a client. They were in two boxes each measuring 24" x 24" x 60" and weighing 98 pounds. Between Christmas and the weather, crazy stuff was expected, but not what happened. Yesterday I received a notice that one was out for delivery (it didn't make it till today) but the other was showing it hadn't left the local terminal here in Broken Arrow. I started asking questions and received different answers depending on who I asked, go figure.

The first person I asked, at the FedEx Office location where I dropped them off and where they put their printed shipping label on instead of the labels I brought with me to tape on,  said they were likely together but only the master was getting scanned. This didn't make sense since each box had it's own tracking number, bar code, and had individual declared values. So I called the FedEx 800 customer service number. They looked into it and said the box had been lost in shipping and I would have to file a claim.

This also didn't make sense since there was a record of the missing box being scanned into the local FedEx distribution center bot no record of it ever leaving. It seemed to me that most likely, something had happened to the shipping label so they didn't know what to do with the box and it was probably still sitting at the local facility. Today I took an extra copy of the shipping label and went to the local facility. They have an area where they put items that for one reason or another, don't know what to do with. They wouldn't let me in to look but took a detailed description of the box and looked themselves. In less than 5 minutes they informed me they found what they thought was the box I was looking for. Took a picture of it and came out to confirm. It was the box I was looking for. Turned out the FedEx label that was put on at the drop-off location had fallen off the box.

Disaster averted and the speaker is back on it's way to the client. Good thing I hadn't waited any longer to check the local facility myself. On Jan 9th it was scheduled to be sent to a dead box collection facility in Utah.

Lesson learned, always put my own labels on boxes and completely cover them with shipping tape., I've never had one of those fall off.

[JCarney]

Bravo Mike for your dogged effort to track down the missing box and get it on its way. Well done.

JCarney

[VinceT]

I shy away from the small parcel carriers with items like large valuable speakers

Better off with an LTL carrier or van hot shot

[mlundy57]

From now on I'll likely use Craters & Freighters for large and/or heavy speakers. Their quote would have only been $150 higher than FedEx if I hadn't already spent $350 on boxes and packing materials and had the speakers boxed up.

[VinceT]

From now on I'll likely use Craters & Freighters for large and/or heavy speakers. Their quote would have only been $150 higher than FedEx if I hadn't already spent $350 on boxes and packing materials and had the speakers boxed up.

If you get an old pallet and rip some plywood and make your own crate, just request liftgate service

https://www.freightquote.com (Ch Robinson)

https://yrc.com/

https://www.uship.com/ltl-freight/ltl-carriers/ ( I like this one because these are all small independents and you can talk to the drivers directly)

If you have something very high value and sensitive like a custom 30K tube amp, I know a lot of ppl that can handle that with hand carry service.

[nlitworld]

I shy away from the small parcel carriers with items like large valuable speakers

Better off with an LTL carrier or van hot shot

Just watch the fine print on some of those LTL carriers. My work ships through FedEx and several different LTL options. Even with calling out a value for the shipment, several carriers have damaged goods and only compensated a certain $/lb. When I have a $1,000 gallon of paint get damaged but they only compensate $20 per lb, that is a tough one to take the hit on. The LTL carriers usually damage/lose the goods less than FedEx but hit you harder when $#!+ hits the fan.

Just something to keep in mind. Glad your case turned out all good though.

[WGH]

I used freightquote for years. I designed and built custom entry doors, all were one-of-a-kind and freightquote was always reliable with a fair price.

I made the crates to handle any abuse, many were 48" wide x 10' long x 20" high and weighed 350 lbs or more. The empty crates usually weighed 150 lbs so shipping weights get heavy fast, leave plenty of room for forklift forks. And remember, the guys in the warehouse are professionals, they can put a pair of forks through anything.

The crate in the photo below weighed 575 lbs. The second crate was 360 lbs. Liftgate pickup, shipping from Tucson to Montana cost $696 in 2018, gonna be a lot more now.



The advantage of using freightquote is they are a nationwide shipping consolidator, when they talk, the trucking companies listen, truckers don't want to upset one of their biggest clients. Hiring a trucking company by yourself means they can blow you off if there is any damage or delay. If I had a problem, which was practically never, I would call my freightquote agent and he would take care of it.

Shipping rates, insurance, and class codes are tricky to figure out. Any mistake can screw you up. The cheapest shipping rate usually has the lowest included insurance, you have to read the fine print. Sometimes even the included insurance is not enough so supplemental insurance will need to be purchased. Get the class wrong and I don't know what happens but it won't be pretty.

Lift gates are extra, both at your end or at the delivery end too. Delivery to a business with a loading dock is perfect, home delivery with lift gate is the most expensive and the crate is left at the curb leaving the home owner looking at a 350 lb crate in the street. If the customer has a pickup truck the crate can be delivered to the terminal for customer pickup, that is the most affordable option. Shipments can be scheduled using the freightquote online website but I always got the best price by talking to my agent. The website is perfect for getting a freight estimate for the customer. Shipping is always extra and calculated at the end of the job. Payment in full received before shipping, that is what overnight mail and credit cards are for (add 3% for cc payments is also in the contracts).

"Freight estimate, actual amount calculated on completion" is always in my contracts. Don't forget about sales tax, most states now charge sales tax for out of state sales which wasn't always the case. Freight cost is a line item deduction on your monthly sales tax form.

The freightquote site is set up so you can download and print the BOL (Bill of Lading) and shipping labels. I printed 5 labels for every crate for the 4 sides and top, they are glued on with yellow glue and no crate was ever lost. Print 2 BOLs, truck driver signs both and one goes with the crates. I email the customer the signed BOL which has the PRO number along with photos of the crates, every step along the way is documented and everybody is happy.

[VinceT]

Just watch the fine print on some of those LTL carriers. My work ships through FedEx and several different LTL options. Even with calling out a value for the shipment, several carriers have damaged goods and only compensated a certain $/lb. When I have a $1,000 gallon of paint get damaged but they only compensate $20 per lb, that is a tough one to take the hit on. The LTL carriers usually damage/lose the goods less than FedEx but hit you harder when $#!+ hits the fan.

Just something to keep in mind. Glad your case turned out all good though.

Good point

You need to make a bill of lading that has the stated value with any product you ship with any carrier. If you so not state the value on your bill of lading they will only cover .20 on the dollar or per pound. When you talk to any rep to get a quote get a copy of their insurance and read their contract.

freightquote is CH Robinson, they ship so much LTL they have contracts with all the major carriers and they also act as a buffer with any claims. Just specify you need a liftgate at both origin and destination, and always a good idea to call and speak with the rep.

I do shipping so I know a lot about it, if you ship anything high value, fragile or sensitive I would use an exclusive truck. Here is one of my sprinter vans with my LS9s, I would not dare ship these with any common carrier.

[nlitworld]

...with my LS9s, I would not dare ship these with any common carrier.

That is the stuff nightmares are made of 

[bacobits1]

Speaking of Fed Ex..........last March I ordered a Laptop Computer for my grand daughter from HP. You should have seen the tracking on this! Wondering why it was so late on delivery.
It went back and forth to China 3X from Alaska!!! Um... someone at the other end can't read?
All labels were correct on the packaging  it was  a standard Laptop size box. My son in-law works for Fed EX International at the Canadian boarder.
Shit happens, at least it wasn't lost. 

[rif]

sounds like there is a market, albeit a small one, for bespoke (is that the correct word), shipping.  Basically a van and a driver driving across country with your valuable/ fragile goods.

Hire some college kids to do the driving, insure everything through auto or umbrella insurance.

[mlundy57]

Thanks for all the ideas. I have delivered speakers myself when the distance isn't too great. The longest was a 10 hour drive to Chicago. Though when I deliver speakers, I also set them up for the client. However, with a day job, I don't often have three days in a row to work with, day 1 deliver, day 2 set up, and day 3 drive back home.

Volume is also a concern. Since I work full time, I may only build 6 or 7 pairs of speakers a year with only 2 or 3 being large enough to need LTL shipping.

[VinceT]

sounds like there is a market, albeit a small one, for bespoke (is that the correct word), shipping.  Basically a van and a driver driving across country with your valuable/ fragile goods.

Hire some college kids to do the driving, insure everything through auto or umbrella insurance.

That is exactly what I do for the last 25 years, mostly expedited time sensitive or high value freight. We have a fleet of 35 units within the CONUS, sprinter vans and large straight trucks. Run a few semi trucks as well. You need commercial insurance and it is a small fortune. You still need professional drivers to do this due to the liability involved.