What to do in event of damage to your speakers by couriers?

Lost81 · « **on:** 23 Jul 2004, 05:34 am »

Hi guys,

I'm receiving 2 heavy speakers via Fed Ex Ground late next week, and am wondering what is the procedure to follow if you find that Fed Ex Ground has damaged your speakers in transit (God forbid!).

The speakers are insured.

Do you force the Fed Ex employee at gun-point to remain present while you open and inspect the speakers, or do you have a grace period to file a claim if you should discover damage?

They ARE packed in their original boxes though, but everyone knows the trained gorillas shipping companies employ.

With fingers crossed,
-Lost81

gongos · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 07:44 am »

Pray.

Rocket · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 08:40 am »

Hi,

You have just Jinxed yourself

.

Seriously i wouldn't even consider that scenario unless it actually
occurs.

regards

rocket

Lost81 · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 08:52 am »

Quote from: Rocket

Hi,

You have just Jinxed yourself .

Seriously i wouldn't even consider that scenario unless it actually
occurs.

regards

rocket

Yikes! I sincerely hope not!

-Lost81

Rocket · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 08:59 am »

Hi,

Nah i'm sure everything will work out okay.

Btw what speakers did you buy? You have an aksa 100 nirvana?

regards

rocket

BeeBop · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 10:03 am »

I would say that if there is penetrating damage to the boxes, get him to stay until you have unpacked them and when you sign write the word DAMAGED on the waybill. Otherwise they are probably OK.

Lost81 · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 10:43 am »

Quote from: Rocket

Hi,

Nah i'm sure everything will work out okay.

Btw what speakers did you buy? You have an aksa 100 nirvana?

regards

rocket

Thanks for the well-wishes, Rocket!

The new speakers are a pair of mint condition Mission 754 Freedom 5

I currently have the Mission 753 Freedom

(they are in excellent condition).

Yes, I have the AKSA 100 Nirvana

Cheers,
-Lost81

Lost81 · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 10:45 am »

Quote from: BeeBop

I would say that if there is penetrating damage to the boxes, get him to stay until you have unpacked them and when you sign write the word DAMAGED on the waybill. Otherwise they are probably OK.

Good point!

Thanks, BeeBop!

-Lost81

Val · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 11:38 am »

I've had problems with UPS, not with FedEx, DHL or USPS. Even when fully insured, UPS can decide not to pay damage insurance because of "defective factory packaging" or something like that. Then your only recourse is to either bug them by phone or take them to court. However, UPS (maybe the others too) takes that into consideration as a cost of service and has its army of lawyers ready for you. They also know that not everybody will fight them all the way. Since there is competition in this free country, I don't do business with UPS.

Val

PhilNYC · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 11:41 am »

Quote from: BeeBop

I would say that if there is penetrating damage to the boxes, get him to stay until you have unpacked them and when you sign write the word DAMAGED on the waybill. Otherwise they are probably OK.

An additional point...if there is *any* damage to the box (not just penatrating), you want him to stay. I received a pair of speakers once where the bottom edge looked a hair "accordioned"...only for about 3 inches. Turns out that the box had been dropped, the bottom edge had compressed. Unfortunately, the speaker company had packed the carpet spikes right at that point, and when the box compressed, it pushed the threads of one of the spikes into the speaker, damaging the finish.

(fwiw, this occurred with UPS... I didn't notice this until after the UPS guy had left. However, after taking digital pictures of the box and damage of the speakers, UPS sent an inspector in 2 days, and after just a little bit of effort and about 1 month, I had a check to cover the full cost to repair the speaker. It didn't hurt that the inspector was pianist Cedar Walton's newphew and really loved my audio gear! So does the guy need to stay? I guess it depends...)

Lost81 · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 12:15 pm »

Yep, I guess that is why many say that the REAL UPS slogan should be:

What can brown do to you today?

-Lost81

Harmon · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 01:53 pm »

It is too late now but whenever you order a pair of high end speakers always ask the dealer or manufacturer if it is possible to crate them. Even though it will cost considerably more money at least you will have peace of mind.

nathanm · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 Jul 2004, 03:30 pm »

I got dinged with a "no box fee" by UPS when I shipped a wooden crated speaker once. The thing was built with heroic packaging but they still want it inside a cardboard box. I suppose in that instance the crate poses more damage ability to OTHER boxes than it does to itself. Maybe?

Thick polyethylene foam is definitely the way to go. Takes a beating, can't break, reusable...it's all good.

Lost81 · « **Reply #13 on:** 29 Jul 2004, 04:00 am »

Thanks for all the tips and prayers, guys.

Both speakers arrived relatively unscathed late this afternoon.
The boxes looked a little worse for wear, but the cushioning did its job.

The FedEx Ground guys did handle the packages more gently than the usual UPS trained gorillas. (I have actually observed a UPS employee drop-kick a parcel out the back of the big, brown truck before...)

I won't be able to hook them up to an amplifier to test them until I have run my new amps for at least 20 hours on a cheaper, older set of speakers (just to be safe).

Cheers,
-Lost81

Lost81 · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 Jul 2004, 12:00 am »

Man, the irony (note to God: I'm not complaining THAT much. I suppose it would it be a lot worse if it was the other way round).

My fragile speakers arrived safely. *whew*
(FedEx Ground).

My set of twin tanks for diving didn't.
(UPS).

Go figure.

Those UPS morons / gorillas (the ones rejected and kicked out of the tribe from the forests, and thus are forced to work for UPS to live) actually dropped the tanks on the end clearly marked "FRAGILE."

Both Delrin DIN inserts were cracked. One was sheared off.
And both DIN valve orifices are obviously oval.

This is the second time this week I've been screwed over by UPS.

Never again.
Next time I will pay more for FedEx.

Searching for a new set of isolation manifolds,
-Lost81

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Jul 2004, 09:53 am »

FWIW...whenever I send any equipement out to friends , I always use FedEx....I've had no problems ....and hope it stays that way !!

PhilNYC · « **Reply #16 on:** 30 Jul 2004, 12:51 pm »

Quote from: Lost81

Next time I will pay more for FedEx. ...

I've generally found Fedex to be less expensive than UPS for ground shipments...I only use UPS when shipping to Canada because they are easier internationally...