DAMN YOU UPS!!!

Atol · « **on:** 4 Feb 2006, 03:19 am »

After I got home from school today, I was just sitting in my chair and listening to music and the big brown obnoxiously loud UPS truck pulls into my street (I live at a dead end of the community) and stops in the middle of the street. By now I was jumping around like an idiot expecting to receive my Cyclopes. My face gleamed with joy as he *slowly* pulls out the box. (Like he was deliberately doing this to leave me hanging in suspense) Just as I thought he was about to walk over and hand me my new Cyclopes, he goes the wrong way and drops it off at my neighbors across the street.

I don't think I've ever sworn so much in a 1 minute period of time in my life.

This was pure torture!!!

buckeyefanandy · « **Reply #1 on:** 4 Feb 2006, 03:40 am »

Did you say that the UPS took your while Odyssey Audio box over to the neighbor, or they got the package that was intended for you and he was just teasing you?

Just hope he does not drop it in the process and you have to file an insurance claim. That would take forever, so be nice to the man in brown.

The amp will be well worth the wait.

Enjoy.

Atol · « **Reply #2 on:** 4 Feb 2006, 03:45 am »

Quote from: buckeyefanandy

Did you say that the UPS took your while Odyssey Audio box over to the neighbor, or they got the package that was intended for you and he was just teasing you?

Just hope he does not drop it in the process and you have to file an insurance claim. That would take forever, so be nice to the man in brown.

The amp will be well worth the wait.

Enjoy.

Oh, it was in a plain brown box... I really thought it would be my amplifier

He didn't really tease me, he pulled the box out halfway, then checked the UPS calculator lookin thing and left me hanging for about 30 seconds

AJS · « **Reply #3 on:** 5 Feb 2006, 02:07 am »

Confucius say: "Good things come to those who wait." Patience, grasshopper!

On the UPS thing: they once destroyed a nearly new, packed in the original box REL Stentor III subwoofer that cost me $4200. + shipping, AND a VPI HW-19Mk III turntable w. Well Tempered Classic arm that cost about $3k - both at the same time but going to different destinations. I was in total disbelief.

*ACK!!*

You don't want to know the

details...

tdangelo · « **Reply #4 on:** 5 Feb 2006, 04:35 am »

Once upon a time UPS delivered a pair of Inner Sound speakers. They left them at my front door. I came home from work and saw the boxes at my front door - they were crushed on all 4 corners and ripped a bit. I unboxed them and both woofer boxes were cracked badly along with other dings to the panels etc.... I was in disbelief!!!! Funny thing is - they were supposed to collect COD! heheheh.... A couple days later the driver showed up looking for $$$. I said you destroyed the speakers! He said so what do you want to do - I said take them back - he did and dragged them across my lawn unboxed. Unbelievable!!!! I never hear back from the shipper....

Tony D.

AJS · « **Reply #5 on:** 5 Feb 2006, 06:31 am »

I'm tellin' ya, those UPS gorilllas never get it, and I say it must be an endemic company thing with UPS. They just throw your stuff around as if it has no value.

Well I'm saying that if we all start to boycott those bastards, there may come a time when UPS feels it and changes their ways. Or it might not make a helluva lot of difference. At least if nothing changes with them, we'll not have to deal with their abuse if we don't use them.

What say ye, gentlemen?

avadoro · « **Reply #6 on:** 5 Feb 2006, 11:49 am »

The incredible thing is that, also in Italy, UPS is the transport company I have experienced more serious troubles.
So far I did not know if the problem was the Italian division of UPS either it was me that I had been always unlucky with them.

I never had any troubles with other companies, just with UPS, so that I'm now used to avoid buying anything if I see that UPS is gonna carry it.

aggielaw · « **Reply #7 on:** 5 Feb 2006, 04:22 pm »

I would say that the consensus is UPS is the least preferred major shipping company. Fed Ex and DHL seem to have much better track records.

UPS managed to completely destroy a nOrh speaker I shipped in its original box with custom-molded foam - amazing.

When I was a kid, my dad ordered a glass top for his 1985 Corvette. Some genius driving a forklift didn't get the prongs down far enough and impaled the box, glass top and all. Dad had to wait another month for Chevy to get another one out of the factory and to him. As I recall, that glass top was several thousand dollars. I was happy to see UPS have to fork over that kind of cash.

LadyDog · « **Reply #8 on:** 5 Feb 2006, 05:48 pm »

We'll here is my UPS story. They delivered my tube amp to the correct address but on the wrong street(1 street over). By the time I figured it out the amp was gone. I know the neighbors and they were out of town for the week. Imagine some punk kid saw a Manley amp sitting on their doorstep for a few days and said "what the heck".

To make matters worse, the idiot I bought the amp from did not insure it. All UPS would cover was the automatic $100 coverage.

Still ticked to this day!

Regards,
Jeff

AJS · « **Reply #9 on:** 6 Feb 2006, 01:45 pm »

Sorry to hear that, LadyDog. Wow, what a loss.

With the sub, I did get reimbursed for the cost of it, but it took them over 5 months to finally pay up, and a hell of a lot of hassle, paperwork, pictures, etc.

With the turntable, they somehow got away with blaming me for the packing job.

Lying bastards!!

Bill Baker · « **Reply #10 on:** 6 Feb 2006, 01:59 pm »

After dealing with UPS for 4 hours late last week, I AM DONE WITH THEM for shipping speakers. 3 out of the last 5 speakers I shipped were damaged beyond repair. At first they honored the first claim and said a check would be issued within 5-10 days so I may arrangements with the customer.
They caled me on Friday and said they "decided" not to honor the full amount and would issue a chack for 1/3 of half. What the F%*@ is that all about.
Going to DHL and BAX.
I should find out this week if they are going to cabk out of the other claims that they said a check was being issued for.

birdwizard · « **Reply #11 on:** 6 Feb 2006, 02:18 pm »

I worked in a UPS hub one summer in college.

I was driven like a slave under tremendous pressure.

It was impossible not to damage packages with their archaic
belt and chute system constantly jamming. Terrible system, and I know
Fed Ex has better technology in most of their hubs.

I never ship UPS now.

woodsyi · « **Reply #12 on:** 6 Feb 2006, 02:22 pm »

I know it's in vogue to trash the men in brown but here is another perspective. I usually have my things delievered to my work. I run a small business and I maintain a good cordial/joking relationship with both the mailman and the UPS guy who picks up everyday. He even calls up if he is running late to see if I have a package going out. Given that situation, he takes care of my packages when he is in charge of them. I don't know about the gorillas in the warehouse but I have had mostly good relationship with UPS. Having a personal relationship helps. Still, I always insure and double box.

AJS · « **Reply #13 on:** 6 Feb 2006, 02:57 pm »

Quote from: woodsyi

I know it's in vogue to trash the men in brown but here is another perspective. I usually have my things delievered to my work. I run a small business and I maintain a good cordial/joking relationship with both the mailman and the UPS guy who picks up everyday. He even calls up if he is running late to see if I have a package going out. Given that situation, he takes care of my packages when he is in charge of them. I don't know about the gorillas in the warehouse but I have had mostly good relationshi ...

I don't know if it's "in vogue" or out-of-vogue to tell the truth about UPS, nor do I care. I've related what has happened to me from their mishandling, and what seems to be a very crooked company mindset about reimbursements stemming from their own neglect and abuse of other people's property.

"UPS. What Can Brown Smash For You?"

woodsyi · « **Reply #14 on:** 6 Feb 2006, 03:21 pm »

I have no problem with you relating your experience. I just wanted to relate my non-negative experience as well. In general I think UPS or FEDEX does well with small items that are securely packaged. They seem to have problems with bigger packages. We as a customer should pick the best carrier that will handle the packages being delievered. My rule of thumb is if the item can be damaged by being dropped from waist high with the packaging, use a specialized carrier and not UPS or FEDEX.

Kevin Haskins · « **Reply #15 on:** 6 Feb 2006, 04:21 pm »

I agree completely. For one... if you plan to try to get a claim out of any of the carriers insure it for a value higher than it's worth. When you make the claim only claim 50% of the value you have listed and it will fly right through the system.

I don't ship large heavy packages by either FedEx, UPS or anyway except freight carriers on a pallet. Even then there is a chance it is going to get damaged. As a shipper you have to have the mindset that they are going to TRY to damage your package and pack it accordingly. You can moan and groan about the companies but overall, considering the complexity of their task, they do a pretty darn good job. You do have to be proactive about protecting your goods though. Also... a large loudspeakers won't reliably make it through any of their systems. I don't care if it's FedEx, BAX, UPS or any of the box carriers. Large heavy and soft MDF items just don't ship easily and without peril.

roymail · « **Reply #16 on:** 6 Feb 2006, 05:59 pm »

I find this a good subject for all to consider. I don't have any better answers, but my experience has been that FEDEX is usually the best way to ship heavy boxes. Also, I've read of people driving great distances to pick up their speakers from the speaker maker. A little time off, tour their facility, learn some stuff, get to hear some other speakers while you're there, good experience... and no speaker damage!

There are lots of speaker companies that ship heavy speakers every day. I wonder what their experience has been? I also wonder if there's a better way. I may contact a few and ask. Others could do the same and report back to this thread. Thanks.

-- Roy

AJS · « **Reply #17 on:** 6 Feb 2006, 08:33 pm »

Quote from: roymail

There are lots of speaker companies that ship heavy speakers every day. I wonder what th ...

At the time of my unfortunate luck, I was told by Sumiko, (REL's distributor) that UPS had damaged many of their brand-new units that would go out to dealers. The lady I talked to didn't mention FedEx or any others as being so ham-fisted as UPS.

I once shipped a pair of Magnepan Tympani IV's from NY state to Atlanta, GA via FedEx Air. These were large (6' tall) speakers and fairly heavy, but mostly they were fragile with the long magnets that surrounded the tweeters and midranges. The buyer received the Tympani's without damage.

In light of that, I can't see why UPS happens to have such difficulty. As I've said, I'm convinced it is more a company mindset that's at fault than anything else.

Atol · « **Reply #18 on:** 7 Feb 2006, 06:12 am »

I didn't think this thread would become a Flame UPS thread. I never really had a problem with UPS other than them being slow as hell.

bubba966 · « **Reply #19 on:** 7 Feb 2006, 06:54 am »

Quote from: Response Audio

After dealing with UPS for 4 hours late last week, I AM DONE WITH THEM for shipping speakers. 3 out of the last 5 speakers I shipped were damaged beyond repair. At first they honored the first claim and said a check would be issued within 5-10 days so I may arrangements with the customer.
They caled me on Friday and said they "decided" not to honor the full amount and would issue a chack for 1/3 of half. What the F%*@ is that all about.
Going to DHL and BAX.
I should find out this week if they are going to cabk out of the other claims that they said a check was being issued for.

DHL will screw you over even quicker.

They dropped a top line Pioneer DVD player I had shipped from Hong Kong in such a manner to render the optics/mechanics of it useless yet show no box damage (and it was well & properly packed mind you). They had it in their system for less than 2 days. But that was more than enough time for them to turn the player into a doorstop.

The damage claim was made and they offered only 20% of what it was insured for. After the shipper kept fighting with them over it for 2 months they'd gotten to 40% of the insured value and to refund the shipping. It was a player I'd paid $500 for and spent another $250 getting it fixed (and I got a good deal on getting it fixed too since it was a model not sold in the US). So the $200 they paid on the claim wasn't enough to cover the repair costs.

At least they paid up really quick.

DHL can go fuck themselves for all I care, right along with (fuck)UPS.

Don't even get me started on UPS...