[Heathkit] SHIPPING DAMAGE

[Glen Zook]

Duane:

You have been very lucky with your claims, etc., with
UPS.

I used them until about 2 years ago when virtually
everything that came through the Mesquite, Texas,
"hub" arrived damaged (and was damaged on outgoing
shipments).  In fact, I had used them since at least
1970 and didn't have many problems.  They did run a
fork lift tong through a box and then still tried to
claim "improper packing"!

In this area there are signs at every UPS counter
saying that they will open the box and make sure that
it is packed properly.  By doing this they accept
legally the fact that the box was properly packed. 
Although not every box can be opened, especially
during "peak" times, it is grounds for immediate
dismissal for any employee who doesn't open and look
at every box.  Of course they don't open each box but
no employee is going to admit that he/she did not
check the box.

I shipped a Johnson Challenger from the Richardson,
Texas, UPS office to the Shreveport, Louisiana, area. 
It originally got lost (their bar code sticker came
off and no one knows how to read a "normal" label
anymore!).  When I first applied for the lost item,
UPS finally found the box at their "dead letter"
office.  It was opened and the contents verified. 
Then it was shipped to Louisiana.

When it got there the person to whom it was sent said
that it looked like the box had been used as a
basketball!  The transmitter was shattered.

When I again applied to UPS for damages they tried the
"improperly packed" thing.  Then, I reminded them that
they had accepted the package as being properly packed
by opening it.  The person at the national customer
service got very quiet.  Then she told me that the
"local" customer service would have to handle the
problem.  Less than 15 minutes later I got a telephone
call from Fort Worth telling me that the claim forms
were already in the mail!  It took almost a month, but
UPS then paid for the entire claim plus refunded the
shipping charges.

If UPS personnel do the packing then they are
responsible.  However, if it is done by someone else
including Mail Boxes Etc. the "home office" now owned
by UPS, but most locations are franchises, then you
have to go through that company.

UPS even tears up wood crated items when they go
through the Mesquite hub.  I also admit that a lot of
people don't really know how to pack an item. 
However, since I changed over to FedEx ground for all
outgoing shipments and have asked that FedEx ground be
used for incomming shipments if possible, I have not
gotten a single damaged item!  In fact, I have
received some pretty poorly packed items and did not
have any problems at all.

If those items had been shipped by UPS they would have
arrived in shambles!  UPS is even tearing up very
properly packed double and even triple boxed items! 
At least 60% and sometimes more like at least 80% of
the items that I receive that were shipped by UPS have
some damage.  This is with those that were properly
packed.  Since UPS is supposed to check everything
before it is shipped that is presented at one of their
company owned counters, they don't have a "leg to
stand on" denying claims.  But, they still try!  As
for things shipped from other locations, then you are
"on your own"!

Frankly, I will not ship by UPS!  If the customer has
UPS come to my location and is paying for the
shipment, then I don't have a choice.  But, in the
couple of situations where this has happened, the item
arrived damaged even though it was definitely properly
packed!

Certain suppliers do ship by UPS and those boxes are
arriving for the most part damaged!  Fortunately, what
I usually get in are parts and those are very hard to
damage.  However, I did receive a box that had been
opened, resealed by UPS (it was their tape), and
certain items had been removed from the bags.  Some
things were still there and the higher priced things
were missing!  This definitely was not accidental.

Glen, K9STH


--- "Duane Fischer, W8DBF" <dfischer@usol.com> wrote:

With all due respect, UPS is very good about paying
> claims.

=====
Glen, K9STH

Web sites

http://home.comcast.net/~k9sth
http://home.comcast.net/~zcomco

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