Beware of UPS

[pluton]

A local retailer showed me a small package that had arrived UPS. It was crushed and had tire marks on it. UPS fought the claim.
FYI: Most or all "The UPS Store"s are local independent businesses, not owned or operated by UPS. I have found the rates are jacked up compared to other UPS depots(Staples, in our area) or UPS itself.
I've read that if you insure the package for a huge amount, like $20,000, they take really good care of it.

 

[jgue467]

I actually paid UPS with PayPal which is a good thing. PayPal has gone to bat for me before and never lost. They don't mess around. I am about to call PayPal on my lunch break. I am at least going to get the shipping charges disputed.

Depending on how you pay Paypal, you can also dispute it thru that credit card company. I use amex, every time i complain about whichever company's service, they refund 100% to me. So don't forgot that opportunity. Luck! :cowboy:

 

[DeathCougar]

A local retailer showed me a small package that had arrived UPS. It was crushed and had tire marks on it. UPS fought the claim.
FYI: Most or all "The UPS Store"s are local independent businesses, not owned or operated by UPS. I have found the rates are jacked up compared to other UPS depots(Staples, in our area) or UPS itself.
I've read that if you insure the package for a huge amount, like $20,000, they take really good care of it.

This is usually true which is why I have my own accounts. FedEx rates are almost always lower than UPS by significant levels as well.

 

[BigFishAllDay]

As for Cargo covers, I won't even ship them anymore. I make sure there is at least 6 inches packaging and it doesn't matter. They still find a way to break them.

I'm in the same boat. I sold one to a guy here on the forum a few years back. It had 4"+ of styrofoam, bubble wrap, and cardboard surrounding it, but UPS still managed to break the mount on one end. We tried to take it up with UPS but didn't get very far.

Right now I have two perfectly good cargo covers in the garage that I have no use for, but I won't sell them here because of the risk of damage during shipping.

The other major PITA is a lot of people seem to think shipping should be nearly free. I can't tell you the number of sales I lose because "Whoa shipping is expensive". Yep, it is! People often don't account for packaging.

That's just a symptom of buying on Ebay/Amazon/etc... people get spoiled with the free shipping.

I agree, though. I sell a lot of parts on the forum (although not as many as you, DC), and fortunately I have accumulated a nice supply of packing materials & boxes over the years from buying stuff online. When it comes time to ship something, I just dip into my collection of packing materials, but I pay attention to what that stuff costs when I'm at UPS/FedEx/USPS locations and it isn't cheap.

Plus, it takes a fair amount of time to carefully package a part for shipping, and time isn't free either.

 

[Unner]

I'm sorry to hear you bad luck with UPS. Around here I've had a lot more issues with USPS than UPS or FedEx breaking things, loosing things, being late, etc. I would continue arguing with them and badgering them until they do something about it. Or go through PayPal and see what they can do.

I know I had to ship a stereo back to Kenwood a few years ago for some warranty work and they requested I ship it UPS with insurance. So i packed it up super good, because it was my $300 stereo that I was shipping and I wanted to make sure it got there in good shape. I took it to the UPS place and the lady told me that she couldn't accept my packaging and I would have to pay her to repack it and for a new box because mine was unacceptable because it had an old shipping label on it and no damage. I paid a stupid amount for the box and her to pack it worse than I originally had. I was not a happy customer at that point and made her very aware of it.

 

[MyHigh]

I have a buddy that just got hired at UPS and let me tell you, if they hired him they will hire anybody!

Let's just say, if he asked to use me as a personal reference, I would not say yes.

As far as shipping things, if it's important, then I go FEDEX. Around here they contract their routes and it just seems the local drivers have a better attitude about their particular job.

 

[coleb10]

Packing

Surf Runner. This could have been sent via a private message but it may help others in the future.

I have shipped a few thousand items over my lifetime. Some are $20 personal items sold on auction sites and some are aviation parts that are over $100,000. On certain items I take photos of the packing process. In some cases it can provide some helpful evidence to the buyer or shipping company that the item was sufficiently and properly packed to make the trip. I was a package handler at UPS many years ago. I have seen my share of poorly packed items and plenty of packages being mistreated too.

 

[THatfield]

The other major PITA is a lot of people seem to think shipping should be nearly free. I can't tell you the number of sales I lose because "Whoa shipping is expensive". Yep, it is! People often don't account for packaging.

This is so important. I have no problem buying from you and paying your shipping charges because every item I've bought has been packaged as if you were shipping it to yourself. On other forums I've received items in less than stellar packaging for a decent amount of shipping charges. Yikes.

 

[DeathCougar]

This is so important. I have no problem buying from you and paying your shipping charges because every item I've bought has been packaged as if you were shipping it to yourself. On other forums I've received items in less than stellar packaging for a decent amount of shipping charges. Yikes.

Exactly, I treat the package as if its being shipped to me. I have seen many mispackaged items, its astounding how much some people don't care AND even more crazy how little package handlers care. I don't want my customers parts to be damaged, since it creates a major inconvenience for them and a big hassle for me.

I do understand how difficult packaging things can be, I often drive around for hours to various stores trying to get packaging materials. Anyone who has ever parted out a vehicle knows packaging goes quick, and finding appropriate boxes and matching packaging material can be a big hassle. I've been shipping parts for years, and its still troublesome every time for me. I can't imagine the average weekend warrior type guy!

 

[T4R2014]

They all suck. I will say that UPS is consistently the worst when I look at the condition of my packages. My last UPS delivery was the worst. I found the last new driver-side rear SR5 mud flap in the country, and it shipped with UPS. As I see the UPS guy walking up, the box had a gaping hole with the part sticking out. Thankfully, the part was not damaged so I let it go.

 

[jeremyc74]

My company ships fragile parts all the time. You have to package them with the assumption they're going to be tossed off the back of the truck at least twice. If you can't package them well enough to withstand that, you're taking your chances.

As far as claims go, I've never had any trouble getting one paid by UPS or FedEx, but we're a business that spends upwards of $30k/year on items being shipped out, so they're not going to screw around with us like they would an individual.

 

[sawguy]

Have UPS do the packaging and the insurance will cover. It might cost a little to have peace of mind.

 

[Itsnotajeep]

I am currently a package handler at UPS. Honestly, it depends on the person. Some of us care and treat packages with respect. But you also have the idiots that like to get mad when the flow of packages gets too heavy and start throwing things. It's really just taking a chance shipping with anyone! Our hub is way too small for the amount of packages that come through there. It is really the management at UPS that is to blame for broken packages.