Advice on how to get FedEx to pay up on damage

As a rule, 10% of the item's value spent on shipping is your best insurance.

I agree fully with this statement!

Extremely expensive items are best packaged in protective boxes and then wooden crated such that they cannot be lifted or moved by individuals...that way they are much less likely to be dropped. They will be moved around only by a forklift.

My experience with Bax Global has been very good. It may cost $300 to 500 in shipping but the chances of a problem are greatly reduced.

The best way is to NOT ship! Drive there for a hand to hand exchange.

Audio Research Corp. has designed proper packing and double boxing. I cannot remember seeing their stuff damaged. Loose fill (monkey nuts), white foam (no matter how many layers) and air filled bubble pockets (useless) ALL COMPRESS and when an item is dropped IT WILL BECOME DAMAGED.

The piece must be restrained within the carton by formed polystyrene or pink foam or even wrapped wood blocks on every side. If over 100lbs. SKID the box!

As for claims I have eaten a couple, lost a few, and won two. Bad part is that these pieces are often irreplaceable. In every case the packing and boxing could have been better.

I just received a set of 4 wine glasses in perfect condition because the seller did an outstanding job of protecting them from any possible action during shipping, short of the driver running over the box.

Think 'UPS DAMAGE PROOF' when you pack, if you must ship, and/or have a professional do it for you.

As a rule, 10% of the item's value spent on shipping is your best insurance.

I have a question a bit tangential to the original. As a reciever of the goods how can you get to deal with the shipping company directly? I've had several things damaged that were fully paid for and in all cases the claim money went to the shipper. the guys i've been dealing with have always been good at sending the check on to me so far. However, in one case the shipper settled for cabinet damage but didn't address the damage to the amp (it needed to go back to the manufacture/shipper for a check on an awful hiss) i got to eat that part. That amp was packed in about 2 inches of dense foam and still managed to recieve a half inch deep dent in a particle board cabinet.

I had a similar experience as Neils. They claimed it wasn't their fault since the box didn't have apparent damage. The package had taken such a hard hit that the screws popped out of the chassis. I ended up having so many problems with them that I went to the Fed-Ex web site and called the corporate number instead of customer service. I then asked for the name and number of the president of Fed-Ex Ground. I was only able to connect to his secretary. She was horrified at the 3 months it had taken and the B.S. and had someone out the next day from an independent inspection service. I still only got 2/3 of my claim paid but it was better than nothing. My advice is to use Fed-Ex Express instead of ground. I was even advised so by Fed-Ex. Also go to the top. You can also get the big mucks phone numbers from the investor relations dept. on the web or a perspectus.

Dear Jab: Try to get out more. You'll find several interesting and varied individuals here in America and elsewhere.

You get what you pay for!!!!!!!!

These shipping companies are bastards. I think that they deny all claims intially with hopes in you not pushing the issues. They make extra money for insuarnce and then not cover you. I would ask how to appeal the claim. If you dont get anywhere that way I would call and sudmit a complaint with the Better Business Buruea and the Attorney Generals office in the the State that it was shipped and the State it was received. Information will have their phone numbers. The Attorney Generals office will also tell you your legal rights and will help you in deciding whether or not to go to court over it and may even help in the process. Dont give into these rip off artists.

I watched my ups guy drop a five thousand dollar amplifier off the back of his truck because he thought it was too heavy to carry and actually had the nerve to yell at me about what was in it. Luckily it was fine but the box was not damaged from it. Just because the box is ok doesnt mean they werent rough with it.

I have ample experience with FedEx and the like damaging very expensive equipment. If it was insured, you can proof it was working prior to shipping, and you can proof it was packed OK, you just go through the lengthy claims process which will take a few months. Call them, ask for a claims supervisor, get them to mail or fax you instructions. Do everything in writing if you can, it takes time but gets the best results.

Not trying to scare you here, but I lost a claim on a $30,000 piece of communications gear that got damaged by FedEx Ground; it was packaged in original boxes and all; FedEx claimed the box was in tact, so they could not be at fault. Nevermind the 3 foot high chassis was bent and half the cards were snapped. We had no way to proof it was in tact when shipped...

Niels.

I had a situation similar with UPS, they damaged a CD player I had sold to someone. I had insured the player and it was obvious that had hadled the box roughly. They denied the claim on the grounds that the player wasn't packed properly. I marched down to my local courthouse and filed a lawsuit against them for the insured amount, and guess what I got paid. If it is under 5000.00 in damage, you could try doing that yourself, it is very easy and it costs about 30.00 including service via certified mail.

With FedEx you need to use the original carton and have pictures and prove the value. Then you can win a claim.

If it's double boxed, you can do well to.
Pictures before and after are helpful. Retail value
to show them is of help to.

Showing them other products that sell for the same price.
You will need to submit a typed claim to them and present
to them everything.
Takes 2-3 months.

Bob,

fed x should be able to provide you with what they consider to be accepatable packaging (it should be a list of approved shipping and packing material). if this is what you have packed the sub with...you have a chance. if you have that; you should ask for a claims supervisor and work up from there. if you did not use what they consider approved packing; you are out of luck (even though it was better packed than they would require). a future thought is using the airlines; bax global and the like. some of them are not door to door svc but they are better on handling. good luck (i have been in the shipping business for 16 years).