2. misc-audio
  3. 1427467686

Another UPS Horror Story

I bought an Allnic T1500 amp here earlier this month. It was shipped in the original packaging by a UPS store from NJ to Seattle, fully insured. It arrived with a hole in the bottom corner and substantial damage to the amp (subchassis bent). I contacted the seller who refused my refund request and I processed a UPS claim.

UPS picked it up and did an inspection at their customer service center. They found no damage to the box (I have photos of the 6" hole in the bottom), did not look inside and have now sent it back to the NJ. Once again the seller has refused to refund my payment claiming he doesn't have the money to refund.

At this point the shipper will have my original payment plus the damaged unit, which might be repairable. Can a UPS claim be appealed? Can a UPS Store be sued in small claims?

I know I should never have given this back to UPS for "inspection". My best hope is that once it gets back to NJ they will ship it to the Allnic recommended repair shop in Pennsylvania and it can be fixed.
jarrett

Showing 12 responses by jarrett

jarrett OP
38 posts
 
So the package has made it's way back east to Horsham, PA. Now the expected delivery date back to the UPS Store is April 6, one week from today. It's about 60 miles from Horsham to Lanoka Harbor NJ and UPS of course has no information why the delivery date has been pushed out so far.
jarrett OP
38 posts
 
Yes, I did file a small claims against UPS. I intend to also file against the UPS Store but that's in NJ and I am in Seattle.
jarrett OP
38 posts
 
This original Allnic packaging is double boxed, although not with any real space between the inner and out boxes. I have a few Allnic pieces and they seem to make it from Korea to Seattle just fine by USPS.

Crawford Insurance is who UPS uses for inspection, although I doubt anyone actually looked at the box.

I agree that I bought a working item and received a non-working one and its the sellers reposnisbility to pay.
jarrett OP
38 posts
 
Actually, this is the first instance of equipment damage I have experienced through any carrier and I have been doing this for 50 years.

As I see it, I was sold a working piece of equipment and I received a non-working unit. Either it was packed properly and UPS damaged it or it was not packed properly and the seller/UPS Store is liable. I suspect that the seller packed it himself since it was in the original Allnic shipping cartons and then dropped it at the UPS Store.

The amp is supposed to be back at the UPS Store Wednesday so I will wait until then to hear what the seller intends to do. Since the amp is certainly DOA, regardless of UPS' ridiculous "no external damage" assessment, one would expect the UPS Store to file an appeal but who knows.

I will be filing today a New Jersey Consumer and BBB complaint against the UPS Store and I have filed a small claims case in Seattle against the local UPS office. The small claims may be pointless but it's only $20 to file and you can do it by mail.
jarrett OP
38 posts
 
So the amp is back at the UPS store. Here is an email I just got from the seller, petro1511:

"So they are calling in a fraud/security inspector. To open the box because they say the hole in the box is not the same as your pictures. And now the security guy has to open the box. And they also say you wanted the money for the claim and the amp. The inspector would be there end of the week they will call me. And BTW they don't want to deal with you anymore. Guy will open box. Inspect amp and then we go from there. You've done enough, I will deal with them and try to get a total loss claim."

It looks like UPS is claiming I damaged the amp myself and put a hole in the box to justify it. Gets better all the time.
jarrett OP
38 posts
 
Yes, the seller had the insurance, which I covered in my total payment.
jarrett OP
38 posts
 
Well in my case the seller, which I didn't know upfront, has no money to refund back. I spoke with his arresting officer in NJ and his wages and everything else get garnished by the court.

Also, since the amp was damaged beyond repair, my holding on to it and not giving it back to UPS would have really not made any difference. I would just have a 60 pound doorstop sitting around.

UPS is supposed to be inspecting the amp today.
jarrett OP
38 posts
 
Actually, I do think that the seller sent me a working amplifier. Before I bought the amp I contacted Sunil at Care Audio, where the amp was originally bought and asked about the seller:

"I cannot tell you what to do but Steve has come to my place a couple of times and I have gone to his place once."

Also, the damage to the amp is indicative of a long drop onto one corner of the box, which given it's 60 pound weight, would not be something done by the owner, just the shipper.

jarrett OP
38 posts
 
Still no UPS inspection so I called them. They told me there will be no more inspections, they are finished.

So, now I need to wait out all of my consumer complaints and small claims cases. May just have to write this off. I also recommend you stay away from Care Audio in NJ as I contacted them before I bought the amp and they vouched for the seller then and still feel he is a "stand up guy."
jarrett OP
38 posts
 
Care Audio knew of his background when I spoke with them. They knew he was selling off equipment to pay legal bills but never said anything.

Still no resolution to this. It is supposedly going to be repaired and returned to me but nothing yet.
jarrett OP
38 posts
 
Well the amp finally got repaired by Bob Backert at RHB Sound Design (great guys to work with) and UPS paid for it. The UPS store in Lanoka, NJ helped a lot getting this done with UPS' insurance carrier.

Bob Backert knows UPS shipping well, he packed the Allnic double box into a huge box that had 4" of peanuts all around it.
jarrett OP
38 posts
 
The funny part of this whole saga was the amp was not really damaged at all. The 300b tubes were shot and some scews were loose but that was about all.
More to discover