Any UPS horror stories?

Like everybody else, I have my own share of UPS horror stories, to the point where I now regard UPS as being an acronym for Unbelievably Poor Service. However, for the purposes of your claim, go to WWW.DEJANEWS.COM and enter UPS as the subject and REC.AUDIO.MARKETPLACE as the forum. You will then have a litany of UPS mishaps that should keep someone reading full time for the next two years.

I would suggest eveyone to spend little more money to PACK & MARK the shipping carton right. Most of the high end equipments are very heavy for the size. Remember, UPS is a small package delivery company. UPS drivers don't carry a hand truck. Think about the packages being handled by many many different hands & transported to one, two even three thousand miles away. If you use right size carton & use good protection inside the carton & mark the carton like FRAGILE, HEAVY, you will have almost no problem with UPS. I just received a Mcintosh C-39 pre amp from Seattle to San Francisco. It took two days & received in perfect condition.

I had a visit from UPS, and they finally gave in. But of course, they had to give me a hard time about it-- saying that the box was not big enough to absorb the shock! Then, about 40 minutes of arguing, he calls his office and says, "Why didn't you handle this before? The amp's been sitting here for the past two months. It's double-packaged, and the packing material looks fine!" Double-talking Jive!!! It's finally over and I can rest easy. As for Ysim's comment, I had written "FRAGILE" all over the box along with bright yellow "HEAVY" signs. There's no packing material that'll prevent damage when you drop a 90 lbs amplifier from 10 ft above the ground. I wonder how much longer you're going to have luck with UPS, but be careful.

they could screw up a wet dream.

Here's the bottom line folks, you are protected by federal tariffs on inspected/non inspected items that have been insured. If UPS takes the item in and you have insured the item (especially if its OEM packaged) they are required by federal law to pay the claim in full. You must not take no for an answer and immediately contact everyone in the highest positions of authority. (the manager who inspects it at its point of arrival, the regional manager of that district. Your local district manager, the head of claims in the office that is processing etc.) I have never lost a claim due to persistance and sometimes just pushing the right individual. The more clearly you understand how the tariffs work the more leverage you have with them. The squeaky wheel will get the grease. Just dont take no for an answer. And whatever you do speak to no one else but a manager, not a shift supervisor or customer service attendant...manager only!!