Hi, re: the question about how FedEx handles claims, I have had good experience w/that aspect of their service. One claim of damage was settled for cost of repair plus cash for replacement, this buyer really made out, but the speakers I sold him were unavailable new anymore and he really was disappointed. By the way--these speakers (B&W Matrix 805's) were shipped in original carton and packing materials but still arrived w/the tweeters dislocated from the bodies. Painful! He got new tweeters installed and got some money for cabinet damage as well. Second story: a pair of Vienna Acoustics Beethovens were shipped to Texas insured (thank God for full replacement value of $4500) via FedEx Ground. Boxes were stolen off buyer's front porch, even though they weighed 100 lbs each. Within a month FedEx sent check for full value of claim, $4500, but not before claims agent first sent only $100, saying "that's our maximum limit without insurance." When I pointed out the $4500 insurance obviously noted on the front of the original tracking invoice--which she had--she said, "Oh, I didn't see that." These people must be shepherded through the claims process, but in my experience they do come through. WORD TO THE WISE: Fed Ex claim requires seller's original invoice for the equipment shipped. Because I am meticulous about saving all my invoices, I happened to have both the invoices for these claims, and could send copies to Fed Ex. I don't know what would have happened w/out the invoices. Perhaps they would not have honored the claims, despite the obvious insurance that was bought and paid for. Also, always insure for full value, no matter what you and the buyer have agreed on for payment. Both these claims were paid within 4-6 weeks of the reported loss.
Fedex Weekly Damage Report
I posted last week how the Fedex Overnight people managed to deliver me a Jadis amp 85% in the shipping box. Well, just one week later a pair of Apogee Stages were delivered, and the driver buzzes me and says "you might want to come down here cause you might not want to accept this COD". These speakers were packed in custom wooden crates and the 2 days they had them, Fedex managed to knock the corner of the crate and peeking though was the old speaker. It didnt appear the speaker had cosmetic damage. I hooked them up and lo and behold, the woofer panel does not work and the side panels are coming off the main speaker frame. To quote one of NY Finest, Fedex can kiss my Royal Irish (Chinese) ASS.