2. misc-audio
  3. 137161-113474

insurance and shipping with UPS

I recently shipped a Levinson 432 amplifier with UPS.I brought it to UPS and requested that they box it. It was insured. During transit UPS dropped the amplifier and pretty much destroyed it. I offered to pay for repairs, however the buyer had no interest in purchasing the item. UPS inspected the damaged amplifier and denied my claim, insisting  the  amplifier was not properly packaged. Corporate denied responsibility and said the issue was between myself and the UPS franchise that shipped it. I've been dealing with the franchise for a month and they are fighting with corporate in an attempt to adjudicate the issue. Meanwhile, I've repaid the buyer and have had  no relief from UPS. The UPS website clearly states that if a franchise boxed the item they are responsible. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to resolve this issue, other than hiring an attorney? UPS seems to be somewhat of a scam operation. I did not realize that all UPS offices were franchises and am wondering why anyone would ship anything of value with them.
catsally1

Showing 6 responses by builder3

builder3
772 posts
 
spin4cards7 posts07-26-2018 10:25pmIf it is not considered too off topic, I have a question that may be best addressed by the retired postmaster kqvkq9 although I certainly welcome comments by anyone who cares to chime in. I have a small brick and mortar sports collectible business that I have owned and operated in the same location for 28 years. Naturally, I have insurance for my business and I pay a premium for that insurance. I must repeat, I pay for the insurance for my business. I use the USPS on a daily basis shipping mostly small, First Class packages and a few Priority Mail packages that can weigh up to 20 pounds . These type packages are very easy to package safely. The values on these packages range from $10.00 to $4,000.00. My question is this...If I pay the USPS their fee, which is based on weight and distance, to deliver a package, which is their job, why must I pay them extra to "Insure" that they do the job that I just paid them to do?! This of course holds true also for UPS, FedEx etc..

You really only need to think about it for a moment. No business would willingly accept $4000 of liability for $15.95. If you have an item of high value, you need to act accordingly. Is the auto insurance the same for a 1970 Gremlin and a Ferrari? Do they weigh the cars to set the premium? Of course not.
builder3
772 posts
 
spin4cards11 posts07-28-2018 7:46am
In response to Builder3’s post...I’m still not buying it... I paid you (USPS, FedEx etc.) to do your job which is simply to deliver a package. If you can’t deliver it safely and in a timely fashion then you need to do something about it. That "Something About It" would not be to make billions of dollars by charging the customer in case you screw up. Very convenient arrangement wouldn’t you say?
"KQVQ9", the retired postmaster said in an earlier post... "What do you expect for 50 cents"? I expect you to do your job regardless of what the package is presumed to be worth. What do you get when you multiply that 50 cents times billions, yes that’s right, billions of packages? You get billions and billions and billions and billions of dollars! I think for those kind of numbers we should not have to worry about theft or damage.
They may not willingly accept responsibility but they should. Of course, they never will.

Anyone that goes on about the billions and billions, etc, that the post office gets isn’t knowledgeable enough to even have a discussion with. They go billions in the hole every year. If they were in fact, a "business", like kqvkq9 suggested, they lights would’ve been turned off a couple of decades ago.  Spin, by your logic, you apparently should be able to also get car insurance or homeowner’s insurance the same way? One flat fee, like buying a cheese sandwich? Don’t be ridiculous.The ironic part always is how quickly someone like you would understand fully and completely, were the shoe on the other foot.
builder3
772 posts
 
spin4cards23 posts07-29-2018 7:22pm.......Dear Builder3, You seem to know a bit about the financial woes of the USPS so tell me, according to kqvkq9, the retired postmaster who says that they deliver billions and billions of 50 cent packages which of course equals billions and billions and billions of dollars, how do they manage to do such a fantastic job and yet end up, as you stated, billions of dollars in the RED every single stinkin’ year?! On the surface that would seem preposterous at best! Thank you for your time and consideration.

Their expenses are greater than their revenues. Have been for years. Google it, if you don’t believe me. Bailed out every year, billions and billions, by the taxpayers. They lost nearly $16 billion in 2012. If you were at the helm, with free unlimited parcel insurance for all, I’m sure you’d be able to double that, though.

builder3
772 posts
 
kqvkq951 posts07-30-2018 11:15pmBuilder3--
Unfortunately, you're completely wrong. That's hard to understand when you can just, as you suggest, Google it. The Post Office hasn't taken ANY taxpayer money since 1970. That's when the Postal Reorganization Act went through. Please take your own advice and Google it. Check the Federal Times if you like. Anyone can make a mistake but now you've doubled down on something that's simply not true. Please, do your homework.

kq, read it all, not sure where we differ. Pensions, etc, are an expense. Period. Tons of major companies have the same expenses, and pay them. The USPS lobbied the Feds for all they were worth to become a separate entity, and have fallen on their face, not surprisingly. And lest you think otherwise, I've got no ax to grind with the post office, generally. I do with the government, when they start pretending that they can manage to operate like the private sector, however. There's no fiscal responsibility, never has been.
builder3
772 posts
 
kq, I appreciate the response, and the info. I assume the pension funding requirement is a Federal thing? It should be more widespread, there are far too many examples of that same funding need just being ignored entirely in gov't. Kick the can down the road. I've no real inside information, but I assume that's what has driven the mail-carrier/subcontractor change? We used to have stupendous carriers, tremendously efficient and professional, both. Now, a complete 180. Enough about that, I guess. Take care
builder3
772 posts
 
Done and done, kq. Take care.
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