UPS. Friend Or Foe?

Agree with most comments and will add a couple suggestions: 1) palletize, pay the extra money and ship via a reliable ground trucking company (not UPS or Fed Ex freight).  2) Talk to your dealer and ask them how they ship product.  3) Talk to the manufacturer and ask them what "common carriers" they use to ship product. 4) MOST IMPORTANTLY, IMHO is to take pictures as you pack your product at every stage of the packing process.  5) Insure as if it is new. 6) when packing place "FRAGILE" and "Do Not Stack" after you wrap up the pallet and product with plastic wrap and secure with straps (about $10-$15 at Home Improvement store) Yes, this will cost you extra money but trust me the extra money is worth the "piece of mind" you will have after it leaves your possession. 7) most common carriers will pick up at your house for no extra charge and they have pallet jacks to load into the truck. 8) take pictures/video as it leaves your possession going into truck.  

This seem like a lot of work but I would rather spend the extra time on my end while it is in my possession than conversing over the phone after it is in someone else's possession and I have no control over the situation.

Hope this helps and good luck.

I’ve had good luck with ups, but the best I feel is FedEx. USPS come in last. I just shipped three audio components via usps because the customer requested and paid for that and I’m bitting my nails. I purchased insurance myself as well. 

I will not use UPS again, ever. Had a pair of speakers sent to the factory for refurbishment. Original factory packaging and boxes, sent insured for 4K. Got to the factory unscathed but upon arrival back home there was visible box damage to both boxes. Both speakers were trashed, broken cabinets, pieces rattling around inside speakers a total loss.

   Put in a claim with UPS and was denied. There fine print at the time lists UPS as a third party shipper and. Or responsible for damages. I fought it for close to year before finally getting any reimbursement, and ONLY after a good frien who was a comptroller at UPS put a bug in someone’s ear about it. Never got the insured amount, them saying it was a used product and subject to wear and tear, etc.

   on the other hand I’ve never had a problem with FedEx. Just my two cents worth.

Thanks for all the responses and excellent advice.

Hopefully will turn out as it should...

I have a good amount of transactions between here and a couple of other sights and can say with certainty that over the years UPS has been the worse BY FAR for damage, and not making good on insurance. I once had a pair of (heavy) mono blocks delivered to me- both damaged. UPS said they were not packaged properly so the claim was denied. They were both in the factory cartons with factory packaging. No UPS for me ever again. I use Fedex for the heavy stuff and USPS for everything else.