Fed Ex Ground Shipping Woes

I've been reminded that "flawless" doesn't exactly characterize the situation when I FedExed my Sony XA777ES and the buyer and FedEx played tag for days. He did eventually get the unit and it was undamaged, but his experience wasn't the greatest :-)

On the other hand I've sent and received dozens of shipments via FedEx Ground and this is the only downer I know of. Sure can't say the same for UPS.

Thanks for starting the 173rd thread of Fedex,UPS,Bax,etc etc etc versions of shipping packages around the World.So very illuminating men.Thanks so much for your experiences.I wonder when the next thread will rear its cardboard head???Cmon,you can do better than this.No?.....OK.....carry on.....cheers,Bob

Both UPS and FedEx use a system of chargebacks to the origin or destination station for these claims. UPS also uses an outside contractor named Crawford to manage the claims process and they are notoriously difficult and make decisions for UPS.

Given the economy and that both companies are in severe cost cutting mode, neither one wants to pay claims like they use to (even then it wasn't fun). Getting one of the stations to accept responsibility or in UPS' case for Crawford to approve a claim is a tedious process to say the least.

As already said here, you have to get to a manager if you have difficulty at all or your claim will never be approved.
With Crawford and UPS, it is much more difficult since you can't get a UPS person unless ou are a business with a sales representative.

The safest way to send heavy (over 80 lbs) amp or speakers is indeed by LTL freight on a pallet. And yes it does cost more.

I worked at FedEx for 20 years. Things have changed.

I'm the seller in this FedEx screwup as described by Gechta. A couple points to add: First, I feel very fortunate to have been dealing with Gechta in this transaction because he warned me about the FedEx packing "specs", and I also checked with FedEx before I sent the box to make sure that I took the proper precautions. Also, I made sure that the packing store gave me a receipt with a notation that the packing included ample padding. So we'll see how FedEx responds and report back to you on this forum.

Second, when the damaged box arrived, Gechta alertly thought to take photos of the box before refusing delivery. We will submit these photos as part of the FedEx claim. Remember the old saying, a picture is worth a thousand words?

Well, this proves it. There's a gash that appears to be 14-15 inches or more across the outer box, and you can clearly see the inner box, which is also ripped open exposing the amp. Perhaps we could start posting such photos on Audiogon, with the appropriate credit to FedEx, UPS et al, to give these guys some incentive to be more respectful of our property.

We could even do caption contests. Right off the bat, I'd suggest this one for our package: First Great White Attack on Great Lakes...In what appears to be the first attack by a great white shark in Great Lakes Region, here is photo evidence that one of these monsters mistook a FedEx package for a harbor seal, or perhaps the boat cap'n in Jaws....

As promised above, a report on my two-package FedEx Ground shipment from Maryland to Oregon. It arrived there yesterday in perfect condtion, five days after I dropped it off here.