Some interesting comments from a UPS/USPS/FedEX forum thread

JMguitars

New member
staxman:
I used to work for UPS and now work for the USPS at Seattle Bulk Mail Center. Compared to the total number of packages shipped each day with USPS, the number of damaged packages is miniscule, but that's little consolation if it's your guitar that shows up at your door looking like it was dragged behind the truck. All carriers have to balance handling packages carefully with moving as much mail as quickly and cheaply as possible. Ever see those FedEX/UPS semi-tractor trailers headed down the interstate. It was loaded very quickly from front to back and top to bottom with packages of varying weights. Your package could be anywhere in the stack-- hopefully standing upright or on the top of the pile, but maybe not-- think about it. I don't even want to talk about the horrors I've seen when the packages hit the automated conveyor systems at the distribution centers. Again, it's in the carrier's best interest to deliver your items undamaged, but "stuff" happens. Bottom line: Insure your valuble packages and wrap them as if you plan to toss them off the top of your house.


Chris S:
My ex was a Grand High Poobah with the Postal Service. I went to a number of USPS conferences with her. At one meeting I heard a speaker talking about the fact that the USPS delivers over two billion pieces of mail every week. In order to put such a big number into a meaningful perspective for the audience, he used this little illustration:

"A billion seconds ago, Richard Nixon was President.

A billion minutes ago, Jesus was alive and well.

A billion days ago, the dinosaurs roamed the earth.

And a billion letters ago... was Tuesday." ;-)

The point is just what several have already said – these carriers move a staggering number of pieces. The law of averages means that X number of packages are going to be damaged, and it's simply a matter of luck whether or not one of them is yours. Certain carriers may have a slightly better or slightly worse percentage of problems, but they all have packages destroyed – it's just part of the business.

The best thing you can do is what Silverface suggested: pack your item with the certainty that it's going to be dropped. If you know in advance it's going to happen, you won't be so surprised when it does.

The only other thing I would say is that if you do receive a damaged package, make sure you take plenty of clear photos, and show them to anyone and everyone you deal with when filing a claim. It's hard to refute or deny photographic evidence.


dmkozak:
Actually, between UPS and FedEx there are two differences. I consider them to be big differences.

First, UPS outside insures their claims. In other words, they use an outside insurance company to evaluate and pay claims. They buy an insurance policy from this outside company like you buy auto or home insurance. UPS just switched carriers because they got a lower premium from this new carrier. Do you really think the carrier wants to pay the claim? Do you really think the carrier cares if you continue to ship UPS? (Actually, the carrier gets paid the same premium whether UPS ships more or fewer packages. But, if UPS carries fewer packages, there'll probably be fewer claims, and the insurance carrier will make more money. So, it's in the carrier's best interest to deny your claim, piss you off and have you use FedEx in the future.)

Second, FedEx has the ability to track the truck carrying your package and has the ability to make in-route changes. With UPS, once it's on the truck they don't know where it is until it gets offloaded at your local distribution center.

Finally, have you notice the biggest shippers of them all, Dell, Gateway, buy.com, Amazon, etc. have recently switched from UPS as their primary carrier to FedEx?


rmconner80:
I've shipped and recieved hundreds of packages FedEx and UPS. Haven't had a problem yet.

Here's what I've learned.

If it's fragile, expensive, you want it to be 99% sure it will get there in one piece, and you want them to stand behind their inusrance claims - OVERNIGHT IT. That's the only way, you have to use Second Day Air. Not only will it spend less time in transit, it will be subject to very different handling. You are paying top dollar for their service. This tells them you are truly serious about it getting there and intend to pay for it. It usually means they will stand behind insurance claims because they know you aren't messing around. When I sell an expensive, fragile guitar (like a Historic Gibson), I insist that the buyer pay shipping, and that I only ship FedEx Second Day Air. It also pays to use the original factory shipping carton for some reason.

You get what you pay for. If you do ground, it's like playing the lottery. It's cheap, and most people don't "win", but some do. You can diminish your chances of 'winning the lottery' by double boxing and wrapping the hell out of it. By packaging it for WWIII, you also increase the chances of winning insurance claims, because there is no question who's fault it is. Paying a middle man with 'expertise' to package it also helps. Paying for the additional services (delivery confirmation, etc.) helps. This all increases, doubles and triples the shipping cost because of the additional service, additional weight and size. Most people opt for the lower cost and just play the lottery...

I ship both ways. Sometimes I play the lottery, and sometimes I pack for WWIII. It depends how far it is going, what type of guitar it is, it's worth, and how lucky I feel... Thankfully I haven't won yet, but I've come close.
 
i mailed my epiphone sg to my ebay buyer via royal mail's parcelforce courier service in the uk.... it arrived with the neck broken... (which is the reason why i refunded the $$ and never got anything back.....). I filed a report for the damage, but never heard anythign from them. Oh well......
 
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