F***ing G***amned FedEx does it again

[ganzosrevenge]

you are now making me fret HUGE about the CS pickup that is going x-country for the 2nd time. (See "Whoopsbucker") I'm not a happy camper either about the way that these parts and musical goods are treated. What's the best way to ensure that it gets here in 1 piece?

Jason

[J Moose]

FedEx just seems to be getting worse and worse.

Good luck with insuring musical instruments, I found out through the last claim process that they don't insure them anymore. The most they'll cover is something like $100 or 200 on it. That was a joke to me after paying the money for additional insurance in the first place and telling the clerk exactly what it was. So, in short they'll take your money, but when it comes to doing anything during the claims process forget about it. And yes, the entire process is one gigantic confusing loop of hell - I hope karma comes around for those jerks.

I call BS on that... not insuring musical instruments.

If FedEx no longer honors insurance on those then they'd loose a fair amount of customers like Schecter, Korg & others who use 'em...

Standard operating at any shipping company is to automatically deny the first claim that comes in... forcing you to resubmit. Most people can't be bothered to figure out & deal with the process... I've had the inside folks at FedEx & UPS say as much. If it doesn't have a fragile sticker but was a fragile item, they'll use THAT as the excuse... even though they admit the stickers mean nothing.

So you're right. They DO make it hard to collect...

If you cross the t's and dot your I's when the package goes out your door it's much easier if & when you do have a problem...

Hope 'ya get this worked out... but IME, if you bought the thing new & it showed up smashed then the dealer should be shipping a new one straight away rather then waiting for the inspection & claims process to sort out...

See my example with Motu... just gotta know which wheels to squeak & how to deal with 'em.

[Kosh Naranek]

They managed to trash a Nord synth? Goll durn idjit galloots!!
I feel bad. That is a loss, not just monetary, but of a cool instrument.

Makes me glad I'm not buying or selling guitars over the internet these days. Too many stories of cool guitars having the headstock snapped off.

[Kosh Naranek]

you are now making me fret HUGE about the CS pickup that is going x-country for the 2nd time.

Relax. I wouldn't be too worried about a small box with a pickup in it, which is nowhere near as fragile as a guitar, or apparently a synth.

I do hope it gets to you soon though.

[ganzosrevenge]

it's going cross country 3x. 3x the opportunity for UPS to mess things up. I think they seem to have an "implied knowledge" of what is valuable and enjoy busting things up at random. I'm having my brobucker and the 2 CS pups i'm ordering (low output (less than 6k) pickups) sent overnight via UPS as well to minimize their chances of bumping things around truck to truck.

I can only imagine what it would be like if it was a '59 Les Paul or an old or collectible steinway or something of that sort.

[astrozombie]

I still dont know what was damaged and how badly.

[That90'sGuy]

I call BS on that... not insuring musical instruments.

If FedEx no longer honors insurance on those then they'd loose a fair amount of customers like Schecter, Korg & others who use 'em...

Standard operating at any shipping company is to automatically deny the first claim that comes in... forcing you to resubmit. Most people can't be bothered to figure out & deal with the process... I've had the inside folks at FedEx & UPS say as much. If it doesn't have a fragile sticker but was a fragile item, they'll use THAT as the excuse... even though they admit the stickers mean nothing.

So you're right. They DO make it hard to collect...

If you cross the t's and dot your I's when the package goes out your door it's much easier if & when you do have a problem...

Hope 'ya get this worked out... but IME, if you bought the thing new & it showed up smashed then the dealer should be shipping a new one straight away rather then waiting for the inspection & claims process to sort out...

See my example with Motu... just gotta know which wheels to squeak & how to deal with 'em.

Hmmm.... someone at FedEx should be really, really fired then for lying over the phone when I called about the claims process. I'm not here to spread misinformation and maybe FedEx will make exceptions, but I was told since they had lost a lawsuit on a vintage guitar and had to shell out the expenses from breaking it they no longer would acknowledge "declared value" on guitar merchandise (maybe the person was confused and thought it was a vintage instrument?). I'm not an idiot - I've been through claims processes before, but where I've gotten progress with UPS, FedEx has fought me that much more - I couldn't get a hold of anyone that could speed up the process one bit. The local stores were even more rude about giving out any information to help me out either, just told me to call the "customer service" (you could tell they honestly couldn't be bothered - they could all care less) This was a while back, but you can understand the lasting impression. I legitimately paid extra to insure it for more and I was told that they don't do that over the phone. I'm not the only one who has ever come across that before, just check out the link to the bottom. FedEx's answer is all over the place depending on who you talk to.

Somehow, I'm not entirely convinced either way. It seems like FedEx is wishy washy on music declared value. For large companies that spend a lot through them, I'm sure they'll be a bit more flexible than the homeowner who ships through them a dozen or so times a year.

Still think FedEx is so great? This is a thread that will really open up your eyes.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/sho...ight=insurance

[PFDarkside]

which is nowhere near as apparently a synth.

Those weighted action keys have a lot of mechanics that a good throw can damage.

it's going cross country 3x. 3x the opportunity for UPS to mess things up. I think they seem to have an "implied knowledge" of what is valuable and enjoy busting things up at random. I'm having my brobucker and the 2 CS pups i'm ordering (low output (less than 6k) pickups) sent overnight via UPS as well to minimize their chances of bumping things around truck to truck.

I can only imagine what it would be like if it was a '59 Les Paul or an old or collectible steinway or something of that sort.

It's fine man, the pickup has foam in the case, then in padding in the box. Not too mention, a pickup is quite robust to shocks. you have to get in there with something sharp to damage the winding.

[MikeS]

That totally sucks. I have been fortunate not to have to deal with a claim with either company. I have also been fortunate that none of the more fragile items I have received have been damaged. I have had several packages delivered to me that looked like they had been used as a football during the sorters’ lunch break. I even mentioned it to the carrier once, and he played it off as it was not only normal, but perfectly acceptable. Fortunately for me there was nothing breakable in the box. I have found that UPS and FedEx are equally susceptible to beat up packages.

The only reason I prefer UPS is because their policy for picking up failed deliveries is not totally effing retarded. FedEx’s policy, however, is completely effing retarded… FedEx Express is manageable… FedEx Ground? Forget it.

[J Moose]

Hmmm.... someone at FedEx should be really, really fired then for lying over the phone when I called about the claims process. I'm not here to spread misinformation and maybe FedEx will make exceptions, but I was told since they had lost a lawsuit on a vintage guitar and had to shell out the expenses from breaking it they no longer would acknowledge "declared value" on guitar merchandise (maybe the person was confused and thought it was a vintage instrument?).

---

Still think FedEx is so great? This is a thread that will really open up your eyes.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/sho...ight=insurance

There's a large difference between "declared value" and "real value" in that they ALWAYS pay on 'real' value. I could plop a '93 Strat into a box and declare that it's worth $5000... doesn't mean it that it IS actually worth that amount, nor does it mean they'll pay the amount that I've insured it for should they manage to mangle it.

I clicked on that link you provided & skimmed it... appears to be a guy who was dealing with an empty box that "supposedly" had a vintage Jag in it... and never paid for extra coverage beyond the $100. Too many holes in that one...

Oh well. Sucks for him... but you don't play by the rules you get burned.

What, exactly happened with your piece?

All I see you saying is that FedEx sucks and they trashed a Nord...

Was it new? Used? Factory packing? WTF was the deal?!

[That90'sGuy]

There's a large difference between "declared value" and "real value" in that they ALWAYS pay on 'real' value. I could plop a '93 Strat into a box and declare that it's worth $5000... doesn't mean it that it IS actually worth that amount, nor does it mean they'll pay the amount that I've insured it for should they manage to mangle it.

Right, I realize this. Other companies have you buy "insurance" though whereas FedEx tries to skip around the terminology and call it "declared value". Declared value, may or may not be treated like insurance depending on how they feel that day.

I clicked on that link you provided & skimmed it... appears to be a guy who was dealing with an empty box that "supposedly" had a vintage Jag in it... and never paid for extra coverage beyond the $100. Too many holes in that one...

Oh well. Sucks for him... but you don't play by the rules you get burned.

Well, the whole reason I posted that link was because it spawned a big conversation about how radically different FedEx handles the claims process and what they'll pay out on it. So folks were told there's a limit on musical instruments of any kind (not just vintage) as I have been told, some have been told it depends on Ground or Express. The fact is that it's all over the place so you don't know what angle they'll try to shoot down your claim from and they have plenty of angles to do it from based on how vague their coverage policy is (in which case you have to take them to small claims court or they'll keep dancing around it).

What, exactly happened with your piece?

All I see you saying is that FedEx sucks and they trashed a Nord...

Was it new? Used? Factory packing? WTF was the deal?!

It was a Namm demo that I got from an authorized dealer. It shipped straight from Nord's factory with the stock factory packing. The keyboard was immaculate except from where it got hit hard from the side, breaking off one of the weighted keys and sticking two other ones (not to mention warping the entire lower panel).

I've sold plenty of items before and with FedEx it just seems to be one thing after another, so I can't wait to see what's going to happen this time. Thankfully, in this case it's not my problem, but I do feel bad for the dealer.

[J Moose]

It was a Namm demo that I got from an authorized dealer. It shipped straight from Nord's factory with the stock factory packing. The keyboard was immaculate except from where it got hit hard from the side, breaking off one of the weighted keys and sticking two other ones (not to mention warping the entire lower panel).

I've sold plenty of items before and with FedEx it just seems to be one thing after another, so I can't wait to see what's going to happen this time. Thankfully, in this case it's not my problem, but I do feel bad for the dealer.

Ouch.

Sounds like it took a massive hit somewhere... or the factory packing had been beat-up a little from a demo... or both. I went through a similar hell on a mixing console years ago with Sweetwater where the thing had to be call tagged & shipped back & forth a few times. The last time they sent it back to me they reused already worn factory packing & it arrived in even worse condition... with knobs sheered off and a 1" x 2' (two foot!) dent in the bottom panel.

As for me, UPS has banged up more & lost more packages then FedEx though it's still not a large number. Maybe a half-dozen or so over the years? I have a FedEx business account... maybe I get better treatment?! My shipping total rarely exceeds $100 a month though...

Regardless... about 10-12 years ago I was working for a company that rented space from Raxxess... the folks who make big metal racks & shelves... all that stuff. They would get 10 & 12 gauge steel back on a regular basis that was bent in half & just mangled beyond belief. I learned a lot about the UPS conveyors & sorting system... how to REALLY pack stuff.

It's not pretty & I can't imagine it's changed much...

Packages would sometimes take a 15 foot fall... or maybe your tiny 11 pound widget is at the bottom of the belts & someones huge 75 pound widget is the next in line and slams into the other piece...

Believe it or not, they try NOT to mangle stuff...

Except for the drivers. I think they try...

[Ascension]

Thank you.

DHL has to be the worst I've dealt with, but FedEx just seems to be getting worse and worse.

Good luck with insuring musical instruments, I found out through the last claim process that they don't insure them anymore. The most they'll cover is something like $100 or 200 on it. That was a joke to me after paying the money for additional insurance in the first place and telling the clerk exactly what it was. So, in short they'll take your money, but when it comes to doing anything during the claims process forget about it. And yes, the entire process is one gigantic confusing loop of hell - I hope karma comes around for those jerks.

I've had continually less headaches with UPS and while they're not perfect either (no shipping company is), I've had packages arrive in simply much better condition. I pay a few bucks more, but the peace of mind is worth it.

After my last experience, I didn't want to deal with FedEx any more and unfortunately they're still managing to wreck packages of mine. Way to go FedEx! Seriously, I hope there's a special place in hell for these shipping company employees that base their living off of screwing customers.

+1 on DHL they are just HELL to deal with!! The speaker for my Prosonic came by DHL last week and the dude just wanderd up in my carport and chunked the box over the rail onto the back porch!! I was sitting in the den and saw him walk up then heard the big THUD. Needless to say I was quite happy with the DHL driver
I finally had to threaten to sue them over the guitar I shipped Bloodrose that they killed to get the claim settled. They refused the damage claim because I had sold the guitar HERE instead of Ebay and did not have a Ebay sales reciept!! I DID have a Pay Pal reciept but NO DHL INSISTED on a Ebay receipt. I informed the claims rep that I was a Pre Paid Legal Member so it was no big problem for me to file a suit! She told me to fire away and that was the ONLY way i would see a settlement so I lost it. I called back and asked for a supervisor after I had cooled down told her the same thing they then settled!!
DHL AUGG!!!!!
PS yall DO know that DHL is just a renamed rehased Airborn Express don't ya?

[KeeperOS]

Huh? Which guitar was that?
Don't tell me the Grover Jackson CS Washburn!
NOT THE SALAS!

[That90'sGuy]

+1 on DHL they are just HELL to deal with!! The speaker for my Prosonic came by DHL last week and the dude just wanderd up in my carport and chunked the box over the rail onto the back porch!! I was sitting in the den and saw him walk up then heard the big THUD. Needless to say I was quite happy with the DHL driver
I finally had to threaten to sue them over the guitar I shipped Bloodrose that they killed to get the claim settled. They refused the damage claim because I had sold the guitar HERE instead of Ebay and did not have a Ebay sales reciept!! I DID have a Pay Pal reciept but NO DHL INSISTED on a Ebay receipt. I informed the claims rep that I was a Pre Paid Legal Member so it was no big problem for me to file a suit! She told me to fire away and that was the ONLY way i would see a settlement so I lost it. I called back and asked for a supervisor after I had cooled down told her the same thing they then settled!!
DHL AUGG!!!!!
PS yall DO know that DHL is just a renamed rehased Airborn Express don't ya?

Ouch, I really feel for ya man. DHL has to be the only company I've seen that's stupid enough to only accept credit cards, tell you what a shipping cost is going to be, ship it out and then charge your credit card 2 - 4x the amount.

This happened 3 times with them and by the third time it wasn't worth the effort. If they can't get charging down the right way, I don't want to see how they settle the rest of the business.

[JOLLY]

Here's your package:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-dBWoPXNm8

[That90'sGuy]

Here's your package:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-dBWoPXNm8

I take your vid and raise you one vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQmMXrdadvg

[KeeperOS]

Oh yeah, that's the stuff alright.
That's pretty much what I imagined they did with the packages myself.

Kinda makes you glad to live in an apartment (they can't very well do the same thing when it's the lobby now... )

[theodie]

I am very sorry to hear that but, after nearly 12 years in the shipping industry, I can honestly tell you that people and companies have no clue how to properly package items to safely ship. 95% of the time, the claim that is filed is due to careless packaging of an item. Folks are way to quick to blame a shipping company usually.