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Topic: Sad UPS story |
David Ball
From:
North Carolina High Country
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Posted 21 Aug 2019 1:13 pm |
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About a month ago, UPS lost an old Sho Bud cabinet end Madison permanent I had bought. It appeared to be an early one, and completely unmolested.
Today I got the final verdict from UPS that they have given up looking for the missing package. I bought the guitar off of Reverb, and have already been issued a refund, but it's sad that such a nice old guitar is probably going to end up either lost in the UPS Island of misfit packages forever or destroyed somewhere along the line. Anyway, kudos to Reverb and to the seller. Not so for UPS. Think I'll stick with FedEx for my shipments.
Dave
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Joseph Myers
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Posted 21 Aug 2019 1:47 pm
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David,
That absolutely bums me out. UPS lost a beautiful Wurlitzer tube 145B electric piano I sold several years ago. Then didn't honor the claim. The buyer was kind enough to split the loss. They really could care less and I have not used them since.
On a happier note, Smartpost lost a vintage Firebird case I bought. They also couldn't of cared less. But, 2 months later without warning or notice of any kind, it showed up at my door. I was stunned.
There's always hope for that.
joe |
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David Ball
From:
North Carolina High Country
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Posted 21 Aug 2019 2:14 pm
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| Yep. You just never know. |
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David Ball
From:
North Carolina High Country
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Posted 21 Aug 2019 2:16 pm
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For future reference for anyone who sells or buys on Reverb—the seller had paid extra for Reverb Protection—Reverb issued the refund whatever it is that UPS ends up doing. Pretty nice.
Dave |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 21 Aug 2019 2:25 pm
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| Sooo,,does that mean UPS is off the hook regarding financial responsibility?? Surely if it comes out of their pocket they wouldn't give up. They know the last time that guitar was "seen" by man or machine,,,someone has that guitar!!! |
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David Ball
From:
North Carolina High Country
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Posted 21 Aug 2019 2:28 pm
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| UPS is still on the hook to Reverb, but yeah that guitar is out there somewhere. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 22 Aug 2019 4:03 am
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it will show up one day. Years back the PO lost a package , a small computer. They issued me a refund with Insurance. 9 months later it was returned to me from wherever it may have been, no questions asked.
UPS, FED EX, they are not much different, it happens,
Someone missed a scan somewhere, someone wasn't paying attention , someone ISN'T paying attention. This is a big package and eventually some HUB warehouse person will trip on it and actually do something about it.
The tracking procedures for both UPS and FED EX are near identical,as long as someone enters the data or the systems are up and running. The package is not LOST , its in the system UNTRACKED. it will pop up at some point.
It will either be returned to the seller or delivered to you !
Everyone runs from UPS until it happens with FED EX or the PO ! The dang thing is probably sitting 10 miles from the sellers address and the shipping label fell off !
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website
Last edited by Tony Prior on 22 Aug 2019 6:36 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 22 Aug 2019 6:20 am
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I've seen "Horror stories" about FedEx and UPS.
One of our forum members was a (long haul) driver for FedEx and he posted many times about proper packaging and how large packages are (mis)handled at terminals.
It seems like it takes a team of lawyers to get any settlement from either one. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2019 7:26 am
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I had to take FedEx to court to reach a settlement.
Erv |
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David Ball
From:
North Carolina High Country
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Posted 22 Aug 2019 1:11 pm
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| Tony Prior wrote: |
it will show up one day. Years back the PO lost a package , a small computer. They issued me a refund with Insurance. 9 months later it was returned to me from wherever it may have been, no questions asked.
The dang thing is probably sitting 10 miles from the sellers address and the shipping label fell off !
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I think there's a good chance that it never made it far from the shipper, and that the label fell off. Don't know whether she put a copy of my address inside with the guitar or not--always a good thing to do in case the label does fall off!
I'd love for it to show up some day, but won't hold my breath in the meantime. Again, I'm glad that the seller bought the Reverb protection to where I've got my money, the seller has her money and Reverb gets to fight it out with UPS for a settlement!
Dave |
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Gene Tani
From:
Pac NW
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Posted 22 Aug 2019 9:15 pm UPS lost/damaged package
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That stinks, sorry to hear it.
A lot of things could have happend but in general it's more likely that a package was either sent ot wrong facility, damaged in transit (ship labels fell off or are scraped up enough to be unreadable or box was cut and contents fell out) or misdelivered to wrong address than stolen (I deal with Fedex Ground a lot and UPS and Fedex express some, that happens pretty regularly w/Ground). However, we're talking something unusually large, high value and heavy, it's hard to say.
I tried googling if UPS is required to deliver the package after the insurance payout is made if either sender or receiver's address can be found, I found this https://www.quora.com/How-does-UPS-FedEx-investigate-lost-stolen-packages
_________________
- keyless Sonny Jenkins laps stay in tune forever!; Carter PSG
- The secret sauce: polyester sweatpants to buff your picks, cheapo Presonus channel strip for preamp/EQ/compress/limiter, Diet Mountain Dew |
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Dennis Montgomery
From:
Western Washington
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Posted 23 Aug 2019 8:55 am
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Here's a UPS story that might shed light on what we're up against shipping pedal steel's around.
I recently sold an MCI SD-10 (53 pounds packed for shipment) and was sending it from WA to FL. I'd already carefully packed it up with a lot of bubble wrap both inside and outside the case and took it to my local UPS store. I told the woman behind the counter I wanted to insure it for $1400. She told me if I wanted to insure it for over $900 that it meant she would have to completely unpack it and re-box it for shipment. I wasn't happy but it did make sense...if they're going to ship something with a high stated value, they want to know it's packed correctly and to their standards.
I asked how much that would cost...she said including insurance, repacking fee, and the actual shipping cost it would be over $400! I told her forget it, let's just insure it for $900 and hope for the best. That cost me about $140.
Here's where the story gets very disturbing. I was shipping it in a box that I'd received a synthesizer in a few months before. It was the perfect size for the MCI case and bubble wrap around it. The box had several bright red, "FRAGILE" stickers on it. The UPS store employee actually told me, "We'd better cover up those 'FRAGILE' stickers or the odds of your package arriving damaged will go way up". I asked why in the world would that happen, wouldn't it be the opposite? She told me it's a dirty secret in the shipping industry that packages marked "FRAGILE" actually get extra rough treatment because it ticks off the guys moving the packages on and off planes or at the processing facilities. They'll look at the package and say, "oh, fragile so you want me to be extra careful...how about this?" and kick them or purposely drop them 
I told her to go ahead and cover the "FRAGILE" stickers up as I was confident my packing job would survive the normal process of shipment.
Anyway, we might want to think twice before writing or putting "FRAGILE" stickers on our pedal steel shipments 
_________________
Hear my latest album, "Celestial" featuring a combination of Mullen SD12 and Synthesizers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhh6b_xXTx4&list=PLfXm8aXRTFz0x-Sxso0NWw493qAouK
Hear my album, "Armistice" featuring Fender 400 on every song:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfXm8aXRTFz2Pz_GXhvmjne7lPEtsplyW
Hear my Pedal Steel Only playlist featuring Mullen G2 SD12 on covers like Candyman, Wild Horses, Across the Universe & more...
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfXm8aXRTFz2f0JOyiXpZyzNrvnJObliA |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 23 Aug 2019 9:14 am
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| Dennis Montgomery wrote: |
Here's a UPS story that might shed light on what we're up against shipping pedal steel's around.
I recently sold an MCI SD-10 (53 pounds packed for shipment) and was sending it from WA to FL. I'd already carefully packed it up with a lot of bubble wrap both inside and outside the case and took it to my local UPS store. I told the woman behind the counter I wanted to insure it for $1400. She told me if I wanted to insure it for over $900 that it meant she would have to completely unpack it and re-box it for shipment. I wasn't happy but it did make sense...if they're going to ship something with a high stated value, they want to know it's packed correctly and to their standards.
I asked how much that would cost...she said including insurance, repacking fee, and the actual shipping cost it would be over $400! I told her forget it, let's just insure it for $900 and hope for the best. That cost me about $140.
Here's where the story gets very disturbing. I was shipping it in a box that I'd received a synthesizer in a few months before. It was the perfect size for the MCI case and bubble wrap around it. The box had several bright red, "FRAGILE" stickers on it. The UPS store employee actually told me, "We'd better cover up those 'FRAGILE' stickers or the odds of your package arriving damaged will go way up". I asked why in the world would that happen, wouldn't it be the opposite? She told me it's a dirty secret in the shipping industry that packages marked "FRAGILE" actually get extra rough treatment because it ticks off the guys moving the packages on and off planes or at the processing facilities. They'll look at the package and say, "oh, fragile so you want me to be extra careful...how about this?" and kick them or purposely drop them
I told her to go ahead and cover the "FRAGILE" stickers up as I was confident my packing job would survive the normal process of shipment.
Anyway, we might want to think twice before writing or putting "FRAGILE" stickers on our pedal steel shipments |
Well, now we need the rest of the story!
Did the guitar survive the trip? |
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Dennis Montgomery
From:
Western Washington
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John Brabant
From:
Calais, VT, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2019 6:06 am
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UPS smashed up a steel I shipped to a Forum member and then tried to get out of paying for it. I had to contact the Vermont Attorney General's Office and their team sent UPS a letter and UPS replied saying that they were working with the customer to get the matter resolved. They then issued me a check.
I have had a steel shipped USPS. That is the way to go and the only way that I would ship a steel going forward.
_________________
John Brabant
1978 Emmons D-10 P-P |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 24 Aug 2019 6:27 am
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I'm certain we all have horror stories with UPS, FED or the PO. Too many to share or post. Everyone loves the shipper they use , or have used , UNTIL it happens to them.
I have shipped/received well over 50 Instruments ,guitars, amps, including perhaps 20 or 25 Steels ( all packed by me ) , each with UPS, never had a single issue. Some arrived by FED EX, not one issue. POST OFFICE, can't say the same, they are the only carrier that literally LOST packages and had a nice guitar arrive with a broken neck !
Perhaps it's all just the luck of the draw.
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Dennis Montgomery
From:
Western Washington
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Gene Tani
From:
Pac NW
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Posted 25 Aug 2019 9:46 pm
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The luck of the draw can be re-explained as good drivers and truck loaders vs bad and good routes vs bad, as well as at some point your 70 pound package is going to drop off a conveyer belt, and maybe it lands on another package or hits concrete.
I've talked to a few dealers of high value instruments, one said USPS was preferable because they were the only one that did timely payouts on insurance claims (IF you have lots of photos/docs backing up the value/condition of the instrument), another would only use FedEx express as they were the most careful, and would never ever send anything of value by Fedex Ground (there's a big big difference between Express and Ground).
_________________
- keyless Sonny Jenkins laps stay in tune forever!; Carter PSG
- The secret sauce: polyester sweatpants to buff your picks, cheapo Presonus channel strip for preamp/EQ/compress/limiter, Diet Mountain Dew
Last edited by Gene Tani on 6 Sep 2019 6:33 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 26 Aug 2019 12:20 am
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| Gene Tani wrote: |
I've talked to a few dealers of high value instruments, one said USPS was preferable because they were the only one that did timely payouts on insurance claims . |
Now that right there is brilliant Marketing , "if we lose or damage your package we won't take long to reimburse you " !
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Mike Scaggs
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 26 Aug 2019 5:01 am
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Get some 1/2" plywood, cut it and make a wood box. Glue it and screw it. That is the best chance you have to see it to the destination without getting busted up. The buyer of course will have their work cut out for them unpacking it and the added weight costs 
_________________
I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you
Zum double Hybrid 8x9, 64 Twin (JBLs), p2pAmps Bad-Dawg, p2pAmps Tremendous Reverb, Visit my website www.p2pamps.com |
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Pat Heller
From:
Missouri, USA (deceased)
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Posted 26 Aug 2019 6:49 am another UPS story
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| I recently bought a guitar that was in PA. It sat at the UPS in Pa.for 3 days before they finally shipped it from their terminal. It went from PA. to ILL to Earth City MO -- 40 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE. It was then sent to Lancaster Maryland????. 2 days later it left again for Ill. to MO. i ended up driving to the UPS shipping terminal to pick it up - and get in my hands. The whole thing took 10 days. I have to say the guitar was still fine - small tear in 1 corner of the box but otherwise fine. UPS told me it wasn't their fault it took so long to conclude. I inquired as to whose fault it was to take so long and was told the computers.P.H. |
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David Ball
From:
North Carolina High Country
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Posted 29 Aug 2019 11:25 am
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UPDATE--UPS has apparently found the missing package. It originally shipped from Massachusetts headed for Tennessee. Now it is heading to Chicago (Where Reverb is located) from Kansas (which I assume is where UPS's Lost and Found warehouse is). It's supposed to make it to Reverb tomorrow. What I don't know yet is whether or not it is intact.
Reverb has been in contact with me to let me know that once they've received it and inspected for damage, they'll let me know whether or not it's still sellable. If it is, I may actually get the thing yet. Fingers are crossed.
Dave |
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Michael Hartz
From:
Decorah, Iowa, USA
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Posted 29 Aug 2019 11:34 am
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| A couple of years ago I shipped my Mullen D-10 in it’s Red Dirt roadcase down to Mickey in Texas to have him go thru it. He shipped it back thru Fedex and for over 2 weeks they lost it. I called everyday and it seemed it just disappeared, they had the original pickup scan but nothing after that. Turns out the label got ripped off and it got returned to the place Mickey shipped it from and just sat there til he happened to go there for another shipment. When I finally got it back Fed Ex did that roadcase what 8 years of weekly wear and tear going in and out of a band trailer could never do. I had about 3 hrs of repair with new aluminum valances and countless rivets to fix it. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 29 Aug 2019 11:52 am
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| David Ball wrote: |
UPDATE--UPS has apparently found the missing package. It originally shipped from Massachusetts headed for Tennessee. Now it is heading to Chicago (Where Reverb is located) from Kansas (which I assume is where UPS's Lost and Found warehouse is). It's supposed to make it to Reverb tomorrow. What I don't know yet is whether or not it is intact.
Reverb has been in contact with me to let me know that once they've received it and inspected for damage, they'll let me know whether or not it's still sellable. If it is, I may actually get the thing yet. Fingers are crossed.
Dave |
It was never actually missing, it was sitting untouched or un-noticed or someone saw it and decided to ignore it. It was never really missing or lost, just ignored. Someone probably got tired of tripping over it or worse, moving it to another spot in the HUB to be ignored again.
Funny thing is, it will be sent back to Reverb it will probably be intact, all ok, then they will send it to you and it will be in fine condition , no damage , just a real long time window.
Lets hope for that !
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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David Ball
From:
North Carolina High Country
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Posted 29 Aug 2019 12:58 pm
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| Tony Prior wrote: |
Lets hope for that ! |
Indeed! |
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