UPS trying to screw me over, what say you R3V?

[bikerbill2021]

I even planned everything out so i wouldn't have any problems, and im still having problems

i know, its long, cliffs at the end, but if you give it a read, id really appreciate it, i'm at my wits end here trying to figure out the next step

so about a month ago, in preparation for my move to AZ from NY, I took all of my DJ equipment (excluding my tech 1200s, took those in the car with me, prob the best decision ever), packed it nice, tight, and organized in my flight cases, and took it over to UPS to have them ship it to my buddys house in Phoenix, AZ. heres where the fun begins

said cases



as i was packing up all my equipment, i took detailed shots of every piece of gear i had that i was shipping, with the date and my name written on a piece of paper in each shot, JUST in case something were to happen.

example of before shots




At the UPS store, i declared value on AND INSURED each flight case (i was shipping two, plus my record case, but thats irrelevant) for $500 a piece, and paid $250 to ship everything. I made sure with the UPS store employees that my cases were ok to ship my things in/if there was any protocol or underlying rule that would cause problems down the road, and they said everything was fine. They wrapped some tape around each case just to make sure they wouldn't open.

Fast forward about two weeks, i get to my buds house where ill be staying, took all the tape off my what seemed like unscathed flight cases, only to find my gear in shambles.

one of my CDJs, in the 2nd pic im holding a piece of the circuit board that fell out of one of them




Headphones, can of exploded fader lube, mixer (with all the faders and knobs twisted, im meticulous about things, and made sure every fader was down, with all knobs turned to 7 o clock)



For the past two weeks, ive been on the phone with UPS, sending them pictures, and stressing out over this blatant destruction of my equipment, only to have them deny my claim.

first reason of denying my claim: there was no tape around the cases, causing the latches to fail. i proved them wrong by explaining i had to take all the tape off in order to get into the cases, hence why there was no tape in the pictures.

next reason of denying my claim after denying the first one, the cases had insuffiecent foam in order to protect the equipment. these case are made of hard plastic, steel, and thick foam, and there trying to tell me that a cardboard box would have held up better??

so now im at a loss, there clearly giving me the run around. I PAID for insurance, took pictures before and after, and shipped my equipment in these cases JUST so something like this wouldn't happen, and now that it has, they could care less. As days go by, it seems more and more obvious that i wont be seeing a reimbursement from UPS

so i come to you now, R3V, for advice, input, tips, anything that would be of any help :(

CLIFFS:
Sent DJ equip in heavy duty flight cases via UPS from NY to AZ
Took picture off all my equip in each case before i shipped
Insured each case for $500
Get cases at new house in AZ, most of my equip. is destroyed/non-functional
UPS is saying its the cases fault, insufficient foam etc
Denying my damage claim
Confused, need moral guidance from R3V

[Danny]

Small claims court.

[bikerbill2021]

Small claims court.

Legal action is definitely approaching quickly, my roommate is working on this with me trying to figure out what the next best step is. his wife is suggesting i contact the Better Business Bureau, as well as the Insurance commissioner.

My roommate is going to talk to JAG on his base (airforce) to see if we can get some tips too

[learningcurve86]

Have you told the UPS call center that you're considering talking to the BBB? That may set a fire under their butts.

[Acehye559]

So your saying that someone opened the boxes, messed with them and then closed it back up?

[quickervicar]

Did you tightly pack everything in the cases with either foam, bubblewrap or kraft paper? Or did you just toss the contents in the cases and seal them up?

Many UPS/FedEx sorting facilities have conveyor systems with a drop of a couple feet when transferring from one to another. If your route has multiple sort destinations, then your package is effectively falling down a flight of stairs a few steps at a time. Package accordingly.

[Dominic49]

2 inch of packing on all sides or they wont insure it.

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/packaging/guidelines/how_to2.html

Step 2. Provide Internal Protection
It is important to cushion the contents of your package properly.

Please be sure that you wrap each item separately. Fragile articles need separation from each other, and from the corners, sides, top, and bottom of the box.

Each item should be surrounded by at least two inches (5.08 cm) of cushioning and be placed at least two inches (5.08 cm) away from the walls of the box. This prevents product-against-product damage and protects contents from shock and vibration, which can pass from the outside of the box to the contents.

Please use proper cushioning material, combined with a strong outer container, to protect your shipment fully. Make sure you use enough cushioning material to ensure that the contents do not move when you shake the container.

Improper cushioning material includes clothing, blankets, towels, newspaper/newsprint, and pillows. Instead, please use the materials listed below to cushion and protect your shipment:


Air-encapsulated plastic (small and large cell bubble sheeting)

Designed to protect and cushion lightweight items
Used in multiple wraps and layers to ensure that the item is completely protected, especially on corners and edges

Inflatable packaging (air bags)

Used primarily as void-fill materials for lightweight items
Not recommended for items with sharp corners or edges
Extreme hot or cold temperatures may affect the ability of air bags to provide adequate product protection.

Expanded polystyrene "peanuts" (loose fill)

Used primarily as void-fill material for lightweight items
Overfill the box with loose fill, gently close the flaps, and seal securely
Do not use with flat or narrow products that may move to the edge or bottom of the carton in transit
Due to the shifting and settling properties of peanuts, it is recommended that a minimum of two inches (5.08 cm) of cushioning be used around the contents
It is recommended that flat pieces of corrugated fiberboard be used between contents and peanuts to help prevent migration through the peanuts
Peanuts cause static electricity and may damage electronic items. Anti-static peanuts should be used for electronic items. Use plastic bags, bubble sheeting, or other items to wrap the item so peanuts will not work themselves into areas that may cause harm to your merchandise.

Engineered foam enclosures

Materials may include expanded polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, or copolymers
Enclosures should be pre-engineered for specific products

Foam-in-place/Foam-in-bag

A foam, sprayed into the box or mixed in packets, that expands and forms a protective mold around contents
Must be properly used, with even foam distribution around the contents
Because this material is offered in varying densities, it is important to select the most appropriate foam to meet the requirements of the product

Corrugated liners and inserts

May be added to the package to increase strength and improve package performance

Crumpled kraft paper

Used primarily as a void-fill material for light-to-medium weight, non-fragile items and items that are suitable for such packing materials
Must be tightly crumpled
Place at least two inches (5.08 cm) of paper between contents and outer box

Note: Fragile objects such as electronics, glass, ceramics, and artwork, require special packaging for safe shipment. Packages containing these and similar items may require added cushioning or a double (over) box.

[fronton]

insurance of all kinds is the biggest scam of capitalism. NO ONE EVER wants to pony up regardless of how much you've paid for the promise to do so. I HATE insurance policies and companies of ANY kind. The fact that the government requires auto insurance BLOWS and is trying to require health insurance BLOWS harder.

Sorry about your gear, I'd write a letter to the head of customer service or better yet have a lawyer draft it on his letterhead threatening legal action.

Also, UPS is the worst shipping company out there and I go to great pains and expense to avoid using them as I'm sure you now will.

[mrsleeve]

No where near as anoying as your story op. I just ordered about 3000 rounds of .308 and .45 and they deliverd it to salt lake utah


Good luck op

[bimmerteck]

Absolutely not enough protection in that case to be shipping gear across the country in it. When I was in high school I worked at a shop here in town that shipped musical equipment and replacement parts to artists on tour daily. If it's not bolted to an internal frame isolated from the case (i.e. a flight rack) or so tightly surrounded by pick and pluck that you damn near can't remove it(i.e. a pelican case). . . Then it doesn't ship. It should look roughly like the image below.

[IRON-E]

I'm on your side dude but I can clearly see in the first packing picture, where you packed your CDJs, that there is moving room. Even though you thought everything was nicely tucked tight and snug with all the cords and wires, there was still enough room for tragedy to happen.
I'm sorry for your loss, but this might be a tough one to beat. And, never pack any type of aerosol next to electronic components, when they are being shipped through air.

Good luck

[imsotyerred]

shoulda put all of them in one larger, peanut-filled cardboard box. sucks, but you didn't package them correctly.

On the other hand, they shouldn't have insured you without inspecting the packaging

[BrownBeanE30]

shoulda put all of them in one larger, peanut-filled cardboard box. sucks, but you didn't package them correctly.

On the other hand, they shouldn't have insured you without inspecting the packaging

I would think since they did insure him they are pretty much responsible now, even if he didn't package them right

[joshh]

Sorry man, I have to agree with those who say you didn't pack it as good as you should have. Hope all goes as well as possible. Sorry to hear about the damage.

[bikerbill2021]

Have you told the UPS call center that you're considering talking to the BBB? That may set a fire under their butts.

i havent contacted them as of yet, but this is something i was going to tell them

So your saying that someone opened the boxes, messed with them and then closed it back up?

that was one of my assumptions, not entirely sure on it, but tampering could have been involved

Did you tightly pack everything in the cases with either foam, bubblewrap or kraft paper? Or did you just toss the contents in the cases and seal them up?

Many UPS/FedEx sorting facilities have conveyor systems with a drop of a couple feet when transferring from one to another. If your route has multiple sort destinations, then your package is effectively falling down a flight of stairs a few steps at a time. Package accordingly.

i packed them accordingly, it may not look it, but with all the wiring inside, headphones etc in each case, they were SNUG, there was no movement what so ever. ive dropped these things down stairs before my self accidentally, and the contents were unfazed

I'm on your side dude but I can clearly see in the first packing picture, where you packed your CDJs, that there is moving room. Even though you thought everything was nicely tucked tight and snug with all the cords and wires, there was still enough room for tragedy to happen.
I'm sorry for your loss, but this might be a tough one to beat. And, never pack any type of aerosol next to electronic components, when they are being shipped through air.

Good luck

Like i said, these things were SNUG, foam on top to keep them from moving, and all the excess wiring and whatnot kept the gear from moving side to side. The aerosol can was packed at the top of the case where the handle was and out of the way of anything squashing/puncturing it

I would think since they did insure him they are pretty much responsible now, even if he didn't package them right

When i went in there, i asked them if everything was okay to ship, asked to inspect everything to make sure it would be all right, and they said everything was fine. They then proceeded to insure each case for $500, so i would agree with you that they should be held responsible


I appreciate all the responses guys, and like i said, i have had these things packed like this a million times when i take them out to gigs, and never had any issues. my equipment as always been protected and completely snug in each case. i even emailed the manufactures of my flight cases, and they had this to say:

"Our flight cases are capable of withstanding UPS and FEDEX transportation. We use UPS to ship many our products on a regular basis and their is enough padding to protect your gear."

All I'm asking UPS to do is either send someone out to investigate my gear properly and in person, or refund me what they owe. UPS makes millions of dollars a day, for them to be like this is completely ridiculous.

Ill update once i contact them again, again, thanks for the replies guys