Another UPS Horror Story


I bought an Allnic T1500 amp here earlier this month. It was shipped in the original packaging by a UPS store from NJ to Seattle, fully insured. It arrived with a hole in the bottom corner and substantial damage to the amp (subchassis bent). I contacted the seller who refused my refund request and I processed a UPS claim.

UPS picked it up and did an inspection at their customer service center. They found no damage to the box (I have photos of the 6" hole in the bottom), did not look inside and have now sent it back to the NJ. Once again the seller has refused to refund my payment claiming he doesn't have the money to refund.

At this point the shipper will have my original payment plus the damaged unit, which might be repairable. Can a UPS claim be appealed? Can a UPS Store be sued in small claims?

I know I should never have given this back to UPS for "inspection". My best hope is that once it gets back to NJ they will ship it to the Allnic recommended repair shop in Pennsylvania and it can be fixed.
jarrett
"03-30-15: Jarrett
Yes, I did file a small claims against UPS. I intend to also file against the UPS Store but that's in NJ and I am in Seattle."

This a very good thing for you. File a small claims suit in Seattle. The law is that wherever a company does business, even if its far away, they can be sued in a local court. UPS would have to send someone to Seattle. If they don't, you win by default.
So the amp is back at the UPS store. Here is an email I just got from the seller, petro1511:

"So they are calling in a fraud/security inspector. To open the box because they say the hole in the box is not the same as your pictures. And now the security guy has to open the box. And they also say you wanted the money for the claim and the amp. The inspector would be there end of the week they will call me. And BTW they don't want to deal with you anymore. Guy will open box. Inspect amp and then we go from there. You've done enough, I will deal with them and try to get a total loss claim."

It looks like UPS is claiming I damaged the amp myself and put a hole in the box to justify it. Gets better all the time.
Who paid for the insurance? Normally it is the seller/shipper. Whomever paid for the freight/insurance and has their name on the claim form, that is who should be dealing with the claim and UPS.
The seller needs to refund your money yesterday!!
Let him and UPS handle their problem.
The seller's name is on the UPS paperwork, that means he is responsible for handling the claim. Which means that any money refunded will go to him.
As a buyer, what happens between him and UPS is not your business. The seller did not send you the T1500 before you paid for it, you should not have released the T1500 back to UPS until you had your money returned. That's the way the system is designed to work.
Fussing with UPS and the insurance is not your problem, it is the seller's problem. I have dealt with this from both sides, the seller is screwing you, not UPS.