Fedex Weekly Damage Report

while this is not FEDEX, this is UPS report which is no better than FEDEX. Just received a Sota Sapphire turntable which was delivered in their double boxed original packing that should handle ANY delivery service.
Well it did not. The inside box is made of plywood- it was pushed up in one end, the turntable cover is smashed -the whole back of it., the MDF board on the bottom of the table is cracked on the same side as the plywood was pushed up, and the transport screws came loose, the platter was bobbling, the arm came loose including the bolts holding it to the arm board so the cartridge slammed against the plinth causing the stylus to become bent and finally, the motor was in the same side as the plywood and does not now come on. I should have flown to Florida to pick it up. Would have taken less time and less money.
Will have to see what happens with the insurance claim. Too bad we can't ship one of their drivers and drop them continually on other boxes. They would have a new respect for others property. I guess the UPS/FEDEX definition for fragile means don't drop from more than 20 feet above the floor.

I just recieved a claim check in the mail last week from UPS. They paid half of what I was asking for. I had $5000.00 insurance. I filed a claim for $500.00 on a damaged amp. I recieved less then $300.00. All in all it was better then nothing.

I should add that not only was I dealing with a thug at Fedex, but what appears to be a less than truthful seller. After examining the speakers, (initially I was concerned about getting them working) I noticed that the speakers have been taken apart and modified, and the side trim is cracked on one side. I don't believe these speakers were designed to be taken apart and put back together, as the screws that hold the main area, once taken apart, the wood gets enlarged and the screws go back in less snug and secure. I may pursue this person through small claims court as he lives in the same state. I don't take getting screwed lightly, and the time and expense to make his life miserable is of no consequence to me. WORD TO THE WISE, if you are going to buy of the net,buy from people here on Audiogon, who have past sales history.

Any shipper can destroy an item. Packaging is the key to your item surviving. Sometimes I think these guys aren't happy if they don't go home knowing that they destroyed something. I just shipped a Tice Power Block from the east to the west coast using UPS. I made a crate out of 2x12 lumber and 3/4 inch plywood. The crate weighed almost 40 pounds with a total packed weight of 95 pounds. I marked all of the sides "HEAVY", "FRAGILE", "ELECT INST". The item arrived in perfect shape. Even after being loaded over a dozen times as it crossed the country. You can not "overpack" an item enough if you want it to survive. Factory packing is not enough. FedEx dropped a Thiel 2 2 that I shipped and smashed the top. It was in the factory double shipping carton. I think that crating and banding a heavy item to a pallet and shipping via common carrier is a safer way to ship. Once on a pallet, the item will not be handled by "hand". Handling haevy items by "hand" is what destroys them. A person(s) tries to lift something heavy and they drop it.

Thats pretty good advice, Mrderrick. I had a 135 lb TV shipped to me cross country by a freight carrier and even tho it was only protected in the original single box it arrived just fine. Freight unfortunately, seems to be generally more expensive. Maybe because they handle it more carefully/professionally?