UPS LOST ITEMS????????

Has anyone ever had an item lost by UPS? I sent a peice to NY from Canada, in Mid March. They cannot find it. The worst part is they say that they WILL NOT refund me anything but the shipping costs. They say its because it is a used personal item. I even purchased additional insurance through them. This doesn't sound right, anyone had similar experience and know how I can get my $$$?

Thanks in advance, and be careful.

Shawn

The fact that they took you money for the insurance states that they must pay on the claim. You have done your part in good faith and followed their guidelines (i.e. shipping and packaging requirements). If you were not informed by UPS of the "loop hole", they cannot use this as a defense. I would call another UPS agent and try to get the issue resolved. Sometimes a letter from an attorney results in some action.

UPS sucks. They have damaged items I have sent and then refused to pay because of "improper packing." Call the customer service number and ask to speak to a supervisor. If it's insured and they lost it, they have to pay. But they always deny the claim the first time. They will make you document the actual worth of the item; if you insured it for $1000 you will have to show them that it will cost you $1000 to replace it. Their rules may be different for international shipping, but I'll tell you what ... I wouldn't ship a turd with them anymore.

Vic
88 Carrera

I agree with you UPS does suck.

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Grant 75 911s targa

I had a $1500 pair of seats show up from UPS like this...fortunately they were not damaged but I was quite pissed. The seller did not pack them as well as he could have, but they were obviously 'manhandled' inappropriately by UPS. They are my third or fourth-choice shipper.

Knowing what I know about the shipping industry, I would not send anything of importance without insuring it. I had a friend that worked for UPS, and another that worked for Fed Ex. The way they load the trucks is incredible to think they do it that way. What they do is build half of a wall about in the middle of the truck. Then, they start heaving packages over the wall. After they "fill" the truck like that, they pack the rest of the truck like they should. They do this to save time and hope that they don't totally mess up a package or if they do it is not insured.

Oh, and Fed Ex sometimes uses UPS to ship some of their packages.

What is a good company to use then?? Or just get lucky?

Shawn

Stick to your guns...I have been through this several times -- from lost packages to damaged ones.

Skip the front line BS and get a supervisor. Also keep a log of every single conersation and correspondance you have with them. Get a direct number for the supervisor and keep calling the same person until you have resolved the issue. You may still receive the package, I had one misplaced at a distribution center for a month. When it arrived it was trashed. In the case of a damaged package, take a lot of pictures (both packaging and arrival condition), have a receipt available to prove purchase price and value of contents. The people they send to investigate the condition of your package will automatically claim that the package was not suficient and will question the value of the contents (especially if it was used)...this is also BS, don't fall for this line of crap.

I have had UPS pay the insured value on all of my claims. It will take some time, agravation and a lot of calls, but eventually, they will give in.

Good luck
David

I worked for UPS about 10 years ago. They SUCK!!! No one I worked with cared about the handeling of the package. It was not uncommon for packages to be intentionally damaged. Formen stand over you and require you to move 1 package every second!! As for their workers, they recrute used up want-to-be sportos for their strength. When they break, they throw them away - no retirement, no investment in the person. I ask you, when is the last time you have seen a UPS person of retiring age. Never. That's because they break the workers before they can retire. Personally, I never send UPS. Go with their competitors simply because they have something to prove since the public's conception of them is "below" UPS.
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Paul
78SC Targa

Personally I have had such bad luck with UPS that it affects what companies I mail order stuff from. I try to avoid companies that don't offer FedEx (yeah, typically more expensive) or the USPS (granted, typically slower) as an option. Many of them have other options if you just ask.

Another twist on UPS trying to get out of paying up on claims is that "the package was dropped off at a local packaging supply store, not an actual UPS counter, and UPS has no control over what the clerk said the insurance covered or didn't cover."

Good luck getting your money!

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Regina

As a buyer I always remind my vendors to never use UPS. In the past ten years I have had one or two issues with FEDEX and they have come through in the end, with either the product or the refund of material cost. I cannot say so much for any other express carrier except AIT Freight in Chicago (a point to point worldwide freight forwarder, if you have the money).

Follow up with a supervisor on the insurance and demand to see in writing where they will not pay for "previously used" items. Everything has a value, a 100 year old antique could possibly be worth more than a one day old replica. And no matter who you ship by, make sure it is packaged correctly. Even I can break something if it is not properly prepared (darned bolts). I wish you the best of luck, I've been there too often,

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David
'83 SC

FYI, FedEx has a new service called "FedEx Ground" which is cost competitiive with UPS. It also SUCKS!! I am too tired and weary right now to recount my bad experiences with FedEx Ground, but trust me, they're the worst.

FedEx Express (the one we all know and love) is still good but expensive and not always necessary.

I also recently had a bad experience with the new FedEx Ground. What makes it worse is the service is so new and undeveloped that tracking #'s and customer service are ineffective.

Nick.

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Nick Shumaker
1982 911SC Coupe
nickshu@yahoo.com
PCA -- Rocky Mtn. Region

I just received a couple of Porsche books that I ordered from Amazon.com; shipped via UPS. I thought my order got lost because it took so long. When the package did arrive it looked like it had been passed through a meat grinder. There was more tape holding the box together than there was cardboard. Fortunatley the books were in excellent condition; thanks to Amazon's packaging, not UPS's handling.

Don't get me started! A few years back (too many to count) I ordered a cue stick for a good friend from a man named Richard Black (good friend). Richard's cues are very high dollar. He ships them in a triangular box (hard to stack stuff on top of that and hard to break). It was sent priority mail insured. Well it arrived and we anticipated the grand unveiling only to find the butt of the cue broken in half. Went to the local post office to make a claim. When we told them the value of the cue (at that time close to a grand) the postal worker thought we were kidding and told us that no cue could be worth that much. Actually had to produce both brochure and sales receipt. They did finally pay but because Richard's cues are custom tailored and hand made my friend had to wait another three months to get a replacement. Only thing safe to ship is a set of steel ben wa balls but they may lose the box!!!!!

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Howie
79SC

I use Airborne Express primarily because my company uses them and I get a good discount.

For smaller stuff when ordering from Pelican I use the US Postal Service which always arrives in 2 days usually for under $5 shipping and handling - can't beat that.

On the occasion I needed a fender I used the Greyhound bus service. It's economic, you can get the shipping costs calulated on their website (although it cost me less) and it arrived in good condition. Of course you do have to go to the bus station to pick it up.

My 2 cents.

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Allan Broadribb
'70-911E, 2.2l with Webers

I sent something the other day by USPS. It cost $4.00 priority mail to ship it. I then asked to insure the package for $500, and how much more that would cost. The clerk at the post office gave me a total of $11.00. They must not be too confident in their shipping practices if it costs more to insure a package than it coast to send it.
I guess it's all about crossing your fingers and hoping you don't get employees that are having a bad day.


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Dan Tolley
1987 911 Coupe
http://www.cheaterswayside.com/911/gallery.asp?sort=0&userid=294

UPS lost a package or ours and we made a claim. Now they refuse to leave any packages on our door step or even at a neighbors with an adult signature. We later proved the package wasn't delivered and someone way up the street found it and returned it to UPS. They never attempted to re-deliver the lost package to us. Our wedding invitations!!

Check the Excellence June issue classified section for the magazine's problems with UPS.

Well UPS has lost me as a customer and by the sounds of it many others too. I guess they rely mostly on first time senders. Thanks all for your input, Its good in a way to know your not the only one.

I am still fighting them on the money IF they don't find it by this weekend.

Shawn