Polk packaging

jcaut

I live in rural Arkansas, so I've got to drive about an hour and half to get to any audio equipment dealers, except Radio Shack. I end up ordering most of my stuff from Crutchfield because it's convenient and I've never had a problem with their service, even though I realize that their prices usually can be beat. Anyway, I ordered a pair of RT800i's and received them today.

Crutchfield used to double-box even large speakers, but I guess they don't anymore. Mine arrived looking like they had been dropped, kicked, walked on, etc. One of the speakers had styrofoam inserts at the top and bottom of the speaker, and the other one had cardboard. The one that was packed in cardboard was in the box that looked most intact, but it had apparently been dropped on its back hard enough that it knocked the tweeter and one of the woofers completely out of the bezel. They were clunking around inside the enclosure!

Crutchfield is going to Fed-Ex me some more overnight, and hopefully they'll be in better shape.

Now obviously, I blame UPS for the rough handling, but that's really nothing new. I let Crutchfield know that some of us actually like to keep the manufacturer's boxes--- I mean, these, (one of them especially) were destroyed--- and that I really would appreciate the double-boxing.

I was wondering if Polk needs to consider beefing-up the packaging a little. Also, have they switched to/from styrofoam to/from cardboard? Anybody else have something like this happen?

RuSsMaN

Just got some R10's I ordered, came with 'cardboard' inserts. No damage though, everything was nice and snug in the box....

Cheers,
Russ

wangotango68

when i had my rt2000 last year i recieved them by fright truck and had no problem with them. you all that have them know how much they weigh. and with ups i have never had a problem with
anything i have recieved from them.

scott:cool:

Micah Cohen

I'm passing this thread along to the packaging design team, just so you know.

MC

jcaut

Thanks, Micah. The packaging is probably sufficient to get the speakers to the distributors. I didn't mean that as a complaint, just a comment. Those long tower speakers, though, look like they're just asking to be knocked over. I think anybody that's going to ship them to the consumer ought to double-box them.

BTW, I just found out that Crutchfield didn't get my replacements sent out yesterday, and that they'll probably go out "Monday or Tuesday". That's not the level of service that I've come to expect from them. It's going to end up taking a week and a half to get a working pair of speakers. That may be the last straw. :mad:

ariadne

Yes, the packages that DO get to you are intact.

I have just been informed that a Sony receiver I sent to my friend in Kansas, has dropped off the face of the earth. This is the second time, only this time it was insured "for $400". I bought it for $30 at a thrift shop. Now UPS is giving me hoards of BS about giving me my insurance. One of which is waiting for an obnoxiously long time to see if it "turns up". **** **** holes.

sgtgto

Hi:

The best place to go if you have a problem with anyone is the Better Business Bureau on the web. FedEx destroyed a set of Cerwin Vegas and stands, I sold a year ago, and when I went to the BB on line I had my money in about a month. I also used them when I had a problem with Creative Labs a few years back.

Try it, it works.

Gary

polkster13

Has Polk switched from styrofoam to cardboard because it is more environmentally friendly? If the cardboard holds up as well as the styrofoam, then I applaud Polk for being environmentally sensative.

Micah Cohen

Yes, the switch to cardboard inserts was not only to be more environmentally friendly (we ourselves reuse and recycle the packing material, especially in the factory where stuff is packed and repacked for trips around the facility), but also because in tests it stood up to punishment better than the styrofoam landfill-filler. BTW, the packaging guy should be in today to see the printout of this thread I left on his desk last week.

MC

TroyD

I like it much better than the styrofoam....I think it is more durable, plus the styrofoam leave a white residue an things if you don't wrap them before storing them.

Troy

mark g. nelson

I ordered a PSW1200 from crutchfield last year and the first 2 were sent UPS. They were both sawdust when I got them. The third was sent freight and it was fine. I took 7 weeks to clear up all the returns and credit card mistakes.
My advise is to have all large speakers delivered feight even if it takes longer. The fast shipping is not worth the possible hassle.

TurboSN95

I hear ya!! I just ordered my RM7500 setup with a PSW650 sub, the sub came and the box was opened on the bottom, the styrofoam (spelling??) was cracked up, and the sub actually had internal problems.. Crutchfield willingly took it back, the 2nd sub got sent out and that box was a little screwed up, but the sub is ok. Never had a problem with UPS, but maybe my sub's box was so heavy and large that it tends to get screwed up..
Dan

jcaut

Just to update anybody that cares:
I got the replacement set of RT800s, and they had indeed used additional packing material. The problem this time was that they opened the box and sprayed that expanding foam stuff (inside a plastic wrap) around the speaker and around the factory end supports (that were styrofoam this time). They shipped them overnight FedEx and when they arrived, the boxes were in fine shape. However, upon opening them, I saw that the added foam had pushed on, and dented in the dome of the tweeters on both speakers. At this point, I'm wishing I'd just bought them at Circut City. One of them was worse than the other, as the dome on one popped back out on its own, after a while, but the other didn't.

I kept the undamaged speaker from the first set and the best one of the second set and hooked them up. I was impressed with the sound quality, and decided that I'd like to keep the speakers. I hated to send them back and try again, so I contacted Polk to see if they thought the tweeter was damaged enough to warrant replacing. (Even though the dome popped back out, I could still see the crease where it dented in).

I got in touch with Ken Swauger, who was extremely courteous and helpful. While he felt that there was "probably nothing wrong" with the tweeter, he said that he'd ship me a replacement right away. That kind of customer service is one of the reasons I continue to buy Polk speakers.

Thanks again, Ken, if you see this.
Jason

P.S. On the styrofoam vs. cardboard, I'd have to say that it appears to me that the styrofoam offers better protection than the cardboard inserts that I saw. I'm all for being environmentally friendly, though. Maybe a little larger cardboard inserts would offer adequate protection.