Another Shipping Nightmare

Early B.

Background -- the last three speakers I've ordered were damaged via shipping.

OK, so I shipped my Bugg bookshelf speakers. I packed them very heavily with bubble wrap and shipped them via FedEx from GA to TX. The seller e-mails me today and commends me on the great packing job, but the plastic tie on one of the big inductors on a crossover breaks loose, and the inductor was flopping around like a co-ed's titty in a wet t-shirt. The inductor damaged the wiring and another component on the crossover. There was no external damage. WTF???

Even though the item was insured, it's highly unlikely that FedEx will pay for the damage because the outer box looks OK, and we can't prove that the damage was not already there before it was shipped.

So -- if you're gonna buy or ship speakers, here's a few tips:

For sellers:

1. Consider including in your price a few extra bucks for shipping and allow the shipper to pack them, or purchase better packing materials.

2. Always double box. Do not rely exclusively on the manufacturer's box and packing materials (it's usually insufficient because their speakers are often shipped in bulk, not individually.)

3. Pack the speakers using twice as much packing material as you think is necessary.

4. Don't count on insurance to bail you out. It's a rip-off anyway.

5. Handle the speakers as little as possible. Call the shipper to come and pick them up.

6. Don't bother putting "Fragile" stickers on your boxes. All boxes are handled the same way -- they are dropped from conveyor belts.

7. Protect the corners of the speakers as much as possible. That's where most of the damage occurs.

8. Packing peanuts are the devil's maggots. Use styrofoam instead. Make sure the item is totally immovable when packed.


For buyers:

1. Always look for local sales first.

2. Don't assume all of the risk. Tell the seller that you've had bad luck with receiving speakers and get a verbal commitment, if possible, that the seller will assume responsibility for damaged speakers. In other words, you should have the option to get a refund.

3. Insist on providing instructions to the seller on how the speakers should be packed and sent to you BEFORE you purchase them.

4. Be thankful if you receive speakers that aren't damaged.

5. Arrange to have them shipped by any other company except UPS and FedEx. (is freight a better option?)


Please post other ideas or suggestions.

Polkersince85

Sorry for the results. I've had good response out of Greyhound. From what I have seen, they appear to handle most items by hand. Shipping can take a little longer due to wait overs and transfers but it depends on the location of stations. They call you when it gets to the station and you go pick it up. Good airride suspensions not air turbulence and conveyors.

Early B.

Hmmm. Greyhound, huh? I like the idea of picking them up personally.

What is the difference in price?

dorokusai

I usually don't ship speakers but when I do...I always use edge protection that I gather from work. It's usually called V-Board and easily trimmed to fit pieces. Check out any local business that you see shipping pallets...and not just one or two pallets, as they are typically receiving power strapped pallets.

Large scale shipping businesses have these really cool machines that automatically stretch wrap and strap the product to the pallet. It's neat, but watch your fingers.

They work great, just a thought.

F1nut

(is freight a better option?)

If strapped to a pallet, yes.

Demiurge

Early B. wrote:

5. Arrange to have them shipped by any other company except UPS and FedEx. (is freight a better option?)


Please post other ideas or suggestions.

Always, if you have a loading dock at work or something. If not, I'd stay away. This is becomes standard trucks don't have a lift gate which LTL carriers charge you through the nose for. You'll also get charged for Residential delivery and a phone call if you're not going to be around all day.

I always try to go this route when I can get people to take the stuff to FedEx Freight, ABF, or Roadway and let them palletize it. It's the best way to not make sure your stuff gets damaged, but even then it does happen.

Early B.

What is the difference in shipping cost for freight vs. regular UPS/FedEx?

criverajr

I have heard the horror stories and have kinda of backed out of shipping speakers period, to many chances for damage and not enough reward.

Carlos

faster100

unless you have a business account, frieght can be ALOT more then ups and fed ex and makes it cost prohibitive to buyers if you insist on that type shipping.. although i don't blame ya.. out of all the speakers ive sold and shipped on e-bay and packed well, atleast 50% and more like 70% were damaged some how.. weather very minor all the way to totally destroyed when i had ups store pack some speakers i bought from the flea market and re-sold.. several years ago.. I'm glad i picked up most of my lsi's in person.. I think small bookshelf and center speakers are no problem, towers and bigger are a nightmare toss up

Demiurge

Early B. wrote:

What is the difference in shipping cost for freight vs. regular UPS/FedEx?

Well, like I said it varies. I get about a 65% discount from all of the major LTL carriers because of the business and volume. If the person shipping to you gets any kind of a discount and they prepay the freight it gets passed on to you. If you both have an account they give you the lesser of the two discounts. Therefore, if I am the shipper and get a 65% discount, and you only get a 45% discount -- the 45% price is what you pay.

Shipping costs via LTL are always changing. The general rule is that LTL is more expensive. Then again you're not likely to have any damage.

I wouldn't do it if I didn't have a loading dock to unload the freight.

George Grand

Bubble wrap is essentially worthless as packing. It is okay if it is only one of MANY different types used at the same time, but bubble wrap alone? Worthless.

Demiurge

George Grand wrote:

Bubble wrap is essentially worthless as packing. It is okay if it is only one of MANY different types used at the same time, but bubble wrap alone? Worthless.

Yepper.

The truth is that they throw these things around. The also get put under immense pressure from multiple packages slamming into them on the conveyors. 9/10 it's not the person shipping that's the problem, but the shipping companies themselves that don't take much care. Then again care costs more money, so I guess you're just always taking a gamble.

At least when stuff is on a pallet larger than the items themselves you just have to worry about someone sticking them with forks or stacking them improperly. Less likely for damage there.

I worked part time in a cold warehouse for Kreilkamp Trucking in Allenton for a couple years. I stabbed the hell out of a number of pallets of Organic Chocolate Milk on more than one occasion. Talk about a mess.

Early B.

OK, let's go down the list --

balled up newspaper -- sucks
packing peanuts -- sucks
bubble wrap -- sucks
manufacturer's packing -- sucks
lining the box with kryptonite so Superman couldn't even break the contents -- sucks

Hell, what's left?

If speakers were professionally packed, how would the experts do it?

faster100

Early B. wrote:

OK, let's go down the list --


If speakers were professionally packed, how would the experts do it?

like **** also, ive gone that route.. one time. to try and see if they were better than I

TroyD

faster100 wrote:

out of all the speakers ive sold and shipped on e-bay and packed well, atleast 50% and more like 70% were damaged some how..

Cliff, man, I love ya babe but you got to quit lobbing up these softballs......


BDT

polkatese

luck? I am thinking, even if you shipped something like an amp/receiver/dvd player, etc, there is no guarantee that it won't get thrown around, so internal damage is not something that you can prevent against, with abosolute certainty. Perhaps, no-question-ask type of insurance?

faster100

and all to the fault of fed ex thank you.. look at my feedback, and go screw off.. unlike you and others agon feedback, all members feedbacks thrown back and forth :rolleyes:

George Grand

Several different types of foams will do the trick Early B. Combinations of high and low density. The high density protects the item itself, and the low density lets the item "spring" or "bounce" within the carton ever so slightly if the package is dropped from altitude. Not doing this is how you can sustain damage to the item, but not the outer container, as you just did.

I wrap an item in a couple layers of STRONG bubble wrap, not the cheesy ****. Then I put a layer of dense foam RUBBER foam around the inside of the shipping carton. Then a layer of low density foam after that, and if there is still room, another layer of dense around the bubble wrap. It works, and I'm outta here.

VR3

Ive yet to receive/send one bad shipment...

Sorry to hear of the woes

I'm probally well into the... 30 packages range...

I pack my stuff to the extreme...sometimes a goofy, non professional extreme...

TroyD

faster100 wrote:

and all to the fault of fed ex thank you.. look at my feedback, and go screw off.. unlike you and others agon feedback, all members feedbacks thrown back and forth :rolleyes:

Cliff,

If half or more of your speakers are getting jacked up intransit....they aren't packed well enough. Period.

Then the bright side is that the buyer, through no fault of his own, gets to wait until you settle the claim.

ohskigod

like Jonny Storm says.............."FLAME ON!!!!!"

Early B.

George Grand wrote:

I wrap an item in a couple layers of STRONG bubble wrap, not the cheesy ****. Then I put a layer of dense foam RUBBER foam around the inside of the shipping carton. Then a layer of low density foam after that, and if there is still room, another layer of dense around the bubble wrap. It works, and I'm outta here.

Where do you buy dense rubber foam from? How much does it cost?

TroyD

ohskigod wrote:

like Jonny Storm says.............."FLAME ON!!!!!"

Well, it's a ridiculous statement. If you did a survey of all the large speakers or similar items that fedex ships.....the damage rate couldn't be even CLOSE to 50%. The only possible explanation can be shoddy packing.

Now, if half my stuff is getting jacked up intransit, anyone with an ounce of sense is either going to not ship or upgrade the packaging. There is no option #3.

BDT

faster100

TroyD wrote:

Cliff,

If half or more of your speakers are getting jacked up intransit....they aren't packed well enough. Period.

Then the bright side is that the buyer, through no fault of his own, gets to wait until you settle the claim.

actually troy, I said speaker shipments.. Not other items.. as i have never had a damaged item except speakers and on a few occasions in the past it was most likely part my fault.. I can admit it and learn from it.. My e-bay feedback in almost every comment is great packing, or fast safe shipping.. Ive made mistakes and try and do better next time..

so for the record out of the maybe 10 -15 sets of speakers ive sold and shipped 50% or better had a ding, or were totally ruined on one instance..

George Grand

Early B.,

I am very fortunate as far as packing materials go. Airplane parts get shipped with incredible amounts of packing material around them. I just go to the warehouse here at the air base. All the guys know me, and I don't go overseas without offering to pick them up their favorite German or whatever type brewskis. They always pay up, and I get the freee packing stuff.

I don't ship large speakers or turntables. Too much risk on the tables, and too hard to find adequate cartons for the speakers.

Polkersince85

Just a tip, revenge is sweet, get the large fedex (free) envelopes from the box and stuff it with shredded paper. makes nice pillows.

nadams

I once had something shipped to me that had some extremely thick bubble wrap used to pack. That stuff was awesome. You couldn't pop it by hand, because each bubble was connected to the adjacent bubble by a little passage, so the air could move around. I forget what I packed with it, but it was something heavy, and arrived safe and sound.

Regular bubble wrap sucks, though, and I'm sure that this stuff was mucho expensivo.

George Grand

Betcha a nice sharp amp heat sink fin would pop that bubble wrap in a New York minute. Bubble wrap alone is no good. If you had a good experience, you got lucky.

sucks2beme

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote:

Ive yet to receive/send one bad shipment...

Sorry to hear of the woes

I'm probally well into the... 30 packages range...

I pack my stuff to the extreme...sometimes a goofy, non professional extreme...

I can testify to that!!! Your package got to me just fine.:D

VR3

Hmm..

Was yours the REALLY goofy one? The NAD or Adcom?

ohskigod

Me, I just use the material people use to ship things to me. I figure if I get a piece of gear and it arrives in one piece, then the packer must have done something right. me buying so much used gear allows me to do this.

I'm sure packing material Russman used to send stuff to me went right back to him.

I like peanuts too, but only if I am shipping a piece in a very oversized box. I'll wrap the item in bubblewrap, thena small box around it, then that box in a very oversized box.........like snickers, its PACKED WITH PEANUTS

eh, so far so good. I havent had any problems, and I have only shipped UPS so far.