Polk packaging, part 2
jcaut
Posts: 1,849
Well I did it again. I ordered a pair of RT55i's from Crutchfield, and received them a few minutes ago, damaged.
For those that don't remember, I had trouble getting an undamaged pair of RT800i's about a month ago. Details, and an update are in an old thread, if it's still here.
The 55's aren't in as bad a shape as the 800's were. One of them has dented and cracked veneer on the upper corner of one side, like it encountered something hard and the packaging failed to protect it.
If the condition of the box is any indicator of the type of handling it received in transit, then I'm surprised they aren't sawdust. If I had a digital camera, I'd post pictures.
IMO, these things just aren't packaged to withstand the type of handling they receive in transit. It's very frustrating. I really like the speakers, but it's rather disappointing and frustrating opening the box and finding damage two (actually, three) times in a row.
Crutchfield is supposed to send me another pair overnight. Hopefully this time they won't spray that expanding foam stuff down the front of the speakers and dent in the tweeter domes like they did on the second pair of RT800i's.
For those that don't remember, I had trouble getting an undamaged pair of RT800i's about a month ago. Details, and an update are in an old thread, if it's still here.
The 55's aren't in as bad a shape as the 800's were. One of them has dented and cracked veneer on the upper corner of one side, like it encountered something hard and the packaging failed to protect it.
If the condition of the box is any indicator of the type of handling it received in transit, then I'm surprised they aren't sawdust. If I had a digital camera, I'd post pictures.
IMO, these things just aren't packaged to withstand the type of handling they receive in transit. It's very frustrating. I really like the speakers, but it's rather disappointing and frustrating opening the box and finding damage two (actually, three) times in a row.
Crutchfield is supposed to send me another pair overnight. Hopefully this time they won't spray that expanding foam stuff down the front of the speakers and dent in the tweeter domes like they did on the second pair of RT800i's.
Post edited by RyanC_Masimo on
Comments
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why don't you drive a little to buy them from circuit city or audio store? when i bought my 2.3's i drove from here in indiana down to georgia to pick them up. if they were going to get damaged then i was the one doing it,not some transit company who does not give a flying f**k about the package.
scott:cool: -
these kinda things made me think twice before ordering the speakers via mail order, may have to run to local CC to get
them and pay the add'l state taxes... Calee, look like you can't trust any shipping carriers anymore...damm, life is suck...:mad: -
Sheesh, jcaut, that's a heinous story! I hope you get undamaged speakers!
I will make sure that the packaging guys see this thread.
MC -
In my case, I've ordered a pair of RT800's, a CS400, and 2 PSW150's and have never had a problem (knock on wood). I guess there aren't any Ace Ventura UPS guys on my route.
Aaron -
Yeah, Ace Ventura. I took this thread to the packaging guys, and they said that while we do everything we can to pack stuff safely, it's never invulnerable to extreme handling. A lot of times it really is one lone violent UPS guy who does a lot of damage. I wonder if it's possible, jcaut, to actually catch your route delivery guy and ask him to please oversee the delivery a little more carefully? Say, "Hey, listen, the last couple of deliveries have been really damaged. I'm expecting replacements; could you watch for them and see that they come undamaged?" Of course, then they spit in your soup. But it might be worth a try.
MC -
Until the shipping carriers have some source of better handling package policy to enforce their employees, no matter of how great you pack your products, it may not do any good, yes, I believe each coin has two sides, but in this case, the same **** happened to the same guy twice...(the coin has tail on both )
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Well, I would have gone to CircuitCity to get them, as there is a store about 50 miles away, but they only have the black finish for $199 each, and I want cherry. There's no other dealers I know of closer than about 2 hours away, and it's inconvenient for me to have to go that far, and pay more. I guess that's what I'll do next time, however.
Micah,
Specifically, about the packaging: The RT55i's come boxed as a pair, individually wrapped in plastic, with a cardboard "end cap" on the top and bottom. A piece of corrugated cardboard about an inch thick, is "attached" (but not really attached) to each end cap, and fits between the two speakers at the top and bottom.
Problem: With some "handling" the box flexes, the cardboard inserts that are supposed to seperate the speakers come loose from the endcap and fall to whichever end happens to be down. Now the speakers have an additional inch or so to move around in the box, and bang together etc. That appears to be what happened to my RT55's and in a slightly different manner, my RT800's.
The solution: Use styrofoam! I understand about cardboard being environmentally friendly, and all that, but you'll never convince me that it protects as well as styrofoam. It's just not resilient.
That's just the way I see it. -
Or the Shipper, ie Crutchfield, could double box them. THAT would solve alot of problems...
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Agreed. I thought they still did that, but they don't. At least not large items. I asked them if they could, but they say they don't have any boxes big enough. I could see maybe on the RT800-size speakers, but the 55's aren't THAT big.
I bought some Advent Legacy's (33x14.5x11) from them several years ago, and they were double-boxed.
I guess they're just trying to save on shipping costs. For what it costs them to overnight me a few 80 pound packages at no charge, though, I bet they could buy several big cardboard boxes and some packing peanuts. I wonder if they pass the re-shipping charges on to the carrier's insurance, as part of the original loss? -
You know, I'm a HUGE fan of the cardboard packing we use. But, I think that since we started using it we have had some second thoughts about it. Last night we unpacked some new LSi speakers to check 'em out (dudes, these things are cool!) and they were packed in styrofoam. So I am thinking that maybe we have stopped using the corrogated packing.
I liked the cardboard stuff because I thought that not only was it environmentally better (altho I think we failed to exploit this angle), but it seemed, on the boxes I used and saw, to be a more secure pack for the speakers. But, maybe that's not the case in the field.
Anyhoo, styrofoam is back, folks. Get the landfills ready!
And, BTW, I'm definitely not a tree-hugger. I don't litter, and I always cut my 6-pack holders so ducks don't die on them, but I do not recycle and I'm all for choking the landfills with tons of deadly styrofoam. The sooner we fill the world with garbage, the sooner we're off this steenking planet. No fooling. The world is my ashtray. (Even tho I don't smoke, you know what I mean.)
MC -
I know all of the on-line or mail order dealers paid at least 60% off of the standard shipping rates, so I dont think they try to cut the corner on this to save some pennies, especially, when **** hit the fan, they have to spend a lot more to fix the problem.
I believe the warehouses employee did not handle and enforce their shipping policy up to standards, they assume that the original packing from the manufacturers are good enough for shipping, so they ship them "as is" ...at the same time, their sale people promised you to double boxes all merchandises to ship to you (and they have no control of what the warehouse's people will do), since every package they shipped out is insured, they will be reimbursed from the shipping carrier for the loss costs, that why, nobody really concern about these issues so far
I hope all of the dealers track these issues on their databases and come up with some better solutions in the near future, as the meantime, we, as the consumer, just have to suffer the consequences and taking chances as the risks occurred BTW who paid for the shipping and insurance costs ? we did... -
Aren't there several biodegradable styrofoam substitutes?
Sorry if y'all (yeah, I'm from Arkansas) thought I was ranting. I just felt incredibly unlucky to have essentially the same thing happen to me twice. I feel better this morning. If Micah could just ship me a pair of (styrofoam-packed) LSi's to "check out" I'd feel a lot better! Thanks for the opinions and information.
--Jason -
If Micah could just ship me a pair of (styrofoam-packed) LSi's
LOL. That'll happen.
I gotta go home and listen to mine! Hoo-HA!
Have a weekend, yo!
MC -
Hi Micah,
Are there any pictures of the LSi speakers out there yet? When can we buy the LSi speakers? -
I'm not trying to speak for Micah, since you addressed this to him, but this was discussed a while back and here's what I know:
There were pictures of the LSi's in the August 2001 issue of Home Theater Magazine, though I have not seen them.
Last word on when they would be available was October or November. -
Jcault, thanks for the info.
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check out the Widescreen magazine, Aug issue also...
