Scoobysteven
Yorba Linda,#2Consumer Suggestion
Tue, November 20, 2012
I've had this happen to me, twice, and while they initially deny ALL insurance claims, they quickly changed positions and paid both of mine. They always use the same excuse for denial, "your packaging does not comply with our accepted packaging standards, blablabla". It is all BS, and has been since they began outsourcing their insurance and claims process. They know, I know it, we all know it.
Here is the solution:
Once you receive their BS decision, call them up and request paperwork to file an appeal. Tone and attitude are everything. In a joking attitude, mention how they always deny claims by default. Joke about how they denied your last claim, even when the shipped item was returned to you with boot prints staining the box. Ask them if they can just expedite the appeal process, and ask them to send you a letter indicating your appeal was denied(in advance).
Joke how you always knew their claims policy would lead to meeting them in court, and are eager to meet them in small claims court, but you really just need them to help expedite their BS administrate process. Mention how funny it will be seeing one of their 6 figure salary C-level executives in court to challenge their illegal, in-enforceable claims process that nobody has ever won. I actually won a $100 bet with a co-worker last time UPS denied my claim. They always pay ME. I even made them repay shipping cost, but it all comes down to tone and attitude. I do expect, one day, that I'll have to make good on my threat to sue them, but for now, they have always paid.
seeworthy
Madison,#3Consumer Comment
Tue, November 20, 2012
Pillows and a blanket. I've owned a shipping facility for 11 years that utilizes all major carriers, and I've never seen that done before (though I've seen some pretty strange stuff...). I can accurately state one fact regarding this sort of packing. If any professional packaging business packed like that, they would soon be out of business as the claim ratio would be through the roof.
Blankets/clothing shift. Pillows, even memory foam, have very little compression strength. The weight of the printer would have prevented 2-3 inches of protective distance between the unit and the sides of the box. This packaging alone inevitably left voids within the box, further allowing shifting and greatly reducing the strength of the corrugate. (The rating, printed on the bottom of the box, was not listed here. All carriers requires a minimum rating of 200ECT.) Rather than pillows, inexpensive shipping peanuts would have significantly improved the packaging integrity. Perhaps the logic of using pillows was that the pillows could also be used to sleep on later, where as the peanuts would have to be stored or tossed. If so, unfortunately, that would have been an inadequately irrational decision.
And I am confused about one detail. The complaint states, "4 comfy shock adsorbent pillows at Walmart to cover the 4 major sides." Most boxes that I have seen have six sides, not four. In the photo, the four pillows are 'fluffed' into the four smaller sides. Disregarding the ommitted critical corner padding, what was used for the 2-3" of padding on the two additional larger surfaces?
If you want to ship with FedEx, that's cool. Perhaps, however, you should do what you still haven't done with the UPS website information: Go to Fedex.com and read about packaging guidelines. You'll learn that the packaging for shipping used here is grossly inadequate and would also void all damage claims with FedEx.