Shipped to NY
I shipped a DAW using Fedex to a client in New York. It was packed very well, in it’s original box with peanuts surrounding it. When my client received the box, it was laying on it’s side (no big deal by itself).
When he tried to boot the computer up, nothing. He opened up the machine & it was completely bent up inside: disks dislodged, graphics card dislodged, power supply fan not functional, DVD Writer sheared off it’s tab, etc., etc.
The computer was insured for $1,100. It will be interesting to see how the claims process goes with Fedex - it will be the first time.
I’ll keep you posted.
Sounds like it went UPS. 
You’ve got that one right! UPS destroyed a vintage amp I had sold & I don’t use them anymore either.
Someone mentioned using some shipping company called DSL (or something like that)?
Toker,
DHL (formerly airborne express).
I use them for all of my overseas stuff. No problems yet…but I haven’t shipped anything fragile with them yet. 
They seem a touch expensive for overseas stuff, I’ve never used them domesticly.
Peace,
-Ed
Fedex indicated that I’ll get the damaged machine back. I’ll probably fix it & offer it at greatly reduced price (1/2 off or something like that). If anyone is interested, let me now.
It’s my Recommended Config. w/ - see (but an extra 120 GB drive instead of a 80 GB drive).
MikeCustom DAW
Can’t tell ya about DHL U.S. but DHL germany (formerly german postal service) always delivered reliable.
Update - fedex is NOT going to honor the claim for my client (the bstrds). They say that:
- the computer should be able to within a 3 foot drop (which it would do but it was definitely dropped from more than that distance).
- the box should show visible damage. I explained to Fedex that this isn’t necessarily so. Plus, on their claim form they have a category for concealed damage - I guess they don’t acknowledge that.
This is going to be a big hassle. I may have to take Fedex to small claims court.
Final update. The computer came back with noticable damage to the box (I guess their inspectors have bad eyes). The computer had been dropped on it’s back, and the little box that contained the CDs, manuals, etc., (that I packed inside the computer box) got pushed into the back of the computer to the point where the whole back of the computer was indented, i.e., the video card was dislodged.
Anyways, the motherboard wouldn’t boot into the BIOS even though it showed no signs of damage.
After talking to Fedex numerous time, they agreed to replace broken parts. I replaced the Antec case & Asus mobo & put everything together and it all worked.
So I submitted a final claim to Fedex containing both the caes & the mobo. They sent me a check for the mobo. I called & emailed them again, and explained that they left off the case. So then I received a check for about $100 more than the cost of the case that I submitted (I have no idea where they got this figure from). Needless to say, I didn’t contact them to indicate their mistake.
So I mailed the computer back off to my client, double-boxed. It arrived safe & sound and my client is very happy, after waiting 1 1/2 months for his DAW. He says he’s going to order another one from me, so I guess he can’t be too pissed.
So I’ve now got a bent up Antec Sonata case & a broken mobo. If anyone wants the case, I’ll sell it $20 plus shipping. It’s bent but I think it’s work OK & can be re-bent.
Mike
Needless to say, I didn't contact them to indicate their mistake.
They made a mistake. Your lack of pointing it out is dishonest.
They made a mistake. Your lack of pointing it out is dishonest.
They made a mistake. Your lack of pointing it out is dishonest.
Now phoo - I can't tell you your intent here but I'll say that if I felt good about Fedex I would contact them & let them know about their mistake. However, you don't understand all the hassle/stress/emails/phone calls I had to go through to get the claim I did get. And all the work I did to fix the computer wasn't re-imbursed. So in my way of looking at the world, they screwed up (bad karma) & their error was my gain (good karma).
So please don't lecture to me about honesty - thanks.
I once found a $100 bill lying on the street during Xmas rush hour in a small town in Maine. I debated what to do with it but I ended up taking it to the police. Everyone I knew said I was stupid doing that. No-one claimed the money & I ended up getting it in the end (nice present).
Now phoo - I can't tell you your intent here but I'll say that if I felt good about Fedex I would contact them & let them know about their mistake. However, you don't understand all the hassle/stress/emails/phone calls I had to go through to get the claim I did get. And all the work I did to fix the computer wasn't re-imbursed. So in my way of looking at the world, they screwed up (bad karma) & their error was my gain (good karma).
So please don't lecture to me about honesty - thanks.
I once found a $100 bill lying on the street during Xmas rush hour in a small town in Maine. I debated what to do with it but I ended up taking it to the police. Everyone I knew said I was stupid doing that. No-one claimed the money & I ended up getting it in the end (nice present).
Everyone I knew said I was stupid doing that.
Then you have basically dishonest friends, though it's normal to feel that way...but none of them was the owner of the lost $100. Of course, you didn't know who the owner was and if one of your friends were to say they lost it, and you knew that it was likely for them to have lost it, then I suspect you would have given it to them.
I'm not lecturing you about dishonesty. I'm simply pointing out that for someone to keep money that they know is not rightfully theirs and they know who the rightful owner is may be performing a morally wrong and, maybe, illegal act. $100 is small change by some standards, but it's similar to when the bank incorrectly deposits money to someone's account and that someone spends it knowing fully that that didn't deposit it. That is illegal.
My intent is the moral implications of knowing that they didn't owe you the money yet you kept it anyway. Hassles not withstanding, if they wanted to give you a little extra for your troubles then they should have told you. I seriously doubt that was the intent, though it's not unreasonable for you to feel like you deserve it.
Then you have basically dishonest friends, though it's normal to feel that way...but none of them was the owner of the lost $100. Of course, you didn't know who the owner was and if one of your friends were to say they lost it, and you knew that it was likely for them to have lost it, then I suspect you would have given it to them.
I'm not lecturing you about dishonesty. I'm simply pointing out that for someone to keep money that they know is not rightfully theirs and they know who the rightful owner is may be performing a morally wrong and, maybe, illegal act. $100 is small change by some standards, but it's similar to when the bank incorrectly deposits money to someone's account and that someone spends it knowing fully that that didn't deposit it. That is illegal.
My intent is the moral implications of knowing that they didn't owe you the money yet you kept it anyway. Hassles not withstanding, if they wanted to give you a little extra for your troubles then they should have told you. I seriously doubt that was the intent, though it's not unreasonable for you to feel like you deserve it.
You know - I made this post to illustrate the incompetence of Fedex & to warn others when shipping computers/amps/etc, not to start a moral discussion of not reporting their own incompetence back to them.
My impression of Fedex and other companies who offer rebates for example, is that they intentionally try to stall the process because they know that most people, unlike myself, will not follow through on it.
That’s exactly what they tried to do to me. They first rejected my claim based on false assessments, then the underpaid me even though I clearly submitted the final claim to them, and then they overpaid me (their screw up).
However, I agree with you that the “right” thing to have done would be to contact them & explain their mistake. And I would have done just that if I felt they had treated me fairly.