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*spoon* UPS...

Started by awe4one,

61 posts in this topic

silverseeker

silverseeker

Posted
Posted
It's not the drivers who damage the packages its the handlers. The guys who load the packages on the truck. Each handler has usually at least 3 trucks to load at a time. They send hundreds and hundreds of packages an hour down this belt and each man or woman is expected to pick his packages off the belt and put it in whichever of his trucks it belongs in and it has to be in the proper place in the truck so it can take more than just a second or two. Most of the time they send more packages down the belt than can be handled and the guy ends up throwing the packages off the belt into the truck or all over the floor at which point he ends up tripping on them and then gets pissed off and kicks them and throws them and then when its breaktime he will pill up a few packages and sit on them, lay on them, put his drinks and food on them and this is only a few things that can happen to your packages..trust me..I was a truck loader for UPS for years, and its not just one guy its almost everyone. Take it from me.. Pack your packages if your sending them by UPS like someone is going to kick it..sit on it... throw it.. smash it... and generally just beat the hell out of it.

 

I remember hearing this exact same thing from friends who used to work for UPS, but that was back in the 90s...

 

The opening scene from "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" comes to mind... doh!

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awe4one

awe4one

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Yikes, sorry about that Jim. I'm assuming you didn't tell us about the packing job b/c it looked reasonable. Hope you and the seller and UPS can figure this one out. :wishluck:

 

The slab was in an envelope surrounded, quite snugly, by packing peanuts in a typical UPS box. There wasn't any cardboard inside surrounding the slab. Overall, it was packed better than most slabs I've received in the past...

 

Though to be honest, judging by the impact on the box, I'm not sure even the most bomb proof packaging would have saved it...

 

Jim

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the blob

the blob

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There wasn't any cardboard inside surrounding the slab. Overall, it was packed better than most slabs I've received in the past...

__________________________________________________

 

From a physics perspective I don't know if this actually does anything in these circumstances, but I do it anyway. I shipped about $2500 in slabs via UPS early last year, about 5-6 slabs in one big box, each one individually sandwhiched in cardboard with another 1" of bubble wrap around each, peanuts, etc. because I know the UPS guy who used to deliver to my apartment building would come in carrying several boxes and just toss them on the marble floor without any consideration of the contents, so I figured i needed to pack to withstand that.

 

 

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Aces

Aces

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Bought my first Church comic recently and it arrived today! Opened up the package delivered by UPS and this is what I found:

 

westerncomics7.jpg

 

One crack on the front, two large cracks on the back, and a crack on the bottom right of the slab. The impact point is half way down the slab on the right side. The side of the slab was completely broken, dislodged and twisted halfway up the side. After reseating it I noticed a crease on the inner well as well...

 

The box looks like something heavy was placed on top and there's a tear that goes from the side to halfway across the back.

 

To say I'm pissed is an understatement. I've contacted the seller to see what can be done. It was insured...

 

Jim

 

:o:censored:

 

After reseating it I noticed a crease on the inner well as well...

 

Can you tell if the book is OK? :wishluck:

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VintageComics

VintageComics

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UPS BLOWS CHUNKS. :censored:

 

I had to pick up a comic at a UPS depot that someone decided to send via UPS. I actually got upset at the sender because I knew what I was in for. The driver missed me at 3 separate tries even though I left specific instruction for him to call either me or the Superintendent on a form that he is supposed to read. I did get an apology from UPS about a week later...still...

 

:frustrated:

 

Well, I waited 1/2 hour for my package (there were about 6 people in front of me). One lady waited 20 minutes while they searched the whole warehouse and the package was right next to the service receptionist.

 

doh!

 

It got better though...the package pick up area was right in the loading dock (yes in teh warehouse) so we could see all the packages getting thrown, dropped etc. Nice.

 

Then some guy tore a package open while carrying it (by mistake) and all these metal rings came pouring out. It sounded like 1000 bells ringing. Not sure what was louder, the round of applause he got or the metal rings.

 

Let me tell you, I will avoid them at all costs. I know that it is simply cheap physical labor but everything I have ever experienced about them is un professional. Including the huge brokerage fees they charge. I can't wait to get that surprise bill in the mail.

 

To compare, my trip to the fed ex depot has me in and out of the nicely climate controlled front reception in about 3 mintues.

 

No contest.

 

sorry about the trouble, Jim. I avoid UPS at all costs.

 

R.

 

 

 

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VintageComics

VintageComics

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I'm sure this is stating the obvious, but I always put the word "Fragile" in large letters on every side of the package.

 

that just means "hey let's kick this one a little harder to see what's inside"

 

I've had DO NOT BEND packages come bent in half.

 

R.

 

 

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G.A.tor

G.A.tor

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I'm sure this is stating the obvious, but I always put the word "Fragile" in large letters on every side of the package.

 

that just means "hey let's kick this one a little harder to see what's inside"

 

I've had DO NOT BEND packages come bent in half.

 

R.

 

yep, that assumes that conveyer belts can 'read', or sharp turns that topple everything over... "fragile" is irrelevant... in a perfect world, folks would actually care about providing a good delivery service, but in my experience (and I suspect I am one of the larger shippers of product on these boards), no company "really" does

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joeypost

joeypost

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Posted
I'm sure this is stating the obvious, but I always put the word "Fragile" in large letters on every side of the package.

 

that just means "hey let's kick this one a little harder to see what's inside"

 

I've had DO NOT BEND packages come bent in half.

 

R.

 

yep, that assumes that conveyer belts can 'read', or sharp turns that topple everything over... "fragile" is irrelevant... in a perfect world, folks would actually care about providing a good delivery service, but in my experience (and I suspect I am one of the larger shippers of product on these boards), no company "really" does

 

Thats why you always use additional cardboard shipping out any books. I use additional cardboard even for raw book that are already going into a box. I find that the boxes computers are shipped in (Dell) make excellent packing material. In fact I started using keyboard boxes to ship out slabs. You can shure them up pretty good with extra packing material and they are large enough that a 1 inch dent to either corner will not affect the book.

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VintageComics

VintageComics

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Joey you also have to take into account the tape breaking loose INSIDE the box causing the books to get loose, and on one occasion I had a mylite tear open releasing the comic inside.

Boxes have a lot of inertia in them when used as sporting equipement.

 

R.

 

 

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joeypost

joeypost

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Joey you also have to take into account the tape breaking loose INSIDE the box causing the books to get loose, and on one occasion I had a mylite tear open releasing the comic inside.

Boxes have a lot of inertia in them when used as sporting equipement.

 

R.

 

 

Very true. No shipping/packaging is 100% guaranteed. The bets we can do is increase the odds the books will arive safely.

 

As was stated in other threads it is best to tape the books (in the bag :grin:) together and then tape all of the books collectively to the cardboard. That cuts down on book movement and distributes the impact across a greater area.

 

Whenever possible I double box more expensive books. Doesn't always work with astronomical shipping rates but for a few dollars more it does increase the odds the books will arrive safely.

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the blob

the blob

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To compare, my trip to the fed ex depot has me in and out of the nicely climate controlled front reception in about 3 mintues.

 

************

 

Both UPS and FedEx have their depots in East New York/Bushwick or somewhere around there for Brooklyn, or at least my part of Brooklyn, right in the middle of some evil looking projects. We schlepped 30 minutes to pick some piece of garbage up and it was like going to hell. The windows were closed, the doors were locked and I was praying nobody tossed a cinderblock through our windshield. Next time fedex can keep it, whatever it is.

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