Shipping Damage
- Thread starter marrt
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It's funny you should ask that, Harry...
I've had someone get angry because I asked for a signature. I was only trying to protect us both?
I normally try to talk to my customers but occasionally, they aren't available to talk before it's time to ship so I have to make assumptions.
I have had thousands of dollars worth of stuff left outside before and I felt violated when I came back and saw it so I try to use my own feelings as a guide unless we agree on something different.
Tom
I've had someone get angry because I asked for a signature. I was only trying to protect us both?
I normally try to talk to my customers but occasionally, they aren't available to talk before it's time to ship so I have to make assumptions.
I have had thousands of dollars worth of stuff left outside before and I felt violated when I came back and saw it so I try to use my own feelings as a guide unless we agree on something different.
Tom
Corwin
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Tom Bellemare said:
I haven't seen your website's order page, but it should be easy to add a check box to see if the customer would like to require a signature upon delivery -- would save both parties time and there would be no need to make any assumptions...
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Thanks, Corwin. Good idea.
Tom
Tom
I just got TS55 saw & MFTcombo , extra rail and accessory rail kit from Bob.
So far I haven't had the chance to try my new toys... I mean tools.
I need to reorganize my garage to set up my "shop".
After receiving the boxes from UPS at my office, the boxes were a bit beat up from handling as expected. But after opening them here is what I observed:
1- Each boxes were carefully packed by Bob's staff with a lot of bubble wraps and air pillows. Even the heavy MFT/3 table was double boxed. For that it is a A+
2- The rails came with the original boxes. I boxes of the rails got a bit beat up by the guys from UPS despite that a bunch of labels to handle them carefully and not to bend, drop, etc. were added. I took all the rails out of the boxes and inspected them. No damage. The areas of the boxes that got a bit crushed were the ends. I hope that Festool will revise the packaging. Maybe by adding foam inserts at the ends will help from having the ends from crushing. On the side note: I noticed in each rail boxes there was a 1 x 2 piece of stock. You don't notice it until you unfold the box. At first I thought that Bob added the stock for trimming the splinter guard but he confirmed that it was for added rigidity and prevent shipping damage.
3- Original packaging of the MFT table is quite good with the foam inserts. No issues with the table as far as I can see. There were a small tear/ hole in the middle of the original box but not in the shipping box. After inspecting surface of the table there was no evidence of damage due to the gap was as created by the foam inserts.
My only issue was the accessories boxes were free to move around inside the main box. I could hear some of the accessories boxes moving around inside the main box a few times when I was loading and unloading it to and from my car by my self. I do remember that there were some air pillows but it did not helped much with the guide rail.
The protractor rail was fine but the saw guide rail has a small dent in the corner. There was another small dent in the area were the connector rods goes. For me not a big deal because I can use a small file and fix the dents. Of course, if is something major like the rail was completely bend, or the saw quit working at first use I would have contacted Bob right away. Maybe someone will differ because it is a lot of money invested. Besides the area that was dented it gets covered by the rail deflector.
I just got and idea. Why not Festool to take advantage of the holes in the table and use it to secure the accessories boxes by using zip ties just like the toys you see at the stores. That way in combination of air pillows the contents will no go anywhere. A few cents of zip ties and small change in the packaging process will reduce the rate of shipping damage.
Anyway these are my observations. I hope that Festool is paying attention to their customers and distributors.
Roger
So far I haven't had the chance to try my new toys... I mean tools.
I need to reorganize my garage to set up my "shop".After receiving the boxes from UPS at my office, the boxes were a bit beat up from handling as expected. But after opening them here is what I observed:
1- Each boxes were carefully packed by Bob's staff with a lot of bubble wraps and air pillows. Even the heavy MFT/3 table was double boxed. For that it is a A+
2- The rails came with the original boxes. I boxes of the rails got a bit beat up by the guys from UPS despite that a bunch of labels to handle them carefully and not to bend, drop, etc. were added. I took all the rails out of the boxes and inspected them. No damage. The areas of the boxes that got a bit crushed were the ends. I hope that Festool will revise the packaging. Maybe by adding foam inserts at the ends will help from having the ends from crushing. On the side note: I noticed in each rail boxes there was a 1 x 2 piece of stock. You don't notice it until you unfold the box. At first I thought that Bob added the stock for trimming the splinter guard but he confirmed that it was for added rigidity and prevent shipping damage.
3- Original packaging of the MFT table is quite good with the foam inserts. No issues with the table as far as I can see. There were a small tear/ hole in the middle of the original box but not in the shipping box. After inspecting surface of the table there was no evidence of damage due to the gap was as created by the foam inserts.
My only issue was the accessories boxes were free to move around inside the main box. I could hear some of the accessories boxes moving around inside the main box a few times when I was loading and unloading it to and from my car by my self. I do remember that there were some air pillows but it did not helped much with the guide rail.
The protractor rail was fine but the saw guide rail has a small dent in the corner. There was another small dent in the area were the connector rods goes. For me not a big deal because I can use a small file and fix the dents. Of course, if is something major like the rail was completely bend, or the saw quit working at first use I would have contacted Bob right away. Maybe someone will differ because it is a lot of money invested. Besides the area that was dented it gets covered by the rail deflector.
I just got and idea. Why not Festool to take advantage of the holes in the table and use it to secure the accessories boxes by using zip ties just like the toys you see at the stores. That way in combination of air pillows the contents will no go anywhere. A few cents of zip ties and small change in the packaging process will reduce the rate of shipping damage.
Anyway these are my observations. I hope that Festool is paying attention to their customers and distributors.
Roger
Cerv,
I would like to officially welcome you to the forum. [welcome] You may have been welcomed before, perhaps even by me [doh], but after reading your post and also the suggestion about the zip ties, you needed another smiley [thumbs up].
Peter
I would like to officially welcome you to the forum. [welcome] You may have been welcomed before, perhaps even by me [doh], but after reading your post and also the suggestion about the zip ties, you needed another smiley [thumbs up].
Peter
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I just had a cabinet-style reciprocating spindle sander delivered to a customer today - a customer, of whom, I'm very fond. It was encased in a sort of crate that was pallet-like plus all sorts of plastic wrap, etc.
It came via LTL (less than load/18-wheeler) and when it arrived, the bottom of the pallet/crate was broken and missing the central supporting bottom member and apparently some other parts. The tool was askew inside the "crate" but still captured.
BTW: When I build a shipping crate, it's a crate...
Luckily, in spite of all of this mishandling, the tool worked fine and the only damage was cosmetic (a little paint on the very bottom disturbed). I, personally, found that offensive but the customer didn't seem to. It worked fine and all was good.
The reason I write this is your post, Harry!
On all 4 sides of this "pallet-like crate", were notices that the shipper was completely responsible for any damage to this perfectly packaged item. Ironic?
Tom
It came via LTL (less than load/18-wheeler) and when it arrived, the bottom of the pallet/crate was broken and missing the central supporting bottom member and apparently some other parts. The tool was askew inside the "crate" but still captured.
BTW: When I build a shipping crate, it's a crate...
Luckily, in spite of all of this mishandling, the tool worked fine and the only damage was cosmetic (a little paint on the very bottom disturbed). I, personally, found that offensive but the customer didn't seem to. It worked fine and all was good.
The reason I write this is your post, Harry!
On all 4 sides of this "pallet-like crate", were notices that the shipper was completely responsible for any damage to this perfectly packaged item. Ironic?
Tom
Bob Marino
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zapdafish said:
I think, considering the total number of products UPS ships, your chances are very good in getting the lift in pristine condition.
BOB
BarBuilder
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I realize this thread is almost 2 years old but I thought I'd add my experience as well - The freight companies seem to be even less concerned with the handling of their shipments than UPS or FedEx - my guide rail was one of their casualties. I went yesterday to pick up my 3000mm rail from DAYTON FREIGHT . Now keep in mind I was picking this up in Huber Heights, Ohio which is only about 100 miles from the Festool headquarters in Lebanon, Indiana so this package did not travel very far, as a matter of fact its a pretty straight shot right across I-70. In any case when the warehouse jockey (with a big grin on his face by the way) came back with my package, it looked like a 10' banana!!!! The wood packaging was blown open at the midpoint - the 1x2 was in splinters and the poor rail was damaged beyond repair, what a waste. And this guy has the gall to be smiling at me when he hands me this atrocity???? Obviously I refused delivery and actually had to explain to him why? I assume one of the careless warehouse guys ran into it with a forklift or Bubba sat on it suspended between 2 barrels during his lunch break. How can these freight carriers afford to incur these damage claims? That's a $300 guide rail that is now nothing more than scrap aluminum. [crying]
I must be living right, or something.
I have yet to have a package delivered with damage to the item within.
I dread saying that as I am sure my luck could change.
One point about UPS that i was told about many moons ago. I had noticed for years that, even tho those dark brown trucks could blend in with scenery, or darkness, the drivers never left their blinkers on when stopping for a delivery. I had often come upon a parked truck stopped just beyond a curve in the road and nearly hit the nearly invisible vehicle. Upon occasion, i would wait for the driver to return and let him know what i thought of his intelliegence and his ancestry. I eventually was told, by a driver i had just reamed out, that it was against company policy to park with blinkers going. I wrote a letter to UPS explaining how dangerous a situation they were putting their drivers into. I don't know if i was the only one to ever complain, but many years later i noticed that stopped UPS trucks now keep blinkers flashing. They don't necessarily park safely, but atleast they have made a step in a sensible direction. I do think, from the many stories I have heard about UPS deliveries (this is not the only place i have heard the stories), I have been very fortunate to have suffered no damages. I have also been very favorably impressed with the care of packaging when I have ordered from "Uncle" Bob.
Tinker
I have yet to have a package delivered with damage to the item within.
I dread saying that as I am sure my luck could change.
One point about UPS that i was told about many moons ago. I had noticed for years that, even tho those dark brown trucks could blend in with scenery, or darkness, the drivers never left their blinkers on when stopping for a delivery. I had often come upon a parked truck stopped just beyond a curve in the road and nearly hit the nearly invisible vehicle. Upon occasion, i would wait for the driver to return and let him know what i thought of his intelliegence and his ancestry. I eventually was told, by a driver i had just reamed out, that it was against company policy to park with blinkers going. I wrote a letter to UPS explaining how dangerous a situation they were putting their drivers into. I don't know if i was the only one to ever complain, but many years later i noticed that stopped UPS trucks now keep blinkers flashing. They don't necessarily park safely, but atleast they have made a step in a sensible direction. I do think, from the many stories I have heard about UPS deliveries (this is not the only place i have heard the stories), I have been very fortunate to have suffered no damages. I have also been very favorably impressed with the care of packaging when I have ordered from "Uncle" Bob.
Tinker
Zacharytanner
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Never any ISSUES with Bob's packaging....I do believe that if there was he would make it right immediately, how's that for confidence and trust in a business partner [big grin].
Frank
Frank
Last year I ordered some expensive speakers (>$10,000) and UPS delivery handled them very roughly when delivering them to my dealer. Ruined them. Pissed me and my dealer off because they were a several month lead time item. The manufacturer ended up sending the replacements by air courier which I figure cost about $2000 to do.
FedEx ground is really no better than UPS - they are just independent contractors with widely varying skill. FedEx air though is generally a lot better and can handle some very special stuff. I think they even do transplant organs.
There was a case in the past when I was running a lab and had problems with UPS losing samples of toxic chemicals that were being shipped to us. UPS really turned me off with their ho-hum attitude about it too. Because of this we stopped using them and went to FedEx air on everything, sensitive or not. I've even used FedEx air for samples of radioactive isotopes and controlled substances.
FedEx ground is really no better than UPS - they are just independent contractors with widely varying skill. FedEx air though is generally a lot better and can handle some very special stuff. I think they even do transplant organs.
There was a case in the past when I was running a lab and had problems with UPS losing samples of toxic chemicals that were being shipped to us. UPS really turned me off with their ho-hum attitude about it too. Because of this we stopped using them and went to FedEx air on everything, sensitive or not. I've even used FedEx air for samples of radioactive isotopes and controlled substances.
Apple somehow makes arrangements with the delivery trucks that they will ALWAYS require a signature for an Apple product unless a sign is hung in the door with a signature saying "leave Apple products at such and such a location..."
That sign would scare me; if anyone came up earlier in the day to knock on the door and saw the sign, it would be like, "expensive stuff will be left here later today and I won't be home, come steal it..."
That sign would scare me; if anyone came up earlier in the day to knock on the door and saw the sign, it would be like, "expensive stuff will be left here later today and I won't be home, come steal it..."
waynelang2001
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No problem with damaged goods here in South Africa. Our delivery services would never leave stuff at our doors because it would be gone in about 2 minutes haha. I rarely get things sent to my door anyway as I have the items delivered to my post office and I pick it up from them.
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