UPS lost cooler with $1000 of my gear inside

[coppermushroom]

Coolers were Sharpied on the outside with address. Label was affixed to cooler with clear tape and then the edge of said tape was wrapped profusely with duct tape. After that duct tape was wrapped all the way around the cooler using about half a rolls worth. Hillbilly looking for sure. Not coming off. Anyhow - I don't expect to see my stuff again.

Ironically the only reason we flew was to save drive time so my son could come with me and miss the least amount of school possible. Have been heading west each year since 2007 and this is the first year we flew. Lesson learned for sure.

Appreciate all of your responses.

 

[def90]

I swear there was a post a couple weeks back on a Colorado Elk Hunting Facebook page from someone that lost a cooler full of gear that likely fell out of the rear of their truck on an on ramp to I70 outside of Silverthorne. This doesn't happen to be the same thing is it?

 

[GotDraw?]

Coolers were Sharpied on the outside with address. Label was affixed to cooler with clear tape and then the edge of said tape was wrapped profusely with duct tape. After that duct tape was wrapped all the way around the cooler using about half a rolls worth. Hillbilly looking for sure. Not coming off. Anyhow - I don't expect to see my stuff again.

Ironically the only reason we flew was to save drive time so my son could come with me and miss the least amount of school possible. Have been heading west each year since 2007 and this is the first year we flew. Lesson learned for sure.

Appreciate all of your responses.

Well, you certainly did all could to pack it and label it well. Given all the labeling, my guess is that someone wanted it worse than you.

If it's any consolation, I sold an original pair of Bose 901s w/Bose Equalizer earlier this year. Bought new, stiff carboard boxes, then built another box inside each made of thick pink 2" rigid foam insulation board so the speakers were padded on all 6 sides.

Speakers arrived at the buyer's address looking like they were dropped 10 feet onto the ground... all but destroyed, despite the rigid foam padding.

Shit happens at UPS. And if you try to make an insurance claim, then they'll try to weasel out of paying buy saying your packaging was "inadequate" or not inspected by a UPS rep. UPS is great in many ways and sucks in an equal number.

Hope your stuff turns up or the packaging store pays up.

JL

 

[wera44]

I just went through this with UPS. If you don't have the insurance nothing above the minimum will be covered.

 

[Rob5589]

Common thread seems to be UPS "store" not the actual UPS hub. I have used the local FedEx store before and there always seems to be some unsavory looking kid working there. I feel much better taking it directly to UPS, FedEx, etc.

 

[Keedman]

I used to be a ups store manager.
From what I gathered, this happened to me multiple times, the usually pick up driver that closes the route probably left early. So the back up driver who are usually idiots tbh, picked up the store. These backup guys are terrible at scanning.
You would really need the camera footage to show it left.
But problem is that no insurance was put on it. When your buddy signed the paperwork he acknowledged the refusal for any additional coverage.

Ask if end of day was signed for this is the driver that closed up shop, and it'll tell who was closing.

 

[Str8shtr]

That sucks! Sometimes things happen no matter how careful you are. Most insurance is just a money making scandal. As a general rule, I don't buy insurance for something I can afford to replace out of pocket. I'm appalled at all the people saying to go after your buddy because he didn't buy the insurance.

 

[Gutshotem]

Well, you certainly did all could to pack it and label it well. Given all the labeling, my guess is that someone wanted it worse than you.

If it's any consolation, I sold an original pair of Bose 901s w/Bose Equalizer earlier this year. Bought new, stiff carboard boxes, then built another box inside each made of thick pink 2" rigid foam insulation board so the speakers were padded on all 6 sides.

Speakers arrived at the buyer's address looking like they were dropped 10 feet onto the ground... all but destroyed, despite the rigid foam padding.

Shit happens at UPS. And if you try to make an insurance claim, then they'll try to weasel out of paying buy saying your packaging was "inadequate" or not inspected by a UPS rep. UPS is great in many ways and sucks in an equal number.

Hope your stuff turns up or the packaging store pays up.

JL

I've read that when shipping something like this you're better off paying the extra $ to have them actually package the item for you to nullify their bs packaging claims. I ship a pretty good amount through ebay but haven't ran into this issue yet but curious what your thoughts might be since you've dealt with this issue already?

 

[GotDraw?]

I've read that when shipping something like this you're better off paying the extra $ to have them actually package the item for you to nullify their bs packaging claims. I ship a pretty good amount through ebay but haven't ran into this issue yet but curious what your thoughts might be since you've dealt with this issue already?

I would definitely consider paying the UPS store to pack the item being shipped, or have the packing store or UPS hub somehow validate and sign off on the quality of your packing job before you seal the box and hand it to them. If they find it inadequate, make them tell you exactly what to change/improve.

Note- Whenever shipping something fragile, take plenty of pics of the packing job in case you need to prove the quality of your packing in order to get reimbursement for damage.

JL

 

[crich]

Some companies such as state farm have programs built into their policies that cover things like this without a deductible. I had no idea until i was shopping around for homeowners insurance this summer. Pretty cool except for the agent saying some people try to take advantage of it repeatedly. Thats most likely the reason its not advertised. Just like the $500 your homeowners will reimburse for food thats lost in a freezernduring a storm.

 

[Gutshotem]

I would definitely consider paying the UPS store to pack the item being shipped, or have the packing store or UPS hub somehow validate and sign off on the quality of your packing job before you seal the box and hand it to them. If they find it inadequate, make them tell you exactly what to change/improve.

Note- Whenever shipping something fragile, take plenty of pics of the packing job in case you need to prove the quality of your packing in order to get reimbursement for damage.

JL

Sounds good, thanks.

 

[LASTINLINE]

sorry to see this. insurance is no guarantee either. i think its just a money maker for all the shipping services. they will find a way to say you did something wrong. my experience is that they most never pay. blame it on porch pirates or something...keep on it though!

 

[def90]

I've shipped a ton of stuff via my business as well as gun parts and collectibles on gun forums and random stuff on ebay. I've had to file 3 insurance claims over the last 10 or so years and I've always been paid what I had insured the shipment for.

I have to differ with those saying to pay the UPS Store guys to do everything. The UPS Store is not UPS, they are simply an independent franchise that licenses the UPS name. The UPS Store charges roughly 2 to 3 times what it costs to ship the same package when you print out your own shipment at home via UPS.com. Also via UPS.com you can schedule a pick up. You can still drop off a shipment at that you made online at a local UPS Store and they can scan it right there when you drop it off and give you a receipt.

 

[540-Virginian]

File a police report as they have been stolen not lost. Then your home owners insurance may cover some of it. I experienced this with a snowboard. My insurance gave me some money (minus deductible)

 

[nykycbh]

I know this response is late, but just ran across this post. Previous poster was right on about lost goods facilities...the term used at UPS is overgoods. Call the local hub nearest the UPS store(if you can get their number) and ask if they have a cooler in overgoods. You may have to go there in person. Due to space constraints, they only hold these items a set time period, ask what that is. At the end of that time period, the item(s) are sent to a regional overgoods warehouse. See if you can obtain a contact name/number at that facility. Again, they also only hold items a set period of time, but this gives you another option to try.

 

[30338]

UPS Stores seem to be ripe for thievery. I had stuff that was opened, items removed and then shipped. I no longer ship anything I value from a store. I go to their hubs and drop off. If you didn't report it stolen, I would as you probably are not the first one to lose from that store.

 

[onmyway]

I did the homeowners insurance deal after leaving some items on the tailgate of a my truck. Filed a police report and gave it a couple weeks for the items to be turned in. Once they were not turned in, Insurance and i considered them "stolen". Didn't re-coup all my $ but it was the only way to get anything out of the situation.

 

[DudeBro]

Take the $210. File a police report. Investigate whether your homeowners/renters insurance covers such a loss. I carry “valuable property” coverage that covers virtually anything that could happen to my kit - including breakage, loss, theft.

 

[mooster]

I've had a couple similar experiences w/UPS:

Most recent - taxidermist ships a mounted bobcat to me from TX. Bobcat arrives in ATL but never leaves the UPS ATL warehouse. Eventually UPS declares it lost. I'm out the dough for the taxi and shipping since taxidermist was shipper on record, and didn't insure it. UPS didn't want to talk to me, I had no skin in the game since I wasn't the shipper. Luckily I had emails documenting I had asked the taxidermist to ship against my UPS account and insure it, and they refused, preferring to make their own arrangements. Taxidermist agreed to refund me all money, and did so swiftly. Assume bobcat is still running wild now around ATL for two years later. Being a significant UPS commercial customer didn't help me in this case.

Some time ago, I ship two guns via UPS insured to gunsmith out of state. Gunsmith ships them back to uninsured. Guns arrive, but apparently a forklift has run over the package bending barrels and destroying guns. You could clearly see the wheel marks on the box. UPS denies claim since shipment wasn't insured, doesn't matter it was obviously their equipment that caused the damage. Months later UPS finally agrees to settle, but only after I fight up the ladder. This time, I believe only my commercial relationship swayed them to make it right.

In my experiences, UPS was horrible to deal with even when its clearly their fault or cause of the loss.

 

[DuckDogDr]

hate you’re having to go through this.