FedEx used to be the best way to ship. Not anymore. I took a very expensive phonograph there a week of so ago. It had to go Arizona from the Boston area and FedEx ground was considerably cheaper than Priority Mail and only took a few days more. However when I told the clerk that I wanted to insure it for over $3000 I got quite a surprise. I was prepared to prove the value was accurate. I had the buyers Cashiers check with the item description in the memo section, a copy of the invoice that I attached to the package and even a recent appraisal form a well known dealer. However the clerk told me that as of Jan 6th the maximum insurance on antiques shipped FedEx ground was $100. The max for air shipments is $500. The reason she gave is that if the item is broken or lost FedEx can't replace it. I guess the powers that make the rules at FedEx don't have a clue about eBay and the vast collector's market that it has spawned. FedEx's loss will be UPS's gain. They're still better than the Post Office on large heavy items. RMV ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Stitt" <[email protected]> To: "phono" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2006 12:47 PM Subject: [Phono-L] UPS/packing
>I have often wondered why UPS doesn't have a special antique delivery > service. Say a 25.00 charge to handle the box carefully. For you money > they promise not to kick it, throw it on conveyor belts (or at least not > to miss it), stack heavy boxes on it and have the driver not toss it to > the ground! I would pay it. Why can't UPS be more like Fed-Ex, a > slightly better shipper. I really don't think it is possible any more to > package to UPS's "we should not have broken it standard". I do not know > what has happened to that company but they don't seem to care anymore. I > tease my UPS driver that if I need 3/4 minus all I have to do is ship > some big rocks! Can you imagine the revenues from such a charge? Maybe > they make to much money now and just don't care. It's a hell of a note > when the post office is faster and gentler, and maybe cheaper. > Mike oldcranky > BTW Fragile is not a term UPS seems to allow. It is not necessary to > mark the box with "FRAGILE"......You must package it so they can't break > it. Yep that's right, they do not recognize the term. > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > [email protected] > > Phono-L Archive > http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.15.0/248 - Release Date: 2/1/2006 > >
