USPS Horror Story Advice?

That's like my worst nightmare... it looks like it's been run over by a truck, several times over.

You will have to prove with a receipt, how much you paid for it. Be prepared to take a real screwing on this deal. USPS is absolutely the worst. Keep us posted on how it all turns out, and good luck.

Buckzapper said:

You will have to prove with a receipt, how much you paid for it. Be prepared to take a real screwing on this deal. USPS is absolutely the worst. Keep us posted on how it all turns out, and good luck.

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yep.
that has to be one of THE WORST CLAIMS i've ever seen. they CAN'T deny it - but they will. save the CARTONING, for pics (hopefullly it shows treadmarks). as for proof of value - you know people in the business & can get any receipt you want.... and you'll need an inflated value, cause USPS will want to settle. remember the Proof Of Delivery is VERY important if they simply left it at the door; if your customer signed "in good condition"; your screwed.

stay on your claim w/ them & document everything! if you wait too long it's null & void.

good luck.

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slyfox said:

Hello All,

I just had a great transaction selling a pool cue and USPS absolutely destroyed the cue. I had the cue insured, luckily.

ANY pointers on what to do or what not to do would be much appreciated. I am refunding the money to the buyer in the morning. Luckily, he was understanding of the situation.

I am filling out a claim online with the postal service currently, but any advice is appreciated.

Always insure what you ship.

I will NEVER trust USPS again. :angry:

Cue and "extension" below... Were they playing baseball with the cue I mailed?

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How was it packaged? Only bubble wrapped?
I'd like to see the packaging it was in.


Rob.M

Be prepared for a long battle.

Ken

I have been lucky, but, I also go to great lengths in packaging cues I ship. With the looks of your cue, not sure if anything could have saved the torture your package went through. However, I put the cues I ship in a plastic cue sleeve, wrap tightly, then surround that with protective foam sheeting, then put that in a kraft tube. The kraft tube is then placed in a usps 5x5x5 medium shipping box that is also packaged. It is time consuming and you have extra costs in the kraft tube(s) and tape, but, have on a few occasions received photo's of the outside shipping usps container (free from usps) but, the inner kraft tube was enough to save the cue. I have seen many people, even cue makers use containers (used) that are already weak and the cues just wrapped in bubble wrapping and I am amazed the cues were still inside. as the ends or holes have erupted in the outer shipping container. I have always viewed that when I have sold a cue, it is not my property anymore and treat a buyer as what he is, the new owner of the cue. I also do not suggest to just ship a container with tape over the end caps as I have received tubes with the tape of the end caps cut and the cues removed receiving a empty tube. Tubes should always go inside a box as the insured value is on the shipping label and I am sure the few bad folks working for a shipping company is looking at the value on the sticker. Tubes are very easy to get into by simply cutting the ends and taking out the merchandise. Another Azer and myself are going through this very thing with ups as the tube ends were cut. Thankfully, my ups driver was joking with my office staff of delivery such a big tube for a poster. She didn't see the sticker said 5 lbs as about two minutes after she dropped it off, I picked up the tube and said OH OH this tube is empty and notified the ups center as the ups driver confirmed she delivered a light weight tube. Sad, two old cues are now missing and I am sure the ups investigation will come up empty as I sent plenty of photo's showing the tape cut. Please just don't send a tube, put the tube inside a free usps shipping container. At least if the container is also taped shut, the thief's have more work to do.
Good Luck, but, again, don't know if it would have helped save your cue anyways.

Sorry you have to go through this. The shipping is really jacked up this time of the year. Advice to all....if you are not using a PVC tube to line your shipping box, you are rolling the dice, regardless of who your shipping company is. This has been discussed here ad nauseam before. It is merely $4 in extra cost. Cheap insurance that you can factor into your price or shipping cost.

.............

Hey slyfox, Please keep us informed as to the USPS dispute / insurance process. It undoubtedly will be of interest, wish you all the best.

File you claim with USPS, have proper proof of value, and followup, and the should PAY FAST.

Persnally I would rather deal with the Post Office over Federal Express, or UPS, who never seem to be at fault.

terryhanna said:

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I think I know most of these guys. They are all supervisors.:grin:

I've always shipped cues the few times I sold them in a hard tube, and that's how I got them when I bought. Either a plastic pipe or a thick cardboard tube.

Looks like this one was just wrapped in bubble wrap from the pics.

I always use pvc or a little thinner type of plastic tube to ship cues in. It;s really cheap to bye at Home Depot, Lowes or a plummers supply store! It's the best way!

use


registered


mail.

I always ship in pvc and cut wood round to slide into the ends and screw the wood ends into the pvc.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

:scratchhead:



Hmmm...did you ship that package to Texas?

Around five years ago I shipped a cue to Texas and it

has the same dents as your cue.


I thought for sure the buyer had to do it----figuring it was buyer remorse.

The buyer said he got it that way but I never believed him.



.

For The Added Cost.....

I always ship my cues thru USPS and the cues are shipped overnight (24hrs) with next day delivery (Mon - Sat). This costs under $50 for coast to coast delivery with $2500 insurance, signed receipt and next day delivery prior to noontime at the recipient's address.

In order for any package to move that fast through any carrier's system, it receives special attention and very quick handling for the item to go from my doorstep in Fresno, CA to a recipient anywhere on the eastern seaboard that has a functioning local Post Office. Nothing moves that fast without extra attention to ensure its arrival within the stipulated deadline.

Now to not admit that anything can happen to any package at any time using any carrier is just being foolhardy, argumentative, or both. And the damage to the package and the cue in the photos is ghastly....ugh.....not to much to say 'bout that one.....really bad.

All I'm saying is I've shipped almost 2 dozen cartons containing cues thru USPS and every time was via overnight delivery. Each cue arrived within 24 hrs, the very next day, or at least delivery was attempted & subsequently completed the following day due to unavailability of the recipient.

I am confident that when you have a carton, box, etc. processed through the various handling points & depots in a carrier's network because of next day delivery, you vastly minimize the opportunity for incidents like the one under discussion.

IMO pay the seller extra to go to lowes or Home Depot and but come 4-5" pvc with end caps.
Sure it looks like your shipping a 35" bomb but the cue will be much safer.
If course wrap butt and shafts in bubble wrap.

Using just a plain box and bubble wrap to ship high end cues is crazy