Bluegrass vanished during transportation (USPS)

[spliced]

I once ordered a set of 4 house cues from Nielsens billiards on ebay. When the tube arrived it was empty. No lid. The postman just left it like that on my porch. I contacted the post office and filed a claim. Neilsens was nice enough to mail me out another set of house cues. I won the usps claim and sent Neilsens the claim money. A few weeks later neilsens contacted me and said the house cues were found by usps and mailed back to them. They had fallen out of the tube and were all somewhat damaged.

 

[timothysoong]

Contact the post master general for that area, sometimes postal items magically reappear.

I doubt I'll be able to find it back, cause the whole cue was taken out of the sealed tube.

Reading about this happening more and more. Probably wasn't the postman himself but more the kids at the sorting table.

What state did it go too?

Colorado.

If i were the buyer, i'd be trying to find out who the mail carrier was that day. It may be the same person daily (the same one has serviced my neighborhood for years, we even delayed him on his route once and got him to stay at our picnic for a bit) Then i'd be talking to people to keep an eye out for him/her and the cue at any local pool tables, and would be looking myself. Also talk to a supervisor at the local usps. Sorry. That sucks

The buyer did try contacting his local post office regarding this matter. But they said only the "shipper" can file a claim, which I already did.

Sorry to hear about this happening to you. I wonder if you had insurance on it? Sometimes by insuring packages you alert someone with sticky fingers that something valuable is inside. I have shipped many cues via USPS Priority Mail with no insurance and so far they've all arrived safely. Your package went through so many hands and one of them was the wrong hands. I seriously doubt it was your mailman. It was probably long gone by the time he got the package to deliver to you. It may well have been someone close to his end of the line though.

I did not insured the package. The last time I insured and had my items damaged, my post office could not even compensate 20% of my insured amount. As my cue was used and they could not proof my cue value. From then on, I stop insuring my package, only shipped it "signature required" and make sure my package is packed & sealed solidly.

 

[skip100]

Never gets old reading the same crotchety folks who constantly glorify the drinking, gambling, stealing, crimes, and general misbehavior they and others committed when they were young complain about “kids these days”

 

[ideologist]

I doubt I'll be able to find it back, cause the whole cue was taken out of the sealed tube.


Colorado.


The buyer did try contacting his local post office regarding this matter. But they said only the "shipper" can file a claim, which I already did.


I did not insured the package. The last time I insured and had my items damaged, my post office could not even compensate 20% of my insured amount. As my cue was used and they could not proof my cue value. From then on, I stop insuring my package, only shipped it "signature required" and make sure my package is packed & sealed solidly.

Because you did not insure the package, that is the end of the road for you financially. You may be able to contact USPS Support to file a lost package search, but more likely this cue will only be found by an observant enthusiast.

I will keep an eye out for you, good luck

 

[timothysoong]

Because you did not insure the package, that is the end of the road for you financially. You may be able to contact USPS Support to file a lost package search, but more likely this cue will only be found by an observant enthusiast.

I will keep an eye out for you, good luck

Yes I know that, but even when insured I did not get any of my money back with past experiences.

 

[Welder84]

I doubt I'll be able to find it back, cause the whole cue was taken out of the sealed tube.


Colorado.


The buyer did try contacting his local post office regarding this matter. But they said only the "shipper" can file a claim, which I already did.


I did not insured the package. The last time I insured and had my items damaged, my post office could not even compensate 20% of my insured amount. As my cue was used and they could not proof my cue value. From then on, I stop insuring my package, only shipped it "signature required" and make sure my package is packed & sealed solidly.

So not to add to your pain, but I would very much recommend reporting it anyway to the post master general.

I actually emailed both my local post master and the Washington DC division after a package disappeared during transit.

I agree you most likely will never get the cue back, but you may start an investigation against the thieving employee (internally).

You can put them on the radar!

Just my opinion,
Sorry for the loss

 

[David in FL]

Yes I know that, but even when insured I did not get any of my money back with past experiences.

Yep.

Insurance through the USPS may be the biggest scam out there.

 

[ideologist]

Yep.

Insurance through the USPS may be the biggest scam out there.

Wrong, but ok

 

[David in FL]

Wrong, but ok

I hope you have had an experience that proves me wrong!

 

[ideologist]

I hope you have had an experience that proves me wrong!

I have listed it out repeatedly on this very post.

DHL is not an option for domestic US shipping

UPS and FedEx will completely reject you on "collectibles" like pool cues, it takes significant time and legal action, including proof of your safe packing (or using their Pack and Ship services), and proof of their negligence. 99% of sales/claims in the billiard community results in no payout

USPS will pay the full claim out up to your insured amount if you have proof of sale (a PayPal receipt suffices), I have had several high dollar items paid out on the spot, including two cues that disappeared like Tim's example here. USPS checked the scans, handed me a money order on the spot to cash at the front counter.

I know you hate on the post office but it is the only service that gives you a real shot of being made whole, and they are the only service that guarantees delivery times with Express services, and they refund those fees without hassle if they are late

 

[u12armresl]

I know people like the ease and sturdiness of using tubes, but the non pool world has caught on to that.

Maybe the tube inside a box from now on or just in a box. Anything but those tubes.

 

[BarenbruggeCues]

I have not read thru this whole thread, however, I will reiterate this again for the shippers of billiard cues.
DO NOT ship cues in round tubes, cardboard or plastic alone. DO NOT ship cues in only a triangle box stuffed with bubble wrap. Either of these are an absolute no-no in my book.
A 3 inch diameter, 1/8 inch wall round ULINE tube will fit inside any of the shippers triangle boxes. USPS, DHL, UPS, FedEx all included.
Tape the crap out of the ends of the tube before inserting and over tape the ends of the triangle box before sending it off.
If you want to go an extra step on the tube before inserting in the triangle box, make sure you use the plastic end caps provided and install some sized to fit screws through the tube into the end caps before applying the tape.
DO NOT use your billiard business name on the package. Generic names only should be used as not to give away what may be inside the box.
Will this stop the thievery? No, but may slow it down when you make it more difficult to get into the inside of a package.

All of this may sound like a bit of paranoia, but I'll let you know these delivery people sometimes read the labels on the boxes. I have in fact had cues come in from overseas for repair or refinish and have had the delivery guy ask me things like "what type of cue are you getting?" or "are cues from (certain named) countries better than cues that are made here in the states?"
Honestly, it pisses me off when they ask because I feel It's nunya biz, but when it sez right on the custom papers "poolcue" you know they've read the labels.
I just reply..."I don't know but I guess I'll find out what a cheap crappy cue really is like. Have a good day."

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

I have not read thru this whole thread, however, I will reiterate this again for the shippers of billiard cues.
DO NOT ship cues in round tubes, cardboard or plastic alone. DO NOT ship cues in only a triangle box stuffed with bubble wrap. Either of these are an absolute no-no in my book.
A 3 inch diameter, 1/8 inch wall round ULINE tube will fit inside any of the shippers triangle boxes. USPS, DHL, UPS, FedEx all included.
Tape the crap out of the ends of the tube before inserting and over tape the ends of the triangle box before sending it off.
If you want to go an extra step on the tube before inserting in the triangle box, make sure you use the plastic end caps provided and install some sized to fit screws through the tube into the end caps before applying the tape.
DO NOT use your billiard business name on the package. Generic names only should be used as not to give away what may be inside the box.
Will this stop the thievery? No, but may slow it down when you make it more difficult to get into the inside of a package.

All of this may sound like a bit of paranoia, but I'll let you know these delivery people sometimes read the labels on the boxes. I have in fact had cues come in from overseas for repair or refinish and have had the delivery guy ask me things like "what type of cue are you getting?" or "are cues from (certain named) countries better than cues that are made here in the states?"
Honestly, it pisses me off when they ask because I feel It's nunya biz, but when it sez right on the custom papers "poolcue" you know they've read the labels.
I just reply..."I don't know but I guess I'll find out what a cheap crappy cue really is like. Have a good day."

Everything Dave said is 110%!on the. .

As sender Dave do you insure just invade something bad happens Also do you prefer any shipper, and do you purchase insurance

 

[erbillington32]

Hi Timothy...

I had a package go missing as well. I suspected the mail carrier. After i filed a report with usps I kept bothering them a lot. I had to call each facility my package passed thru myself. It turns out that the scanners that they use contain cameras and gps that they can access for at least 2 weeks if not longer. It may take some work but dont let up on them. If this was really a mistake then your cue is sitting on a shelf in one of the facilities it passed thru with no address to send it to. if it wasnt a mistake then they have the ability to take a very close look at anyone who had the package. in their possesion. Just thought i would share that info with you. Hope it helps.

p.s. I bought a blackcreek cue from you which got detained in customs for a few nerve racking days but eventually arrived.
The other package was finally found. It had been detained by their internal security team as suspicious. it took them 9 days to contact me to ask for my permission to open my package. Then they released it.

 

[evergruven]

USPS will pay the full claim out up to your insured amount if you have proof of sale (a PayPal receipt suffices), I have had several high dollar items paid out on the spot, including two cues that disappeared like Tim's example here. USPS checked the scans, handed me a money order on the spot to cash at the front counter.

tho I've never had to collect on a claim, this has always been my understanding..why I found what tim said about usps insurance puzzling

 

[Poolplaya9]

Reading comprehension and logic isn't your strong point is it? I said for the younger generation.

Sounds like comprehension and logic isn't your strong suit actually. I was talking about this generation, or any other for that matter. If you are past college age and you can't get better than a burger flipping or minimum wage Walmart job then you are either mentally disabled, or some combination of one of more of lazy, irresponsible, a real piece of crap and/or have made some bad life decisions.

Contrary to your claim, when comparing today to yesteryear, the quality of the people is a much bigger difference than the quality of the job market. They simply have less sense of responsibility, poorer decision making, and are less willing to put in the work and effort and sacrifice required to make something of themselves. There are plenty of good paying jobs, and plenty of them that are available at any given time as I pointed out to you and even provided you current examples.

A 20 year old in the past could work at a manufacturing job and make bank.

The types of jobs that are needed and/or that are available change over time, as does the need for and value of some jobs or industries. It has always been that way, and always will be. A 20 year old used to be able to work at Blockbuster Video too. Times change and it is up to you to adapt to the times, not expect the times to adapt to your job wants and desires.

For every 1 good job that exists now, you are competing with 1000 others.

It isn't really different than any other time in history in that respect and better than most actually. You do know that there is more than 1 job opening out there right? Yes there are a thousand people applying for some jobs, but there are also thousands of jobs that nobody is applying for and you will get hired simply because you are the only applicant. Sorry, but you don't get to turn down work and then complain that you have no work. Also, there are tens of thousands of job openings that have reasonably small numbers of applicants. Anybody that wants to work can always get a job--always. You may not always get what you want, but we aren't entitled to what we want, we are entitled to whatever we are the most qualified for out of those who applied. Want better? Then be better.

Ok, the poor SOB still is working and as such should be paid a living wage. Please tell me you're not brainwashed enough to try to justify a full time worker not getting paid enough to live a modest life. Is that what you're saying?

They should get paid what they are worth as determined by a free job market where they can apply for any job that exists and get the best one they are more qualified for than the other applicants and they shouldn't get a penny more than that. If that isn't enough to give you the lifestyle you want, then too bad for you. If you want better then you need to be better. Now if it isn't enough that you can even put a roof over your head and feed yourself to keep yourself from starving to death then that is what help from charities is for, and government assistance should also be available if you can prove you are working something, anything, at least 40 hours a week, putting in minimum of at least 15 hours a week of getting further education of some kind, don't own too nice of a car or house, and are not out drinking at the bar or at the movies or going out to eat or buying expensive or unnecessary clothes or otherwise living above your means in any way on things that aren't necessities.

Unless you are mentally disabled, if I didn't marry you or father you it isn't my responsibility to take care of you unless you are legitimately doing everything in your power to do so yourself and simply can't (which isn't the case 99% of the time for people who currently get help from the government).

If you'd like to educate yourself the median age for big box retail workers is 30.

That's because we have a lot of people who have made bad life choices, are irresponsible, and unwilling to make the efforts and sacrifices to better themselves (you know, like people used to be way back in the old times you keep referencing).

It's not a high schooler job like you assume.

But they should be if people were doing what they should be--that's the point. If people past college age were being responsible, and making good life choices, and putting in the efforts and sacrifices required to better themselves, it would mostly just be teenagers and college students in those types of jobs. If you are over college age and still minimum wage at Walmart or flipping burgers, you have really been making some bad decisions and have failed yourself.

 

[cuedoctor]

I'm confused...the cue was shipped from Taiwan and passed through many hands in various international facilities but it was the usps mail carrier who must have taken it. So someone risked throwing away a good paying job for a piece of wood. I once bought a bluegrass cue from Bill Grassley. He shipped it with no tape on the triangle box and no bubble wrap! Amazingly it arrived only missing one shaft. True story. Bill took care if it.

 

[cuedoctor]

USPS weighs the package at each scan. They will know exactly where it was removed, and if you insured it properly, a supervisor signed for it at each exchange.

That's interesting....37 years and I have never seen a package weighed other than when it was mailed. And in my present office they unload roughly 4000-5000 package each morning. No wonder why he's never around...he's signing for packages LMAO

 

[Dan_B]

this situation is maddening, Tims out money and a nice cue, kind of like sending your kids to sckool.
Why is the seller liable for the shipping success?
(a) it's free
(b) just because, it's a business model
(c) odds are better than 90/10 an item will be delivered without damage.
(d) brick and mortar retail has been predatorized by ama*on.
(e) seller calls the shots

A resent order went as follows.
Ordered,
delivered to a side door 2 days later,
checked side door, nope,
sent memo, nope not here (I had an idea that it was at the neighbor's house, thinking they'll back track the wrong delivery, but no,
sent item again,
delivered next day by 10:00, cool
neighbor brings over the item that afternoon,
I'm billed for 2 shipments,
being a nice guy, I said that I think I should only pay for only one delivery, seller agreed.
...but I not really that nice, when things are delivered to me incorrectly, I leave them there expecting shipper to come and fix their screwed-up delivery.
after a day or 2, 3, I give in...
no, I don't keep it.

 

[boogieman]

They simply have less sense of responsibility, poorer decision making, and are less willing to put in the work and effort and sacrifice required to make something of themselves. There are plenty of good paying jobs, and plenty of them that are available at any given time as I pointed out to you and even provided you current examples.

Agree, still doesn't change the fact that the majority of jobs are shit with low pay. Believe me, I know there are some real winners out there as far as workers now. I wouldn't hire many of them. The fact still remains that they need work or else us taxpayers foot the bill. What's the solution?

Yes there are a thousand people applying for some jobs, but there are also thousands of jobs that nobody is applying for and you will get hired simply because you are the only applicant. Sorry, but you don't get to turn down work and then complain that you have no work.

So... you mean like those jobs for imbeciles, idiots, those making poor life decisions, like flipping burgers. Yeah, again, there are jobs but not nearly as many good ones as you think.

They should get paid what they are worth as determined by a free job market where they can apply for any job that exists and get the best one they are more qualified for than the other applicants and they shouldn't get a penny more than that.

Who determines the value of a job on the free market? What's it been over a decade since minimum wage was adjusted? I'd sure like to go back in time and buy groceries, gas, pay property taxes in that time period. I understand that a more skilled worker, or tougher work gets you more pay. What about those poor slobs who can't do much else? Should our taxes pay their way, or their employer? If you can't afford to pay your workers a living wage, you shouldn't be in business.

But they should be if people were doing what they should be--that's the point. If people past college age were being responsible, and making good life choices, and putting in the efforts and sacrifices required to better themselves, it would mostly just be teenagers and college students in those types of jobs. If you are over college age and still minimum wage at Walmart or flipping burgers, you have really been making some bad decisions and have failed yourself.

If if's were fifths we'd all be drunk. Shit happens. Sometimes people get stuck in a loop where they cannot afford to do much. It's tough to better yourself if you're literally unable to get out of your current situation. Many times family can help, charities might help. Going on assistance is usually a last resort. It can help dig out of a situation, but many see that as a complete last resort. Many don't have safety nets.

The college and high school argument isn't the most thought out. Who staffs the store while school is in session? Who staffs at night? How many hours can a student work and actually put enough time/energy into learning their field of study? There aren't enough students to run the minimum wage/minimum skill type establishments. Do we just do without them? Need something from the hours of 9-4? Tough luck, come back when the kids get out of school. It's not tenable. You can't expect adults to work there without enough money to make it worthwhile. Why do you think businesses are having a hard time hiring people? It's not because they are lazy, it's because the covid debacle gave many of them a chance to get better jobs while being forced to stay at home for a few months. Many Baby Boomers who could retire did. Huge job turnover from only that. If I were flipping burgers or some other low paying job, I would have went with bells on to get those jobs that the retired folks were filling. Many did.

I don't know man, I'm not disagreeing that you can make something of yourself. I'm saying it's damn hard for some and there is a distinct lack of options for some people. I have a good job, a house, a used but paid for vehicle. I'm not hurting by any means. I guess what I'm getting at is that it's a nuanced thing. When we're sitting back chewing the fat at the end of the day it's kind of a good idea to be thankful and realize that the path we chose isn't available to everyone. The struggle is real. Many programs, from simple things like public schools to infrastructure have been absolutely gutted in this country. It's hard to pull them bootstraps if we, the taxpayers, and by extension our representatives gut the future by making education abysmal in the country. We should be investing in people, education, financial literacy programs, self sufficiency type programs but we don't. Then we wonder why the cashier at walmart can't make change.