Damaged Nitti Cue USPS
- Thread starter firemankc
- Start date
This was the third cue that I have been involved with that was broken in half by USPS. The first was the "Banks" Darren Hill cue, and the second was a very nice, brand new Barnhart that I shipped to Tommie1351.
USPS made good on the Hill cue after Darren sent me a letter of value. Took about 4-6 weeks, and they kept the cue. Value was less than $500.
That cue was double boxed, packed in bubble wrap, and packed about as securely as it could be. The box was actually delivered to Tommie with a 90 degree bend in it. The cue was crushed into splinters...no hope for any repair. Since I had used electronic labelling, it was only insured for $500. USPS fought me tooth and nail on it, trying to deny payment to me in any manner that they could. I finally wound up sending a copy of my claim to the US Postmaster General's office. After almost 6 months, they paid me the $500, but the claims person made the comment "I see that this is not your first claim" (remember the Hill cue) as though I was trying to rip them off. I told her that she could see from the pix that they destroyed my product. I also reminded her that I had shipped over 400 packages through USPS over the last 18 months. She did not say anything else.
Personally, I feel that when an item is destroyed on the basis of pure negligence (as the Nitti had to be for total destruction), the shipper should be liable. I know you have to read their fine print, but total destruction of a package like this can not, in my mind, indicate any level of due diligence on their part.
Joe
Here is what the Barnhart wound up looking like:
[/IMG]
USPS made good on the Hill cue after Darren sent me a letter of value. Took about 4-6 weeks, and they kept the cue. Value was less than $500.
That cue was double boxed, packed in bubble wrap, and packed about as securely as it could be. The box was actually delivered to Tommie with a 90 degree bend in it. The cue was crushed into splinters...no hope for any repair. Since I had used electronic labelling, it was only insured for $500. USPS fought me tooth and nail on it, trying to deny payment to me in any manner that they could. I finally wound up sending a copy of my claim to the US Postmaster General's office. After almost 6 months, they paid me the $500, but the claims person made the comment "I see that this is not your first claim" (remember the Hill cue) as though I was trying to rip them off. I told her that she could see from the pix that they destroyed my product. I also reminded her that I had shipped over 400 packages through USPS over the last 18 months. She did not say anything else.
Personally, I feel that when an item is destroyed on the basis of pure negligence (as the Nitti had to be for total destruction), the shipper should be liable. I know you have to read their fine print, but total destruction of a package like this can not, in my mind, indicate any level of due diligence on their part.
Joe
Here is what the Barnhart wound up looking like:
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Ken, From what I've been told if I had insurance it would have been denied since it was not double wrapped. 1 package inside another package. You ship alot, may be worth your while to check and see if this is true. I've shipped Szamboti's and insured them, but never have I double wrapped them. Glad it did not happen to one of them. Just a thought. Casey.
Negative, I tried and the shafts have a ping when hitting balls.
Perfect Post. Thanks Bama. Who could disagree with this?
Very Nice Will.
A few extra bucks for shipping cost is worth it to keep from having your cue destroyed like what's happened to Casey. I feel bad for him......
James
Rereading this thread, I cannot believe how lucky I have been. Only twice did anything remotely happen to cue shipments that I know of. We have a Fed Ex tube open up in the Indy transfer station, luckily they located the contents, a nice JMW cue and there was NO damage. I had a Verl Horn, sent from Verl to me in a hard flip top case and the end of that case looks like a hoard of angry beavers got to the bottom of it and again no cue damage.
When these customers overseas want to skirt customs, they are taking a big risk. You cannot insure a 5k cue, and then say it's a gift at 100 dollar value.
JV
When these customers overseas want to skirt customs, they are taking a big risk. You cannot insure a 5k cue, and then say it's a gift at 100 dollar value.
JV
Just sound it out UPS = oops
Casey,
It is terrible that this has happened to you, and to such a wonderful cue. If there is a positive, from the pictures the cue sure looks repairable. It will take some work and money, but when you are done you will have a great cue again. And the cost may not be outlandish.
You may wish to call Chris Nitti to see what he might do for you, and at what cost.
Good luck with it.
Will Prout
It is terrible that this has happened to you, and to such a wonderful cue. If there is a positive, from the pictures the cue sure looks repairable. It will take some work and money, but when you are done you will have a great cue again. And the cost may not be outlandish.
You may wish to call Chris Nitti to see what he might do for you, and at what cost.
Good luck with it.
Will Prout
I will second Will's post. IMHO, no one should be touching this cue for repair other than Mr Nitti. Kinda sure that Mr Nitti would feel the same way.
Lisa
That is horrible. I always ship with insurance, but I think I will add pvc to the mix as well. I just wrapped the cue in felt and then in enough bubble wrap that I had to cram it into the triangle box usps uses.
From now on I'll do that and then put it in pvc and then the triangle box to keep it a little safer.
From now on I'll do that and then put it in pvc and then the triangle box to keep it a little safer.
I think it's possible to find horrific-damage stories about all of the major carriers. So whether it is appropriate to criticize one carrier over others, or favor one over others, I don't know. I wish we had some statistics to examine, but I won't hold my breath for that.
hangemhigh seems to know what he's talking about here and offers good advice. Double box and insure to full value (and cross your fingers and toes)!
hangemhigh seems to know what he's talking about here and offers good advice. Double box and insure to full value (and cross your fingers and toes)!
I've shipped approximately 200 cues nearly always using USPS Priority mail and have never had a cue damaged. I've shipped all over this country plus to Canada, England, Germany, Netherlands, Japan, Korea and Hong Kong. Sometimes I used to put the cue into a felt pouch and that into PVC and then into a Priority triangle box and sometimes I wouldn't use the PVC if I was out of it. I sent a cue to a member on this forum and he told me the box was damaged but the cue was okay. Since that time all shipments have the cue encased in the 3 inch PVC. It only costs about 3.00 more in shipping with the tubing.
I do know that the USPS is much more economical than the others. A couple of years ago I shipped a cue from Cincinnati to Seattle Over Night Express for 27.00 and change using USPS. Priority mail would have been 6.00 and change. I then went to Fed X to pick up a package and asked them what the price would have been to ship the package over night through them and they said 89.00. I then asked what would be the cheapest way and that was by truck and it was 44.00. I just can't believe anyone would pay those type of prices.
Dick
I do know that the USPS is much more economical than the others. A couple of years ago I shipped a cue from Cincinnati to Seattle Over Night Express for 27.00 and change using USPS. Priority mail would have been 6.00 and change. I then went to Fed X to pick up a package and asked them what the price would have been to ship the package over night through them and they said 89.00. I then asked what would be the cheapest way and that was by truck and it was 44.00. I just can't believe anyone would pay those type of prices.
Dick
Barnhart
That Beautiful Barnhart Cue That Bama Sent Me Could Not Have Been Saved if it Were Packed In A Metal Box. Something Hidraulic Got It and Just Cruched It. Thank God That USPS has up what we can insure on line too $5000 instead of $500. I insure everything. It has taken me 60 days and still haven't received payment on a case I sent to Germany, and they flat lost that. No question of packing or whatever. They just say that is the way it's done. To tell you the truth I kind of feel fortunant out of the amount of cues and cases we have shipped that there has not been more of these things happening. It is bad and I feel that the post office should give us special treatment. I don't know about Bama, but I have spent in the thousands in shipping and I think that should be taken into consideration. We should be given a LITTLE special treatment!
TOMMIE
That Beautiful Barnhart Cue That Bama Sent Me Could Not Have Been Saved if it Were Packed In A Metal Box. Something Hidraulic Got It and Just Cruched It. Thank God That USPS has up what we can insure on line too $5000 instead of $500. I insure everything. It has taken me 60 days and still haven't received payment on a case I sent to Germany, and they flat lost that. No question of packing or whatever. They just say that is the way it's done. To tell you the truth I kind of feel fortunant out of the amount of cues and cases we have shipped that there has not been more of these things happening. It is bad and I feel that the post office should give us special treatment. I don't know about Bama, but I have spent in the thousands in shipping and I think that should be taken into consideration. We should be given a LITTLE special treatment!
TOMMIE
Wow, that is sick. My sympathies. As has been mentioned it looks repairable.
Whenever I used to ship cues I always used the thick walled cardboard tubes. Those are slight more expensive but you can put them between two chairs and stand on them and not break them.
I would also insure expensive cues whether I was asked to or not. I built it into the price.
Good luck with it. I think it's worth getting it fixed.
Never had an issue with a cue, but once shipped a Rolex datejust via UPS using a local drop off shipping company. I handed the watch to them and they boxed it. A week later, I get a call stating that my item was missing. When I asked how they could lose the entire box, they stated "we have the box, but it appears to have been cut open and the contents are missing". I filled out the claims paperwork,along with supplying a replacement estimate, and about a week later got a check for the $2000 I insured it for. I think the main reason was due to the volume of business of the shipping company I used. Cost a little more, but I have always been pleased.
This case, as alluded to earlier, would appear to be negligence in handling, not simply damage as a result of normal shipment handling.
This case, as alluded to earlier, would appear to be negligence in handling, not simply damage as a result of normal shipment handling.
Absolutely SHOCKING! 