The USPS Package of a Cue to me

I have shipped several cues USPS and will continue to do so. I have never had any problems. Pay the extra and ship Priority Mail next day. I bubble wrap the cue and place it inside of a cardboard tube. I then place the cardboard tube inside the triangular Priority Mail cardboard box. Never an issue. When receiving a cue, I notify my post office to please leave the package at the post office instead of making the delivery. I then stop at the post office on my way home to pick it up. Don't have to worry about it sitting outside unattended.
 
jimmyco said:
I heard the triangular box is better, something about the round tubes rolling off the belts and such. But I believe the round tube is stronger.

Round tube inside a triangle box?
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You're correct about the rolling package being bad for conveyor belts. But...you knew there'd be a but...but sometimes round packages are sorted by hand so this might be more gentle on the contents, but....:eek:...but that might delay the shipping time.



Jeff Livingston
 
Maybe it's because I'm neurotic and paranoid but I pack the hell out of those triangular boxes when I ship them. A cue will get two or three layers of bubble wrap and then I fill the corners and sides with packing peanuts.
 
Many USPS horror stories for the past couple of years for sure.

I sent a cue and case to Abu Dhabi global express. Guaranteed 3 days and it cost $178.50. On that guaranteed delivery date it was still in the same state I mailed it from. All I get from many hours on the phone is "sorry"

At the very least they should've refunded me the $75 difference from global express and priority express but no such luck.
 
gregnice37 said:
Many USPS horror stories for the past couple of years for sure.

I sent a cue and case to Abu Dhabi global express. Guaranteed 3 days and it cost $178.50. On that guaranteed delivery date it was still in the same state I mailed it from. All I get from many hours on the phone is "sorry"

At the very least they should've refunded me the $75 difference from global express and priority express but no such luck.
Click to expand...

Monopolies are exactly like that.


Jeff Livingston
 
gregnice37 said:
Many USPS horror stories for the past couple of years for sure.

I sent a cue and case to Abu Dhabi global express. Guaranteed 3 days and it cost $178.50. On that guaranteed delivery date it was still in the same state I mailed it from. All I get from many hours on the phone is "sorry"

At the very least they should've refunded me the $75 difference from global express and priority express but no such luck.
Click to expand...

I just double checked their website, and unless their policy changed after your issue, you could have filed for a refund within 30 days if it was shipped Global Express Guaranteed.

http://about.usps.com/publications/pub141/postage-and-fees.htm#Money-Back
 
cuesblues said:
I've shipped hundreds of very expensive cues, never had a any lost or damaged cues.
I've just recently started buying insurance because of the stress created by so many misdirected packages.
Chances are if I do have a claim it will not be paid, so I think insurance is a bad bet, but I'm doing it anyway in an attempt to get better service and eliminate some stress.

Before this year i could count on one hand how many times I've purchased insurance, zero claims.
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Registered mail. Don't say I didn't tell you when you have a problem.
 
jimmyco said:
I heard the triangular box is better, something about the round tubes rolling off the belts and such. But I believe the round tube is stronger.

Round tube inside a triangle box?
Click to expand...
When sending in the round tube, I have had Fedex upcharge me double the rate on my fedex account, as they say the round tubes can roll off the conveyor belts at the shipment facility.
 
If you're selling cues or cases on here or elsewhere just price them with shipping and insurance taken into consideration. You'll never see me post "add 4% or buyer pays the fees", that's absolutely ridiculous and just one more thing both parties are trying to think about if there is any negotiation going on. Keep it simple, your bottom dollar is $900 on a cue then price it accordingly and know exactly how much you can come down. If im buying a cue from someone and we agree on a price, say $1000 for instance, im sending them $1000. Not $1040, not $1080, its not a car auction where the buyer pays a premium over the actual cost.

On a side note, heres a good way to ship a cue and never worry about it getting damaged.
 

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alstl said:
Registered mail. Don't say I didn't tell you when you have a problem.
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A friend sent some cues to Pete Tascarella registered and insured for $25,000, it took over 2-weeks.
I know the process registered goes through, and supervisors are responsible.
Registered you can insure up to 50K, but they will not pay it on collectibles or artwork.
Apparently the only way to insure this stuff is to have an actual insurance policy that covers your collectible cues, and keep it updated with the insurance company.
They will cover it anywhere, but the USPS absolutely will not pay it.

Like I've been saying, other than late, misdirected, and mishandled packages, I have never had a problem, and that only started a few months ago.
There is something going on in the big hubs and I think it is some kind of conspiracy among certain postal workers.

FedEx is just a bunch of incompetent liars, who happens to have really good drivers.
 
$TAKE HOR$E said:
If you're selling cues or cases on here or elsewhere just price them with shipping and insurance taken into consideration. You'll never see me post "add 4% or buyer pays the fees", that's absolutely ridiculous and just one more thing both parties are trying to think about if there is any negotiation going on. Keep it simple, your bottom dollar is $900 on a cue then price it accordingly and know exactly how much you can come down. If im buying a cue from someone and we agree on a price, say $1000 for instance, im sending them $1000. Not $1040, not $1080, its not a car auction where the buyer pays a premium over the actual cost.

On a side note, heres a good way to ship a cue and never worry about it getting damaged.
Click to expand...

I have gone to picture framing places and get the tubes most of the time for free with the cap ends just a heads up sometimes they want 2-3 dollars well worth it
 
cuesblues said:
Apparently the only way to insure this stuff is to have an actual insurance policy that covers your collectible cues, and keep it updated with the insurance company.
They will cover it anywhere, but the USPS absolutely will not pay it.
Click to expand...
When I had to file a claim with the USPS after they lost two cues they ask for proof of what the items value was. Only one cue was actually mine and I was sending the other for a friend to be refinished. One was a new Balabushka replica and the other was a Meucci sp, which was mine and needed a shaft made. I insured both for $600 I think. I printed a copy from two websites showing the Adams cue was $500+ and the Meucci was $300+. It took a while but I did get a check from them. I gave my buddy $350 and I kept $250. He was tickled to death and made $100 on the cue.
 
Oops

I can't trust USPS any more, in CA they've caught USPS workers stealing checks from undelivered mail... go to a PO and just look at the people they hire, apathetic liars.

And UPS? My buddies and I call them OOPS... I shipped a motorcycle gas tank in a
super sturdy box, masonite plus double padding, it arrived with one side smashed in,
the tank was useless.

I'll do Fedex insured GROUND for a cue, but nothing exotic, no Tads, Tasc, etc.
I've heard of guys actually flying with their cue to the cuemakers' location...
you'd have to if you have a Gus you want Barry to work on!

Someone mentioned a round sturdy tube INSIDE a triangular shipping box...
that's the move, and double padded.
 
$TAKE HOR$E said:
When I had to file a claim with the USPS after they lost two cues they ask for proof of what the items value was. Only one cue was actually mine and I was sending the other for a friend to be refinished. One was a new Balabushka replica and the other was a Meucci sp, which was mine and needed a shaft made. I insured both for $600 I think. I printed a copy from two websites showing the Adams cue was $500+ and the Meucci was $300+. It took a while but I did get a check from them. I gave my buddy $350 and I kept $250. He was tickled to death and made $100 on the cue.
Click to expand...

If I bought a new lets say Predator online for 2k and insured it, they would definitely pay it in full.
 
Runner said:
Someone mentioned a round sturdy tube INSIDE a triangular shipping box...
that's the move, and double padded.
Click to expand...

PVC is cheap and would have to be dropped from a truck and ran over or dropped from a plane for the contents to be damaged. A 32 inch piece will easily accommodate a standard length cue with both ends packed and the shipping cost is virtually the same as a triangle tube.
 
Runner said:
I can't trust USPS any more, in CA they've caught USPS workers stealing checks from undelivered mail... go to a PO and just look at the people they hire, apathetic liars.

And UPS? My buddies and I call them OOPS... I shipped a motorcycle gas tank in a
super sturdy box, masonite plus double padding, it arrived with one side smashed in,
the tank was useless.

I'll do Fedex insured GROUND for a cue, but nothing exotic, no Tads, Tasc, etc.
I've heard of guys actually flying with their cue to the cuemakers' location...
you'd have to if you have a Gus you want Barry to work on!

Someone mentioned a round sturdy tube INSIDE a triangular shipping box...
that's the move, and double padded.
Click to expand...
Welcome to Hotel California.

Well, sent two cues to Vietnam in January. Never got there.
Says it left USPS facility in LA in January 20 and it never even got to Vietnam.
These aholes are so crooked now.
 
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