First USPS, and now FedEX, I'm fed up!

G

godogs57

Feedback: +0 / =0 / -0
Joined
Apr 16, 2004
Messages
795
Three years ago I shipped two knives to New Mexico via USPS, insured, all that stuff...never maid it, and they refused to pay on it because "there is no way to properly ascertain the true value of a handmade item." I went round and round, the usual arguments..."You damn sure sold me the insurance didn't you??", etc. They just basically refused to correspond with me anymore and as far as they are concerned, I fell off the face of the earth. I posted that story here earlier. That cost me $550! And they admitted it was stolen by one of their own employees. Still shaking my head on that one.

Well, now that I had sworn off USPS, I had a friend open up one of those FedEx sideline shipping businesses inside his business near my office. Ah ha! FedEx is good..they got all those pretty jets and all...Well, I shipped a knife to Colorado during Christmas and all you amateur psychics can see the end of this story before its written! Yep.....lost. However, their records, of which I have obtained a copy, SHOW it was delievered. Only the FedEx guy's records showed he "left it at neighbor's doorstep". Folks this was delievered to an apartment complex and the FedIdiot leaves it at the neighbors's doorstep. FedEx responds "Well we delivered it....uh huh...we delivered it". It was a skeleton knife, a lightweight backpacking knife, and insured for $150. My buddy wrote me a check for $150 to cover my loss through his business, but I didn't cash it....I told him He didn't loose it, FEdEx did, plus he is a good family friend...it just wouldn't be right.

I finished my replacement knife yesterday and will deliver by horseback I suppose sometime next week.

Just a rant...everyone have a great weekend.

Hank

Lost one like this plus sheath:
Skeletonhandledknife.jpg
 
This is something that has really got under my skin for the past few years. insurance companies and other who offer insurance, like you mentioned, extend a greedy hand taking payment, but look for any reason not to pay when the time comes.

-just another way large companies screw the little guy.

-very simple, clean, and nice knife by the way.
 
There is an insurance company that several knifemakers I know have dealt with, they charge a small fee per month and your knives are covered in transit and also travelling to shows. I can't remember the name, but if one of you know what I'm talking about please name it.
Thanks,
Del
I have been dealing with USPS and UPS mostly and never had a problem, but then they havn't lost any pkgs yet.
 
Dont even get me started on FedEx, the worst case I had with them they left a firearm in front of my shop after business hours. It sat there all night. Never mind that I could have lost a few hundred bucks, but it is adult signature required, I thought about calling the ATF but since, somehow the gun made was still I figured all is well that ends well. Needless to say I dont use fedex any more.
 
I believe the insurance company that delbert ealy is refering to is the CIA company (collectable insurance agancy), I have some freinds that use ther services. They specialize in our kind of buisness and as I understand they are very resonably priced.

Jim
 
Thanks for the kind words. Believe me, I have gone round and round with the post office over this...copies of my invoice to the purchaser, certified appraisals of the knives, pictures of the knives in question (I was smart enough to snap a pic before mailing), certification from the NM post office that they never made it there. The only thing I have not done is contact my US Representative or Senator...both are good friends of mine, but they have their hands full with the Obamanation right now, not some idiot with a $500 post office claim.

Surprisingly, the only folks that I have had ZERO problems with is UPS, and some of the stuff I have shipped to places like New Mexico have an address that is literally "on Highway XX, adjacent to the XXX Ranch" and it gets there every time!

Here is a pic of the knives that started all this mess....these are the ones that the USPS lost for me. Ain't that sambar stag pretty? Hope that the USPS guy that stole them tests their sharpness on his theivin' neck....they'll do the job!

ThanksUSPS.jpg
 
Hank, who did you deal with at USPS, did you contact the Postal Inspectors? If they know they were lost in transit, they should be paying something, even if not your evaluation.
 
No, only my post office...the claim was sent off to WDC and it was turned down because they don't know how much a hand made knife was worth. The post office suggested an appraisal to accompany my invoice, and pics if I had them, and then they would re-submit. I did and it came back with the SAME answer..."Ya' see...there's no way we can tell what they're worth OK?" Translation: "Won't you just go away?". "Just because you invoiced it for $500 does not mean it's worth $500 OK?"...that comment was also added by the USPS. I was indeed about to go postal on them at that moment...and now any communication to them goes unanswered...those SOB's just plain ignore me.

BTW: the pic of the two knives does not do them justice...it was just a photo for the record, thats all. They were pretty and sharp....dang I hate a thief.
 
If you're the maker, you choose the price! It's your decision, not what someone thinks it might be worth by lowest standards. If they were trying to make knives, they would see why it would cost $500 dollars, instead of $20.
 
My post master told me that if the insurance was $200.00 or less , the claim gets handled in house and does not go to DC. for evaluation . So separate boxes may be the way to go for multiple knives .
 
godogs57 said:
Three years ago I shipped two knives to New Mexico via USPS, insured, all that stuff...never maid it, and they refused to pay on it because "there is no way to properly ascertain the true value of a handmade item." I went round and round, the usual arguments...
Click to expand...

Didn't you show them past sales receipts?
I thought that would prove your case.
 
Was that USPS or UPS that lost your knife? I believe USPS the US postal service is the most reliable of all of the carriers. Frank
 
delbert ealy said:
There is an insurance company that several knifemakers I know have dealt with, they charge a small fee per month and your knives are covered in transit and also travelling to shows. I can't remember the name, but if one of you know what I'm talking about please name it.
Thanks,
Del
I have been dealing with USPS and UPS mostly and never had a problem, but then they havn't lost any pkgs yet.
Click to expand...

I believe you are talking about the CIA :eek:

I have no firsthand experience with them but I remember reading posts from several makers/collectors/photographers stating that they are great to deal with.
 
The United States Post Office lost my initial shipment of knives..not UPS. FedEx lost the second. Thanks again for all your help....may not get any $ out of the deal, but at least I can share my misery.

Have a great weekend,

Hank
 
I'm rather disappointed that a Bulldawg fan would give up that easily but it's understandable. Y'all are bred to accept your lot in life. :p I'd be down there voicing my displeasure in a manner that edged up to calling the authorities. I'd damn sure report it with all copies of conversations to the Postal Inspectors.
 
Will Leavitt said:
I'm rather disappointed that a Bulldawg fan would give up that easily but it's understandable. Y'all are bred to accept your lot in life. :p I'd be down there voicing my displeasure in a manner that edged up to calling the authorities. I'd damn sure report it with all copies of conversations to the Postal Inspectors.
Click to expand...

I feel the same way. Keep bothering them.
I think insuring something USPS over $200 is a theft waiting to happen.
Regardless of value, I insure for $100 Priority insured with D/C or send
it registered.

So far I've never had anything "lost", over 1000 packages sent/received.

(One package of parts showed up for me 8 months late..): :mad:
"Padded" envelopes, that's another story, don't get me started..
postal.jpg

-Ron
 
Canada post seems to be fairly good a paying out damages, and losses. Now if something isn't insured or at least has a tracking number it may or may not make it.
 
That's something that's always pissed me off.
I don't care if I'm sending an empty box - If I paid for $500 worth of insurance, and they lose the box, they ought to pay out $500!

And of course there is a way to ascertain the value of a handmade knife - show them the record of your customer's payment! Of course they won't accept that, because then they'd actually have to pay the claim...
 
I've tried them all and had problems with everyone eventually. They all have a delivery rate of about 98% without incident. That means, 2 out of 100 knives will be lost or damaged.

Once it is lost or damaged...they will quickly correct you....that "declared value" is not "Insurance". All along, we believe that we are buying insurance...and later find out it's something else...called "declared value".

The claims departments are masters at denying claims. This is what they get paid for. Intentionally, they make you jump through hoops until you just give up and go away. Most of the time, this makes good business sense on your end. After all, you can spend 20 hours fighting a $200 claim....or 20 hours on your business. THe claims agents, always seem to "have not recieved" your paper work, then, in the damage audit process, they do not "find any damage"....actually, it becomes one big, hilarious joke. They will deny a claim in bad faith for any reason they can expose...in adequate packaging, unproven value...etc. You don't stand a chance!!

It is frustrating to no end. Just google something like "FedEx sucks", "claim denial", "UPS lost my package"....and you'll see the frustration.

"Signature required" is another sore subject. They will deny a claim on all packages that are delivered without a signature. But on the other hand, your customers get upset because FedEx can't deliver the goods if no one is home. Ultimately, your customer has to drive to the terminal to pick it up...or it's returned to your shop at your cost. Or the driver leaves it at the door and everyone hopes for the best. Whattaya do?

There's no doubt that shipping is by far the most frustrating and counter productive activity in any small business. At the same time, it's totally neccesary. I've had the local News out to my shop to cover this frustration in thier "Channel 6 On your Side" story. It was a joke....everyone has a shipping story.....but there seems to be little or nothing that can be done about it.

There is a story of a guy that took FedEx to court and was awarded a big judgement, in the millions, for a denied claim in bad faith. They brought in ex-FedEx employees as expert witnesses who explained the inside policies and procedures in the claims department. The judgement went into appeal..and I lost interest.



I feel your pain!! Errrgh! I hate shipping companies!

-Rob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top