28 Apr
2020
28 Apr
'20
10:08 a.m.
Hi, a heads-up on sending expensive items via FedEx. They appear to have a new
policy, limiting honouring insurance coverage; so, in my opinion, they are
now unsuitable for shipping valuable items.
Data point 1: a couple of months back, I bought a PDP-11/40 on eBait. It was
shipped via FedEx in two separate packages: one with boards, and one holding
the chassis/front-panel. They somehow managed to lose the second box - and
then refused to fully pay out the insurance coverage on that box. We provided
them with data on an open eBay auction for an identical item, to prove that
our valuation was not inflated, but it didn't help - they only paid out a
reduced amout, not what the thing was worth, and _what we had insured it for_
(even though _they_ lost it).
Data point 2: I collect Japanese woodblock prints; a large dealer I do
business with used to do all their shipping via FedEx - dozens of shipments
per week - but as of yesterday I as informed that they are now switching. Why?
FedEx lost a valuable, insured, package - and would only pay out US1K on it,
not the full insured value, leaving the dealer to absorb most of the loss
(several US$K).
There's a clear pattern here; FedEx is refusing to honour the full insurance
coverage when an item is lost. So I wouldn't ship anythihg valuable via FedEx
unless you can find an outside insurer to cover it - since Fedex's own
insurance coverage now often cannot be relied upon.
Noel
28 Apr
28 Apr
10:12 a.m.
I suppose they still charge you an insurance fee according to what you declared as the
value?
This seems like a pretty clear case of fraud, and you should report it to the
authorities.
paul
On Apr 28, 2020, at 10:08 AM, Noel Chiappa via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
Hi, a heads-up on sending expensive items via FedEx. They appear to have a new
policy, limiting honouring insurance coverage; so, in my opinion, they are
now unsuitable for shipping valuable items.
Data point 1: a couple of months back, I bought a PDP-11/40 on eBait. It was
shipped via FedEx in two separate packages: one with boards, and one holding
the chassis/front-panel. They somehow managed to lose the second box - and
then refused to fully pay out the insurance coverage on that box. We provided
them with data on an open eBay auction for an identical item, to prove that
our valuation was not inflated, but it didn't help - they only paid out a
reduced amout, not what the thing was worth, and _what we had insured it for_
(even though _they_ lost it).
Data point 2: I collect Japanese woodblock prints; a large dealer I do
business with used to do all their shipping via FedEx - dozens of shipments
per week - but as of yesterday I as informed that they are now switching. Why?
FedEx lost a valuable, insured, package - and would only pay out US1K on it,
not the full insured value, leaving the dealer to absorb most of the loss
(several US$K).
There's a clear pattern here; FedEx is refusing to honour the full insurance
coverage when an item is lost. So I wouldn't ship anythihg valuable via FedEx
unless you can find an outside insurer to cover it - since Fedex's own
insurance coverage now often cannot be relied upon.
Noel
11:32 a.m.
On 04/28/2020 09:12 AM, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
I suppose they still charge you an insurance fee
according to what you declared as the value?
This seems like a pretty clear case of fraud, and you should report it to the
authorities.
Yes, seems correct to me. One thing to note, at least until
VERY recently, FedEx ground and FedEx
express were separate companies that shared web servers and
shipping counters. FedEx ground
used to be Roadway Package Systems. For some reasons, FedEx
did not integrate that company
after they bought them, might have been related to union
seniority stuff or something.
But, apparently in just the last month or two, they have now
started to integrate the two companies.
Anyway, you could sure write a letter to your state attorney
general's office. I have gotten surprising results when
making complaints. A couple years ago, Wagreens has
deceptive yellow 2 for 1 labels in their OTC drug and
vitamin shelves. Well, they were NOT 2 for the price of one
-- they were buy two, get half off on the 2nd bottle, only.
A few months after filing a complaint with the state EG's
office, there was an aritcle about it in the newspaper, and
they changed the policy. I assume other people also complained.
Jon
11:54 a.m.
On 4/28/20 8:32 AM, Jon Elson via cctalk wrote:
Anyway, you could sure write a letter to your state
attorney general's
office.? I have gotten surprising results when making complaints.? A
couple years ago, Wagreens has deceptive yellow 2 for 1 labels in their
OTC drug and vitamin shelves.? Well, they were NOT 2 for the price of
one -- they were buy two, get half off on the 2nd bottle, only. A few
months after filing a complaint with the state EG's office, there was an
aritcle about it in the newspaper, and they changed the policy.? I
assume other people also complained.
I have mixed experiences with filing a complaint to the state AG's
office. In one case, I got very quick resolution. In the other case,
they just blew it off.
But I recommend giving it a shot.
alan
12:01 p.m.
I have mixed experiences with filing a complaint to
the state AG's office. In
one case, I got very quick resolution. In the other case, they just blew it
off.
But I recommend giving it a shot.
alan
Take them to small claims court.
My friend beat UPS when they tried to screw him over. And the judge even
pointed out the part where these companies sell insurance but then claim
that since the customer packed it it's not valid.
- Ethan
--
: Ethan O'Toole
10:50 a.m.
And UPS isn't any better.
I had a package delivered with a big hole in it, and they claimed that it was given to
them that way.
However, the hole was right through their shipping documents... they refunded the
shipping, but not the insurance on the item that they had destroyed with their forklifts.
Right now they are holding a package that was shipped to me and won't tell me why they
can't deliver it.
From: "cctalk" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
To: "cctalk" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Cc: jnc at mercury.lcs.mit.edu
Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2020 7:08:25 AM
Subject: FedEX unsurance issues
Hi, a heads-up on sending expensive items via FedEx. They appear to have a new
policy, limiting honouring insurance coverage; so, in my opinion, they are
now unsuitable for shipping valuable items.
Data point 1: a couple of months back, I bought a PDP-11/40 on eBait. It was
shipped via FedEx in two separate packages: one with boards, and one holding
the chassis/front-panel. They somehow managed to lose the second box - and
then refused to fully pay out the insurance coverage on that box. We provided
them with data on an open eBay auction for an identical item, to prove that
our valuation was not inflated, but it didn't help - they only paid out a
reduced amout, not what the thing was worth, and _what we had insured it for_
(even though _they_ lost it).
Data point 2: I collect Japanese woodblock prints; a large dealer I do
business with used to do all their shipping via FedEx - dozens of shipments
per week - but as of yesterday I as informed that they are now switching. Why?
FedEx lost a valuable, insured, package - and would only pay out US1K on it,
not the full insured value, leaving the dealer to absorb most of the loss
(several US$K).
There's a clear pattern here; FedEx is refusing to honour the full insurance
coverage when an item is lost. So I wouldn't ship anythihg valuable via FedEx
unless you can find an outside insurer to cover it - since Fedex's own
insurance coverage now often cannot be relied upon.
Noel
11:30 a.m.
On Apr 28, 2020, at 10:50 AM, Norman Jaffe via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
And UPS isn't any better.
I had a package delivered with a big hole in it, and they claimed that it was given to
them that way.
However, the hole was right through their shipping documents... they refunded the
shipping, but not the insurance on the item that they had destroyed with their forklifts.
Right now they are holding a package that was shipped to me and won't tell me why
they can't deliver it.
I've heard of that happening with guns. The answer is to tell them you will report it
as stolen tomorrow.
paul
11:35 a.m.
On 04/28/2020 09:50 AM, Norman Jaffe via cctalk wrote:
And UPS isn't any better.
I had a package delivered with a big hole in it, and they claimed that it was given to
them that way.
However, the hole was right through their shipping documents...
I have sworn off
UPS since the 1990's after they TOTALLY
destroyed several packages.
The did pay the insured value of them, equal to the eBay
sale price. But, it was still a
huge hassle to end up with a pile of broken stuff. I was
told that their method of unloading semis is
to just push everything out onto the ground (not loading
dock height) and then sort it out.
So, this FedEx news leaves me with essentially NO acceptable
carrier. UGH!
Jon
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aperry＠snowmoose.com -
elson＠pico-systems.com -
ethan＠757.org -
jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu -
paulkoning＠comcast.net -
turing＠shaw.ca