UPS UPS Store 4716 Claims Process In Limbo Auburn, Massachusetts

This is an update to my report about a shipment damaged and then UPS failing to act on it.

After a week spent hounding UPS, I finally got a phone call from someone at UPS. She didn't understand why UPS had failed to act on my claim for the last 2 months nor why their tracking record showed that they had begun the investigation when they hadn't. She said she would follow up to insure it was done though she didn't know if there were tools to expedite the investigation. 

On April 5--64 days after destroying the shipment--UPS took a look at the box. They called this morning (April 8) and said they would be cutting a check. BUT...they added that we would have to make arrangements to pick up the check at the UPS store (I am going to guess that UPS isn't in the shipping business?) and they seemed unsure how long it would take to get a check. I don't know if that was a little bit of payback by employees for causing such a ruckus or if UPS is really that customer-service-blind.

LESSON LEARNED 1: The check will be for $200 for an Onkyo receiver that will cost $350 to replace. I foolishly declared the valuation at $200 because the unit had cost me $320 at the time and I didn't ship the speakers...my declaration assumed they had value which, in the absence of a working receiver, they don't. Lesson learned, I should have declared the value at at least what I paid.

LESSON LEARNED 2: You don't get anywhere in consumer complaints unless you make it more painful for the company to ignore you than to do what's right. That has to be balanced with some common sense...for my mental well-being, I was prepared only to fight so hard and had actually resigned myself to the likelihood that I was going to be without a receiver and without a reimbursement check.

LESSON LEARNED 3: I won't totally believe UPS until the check is in hand and is for the full amount of the damages plus shipping costs. 

For posterity, the tracking record is pasted below:

4/6/2013 11:20:00 AM DAMAGE REPORTED / DAMAGE CLAIM UNDER INVESTIGATION CHELMSFORD, MA US
4/5/2013 9:32:00 AM DELIVERED AUBURN, MA US
4/5/2013 6:03:00 AM OUT FOR DELIVERY SHREWSBURY, MA US
4/5/2013 3:28:00 AM ARRIVAL SCAN SHREWSBURY, MA US
4/5/2013 2:19:00 AM DEPARTURE SCAN CHELMSFORD, MA US
4/4/2013 7:19:00 PM AFTER THE DELIVERY WAS MADE, THE RECEIVER REPORTED THE PACKAGE WAS DAMAGED / ALL MERCHANDISE IS BEING RETURNED. UPS WILL NOTIFY THE SENDER WITH DETAILS OF THE DAMAGE CHELMSFORD, MA US
4/4/2013 7:10:00 PM THE RECEIVER REQUESTED A HOLD FOR A FUTURE DELIVERY DATE. UPS WILL ATTEMPT DELIVERY ON DATE REQUESTED / RETURNED TO SHIPPER CHELMSFORD, MA US
4/3/2013 1:54:00 PM DELIVERED HAVERHILL, MA US
4/2/2013 11:13:00 AM DAMAGE INSPECTION SCHEDULED CHELMSFORD, MA US
2/6/2013 11:13:00 AM PACKAGE REPORTED PICKED UP CHELMSFORD, MA US
2/6/2013 11:13:00 AM PICKUP SCAN CHELMSFORD, MA US
2/5/2013 11:10:00 AM DAMAGE INSPECTION SCHEDULED CHELMSFORD, MA US
2/1/2013 10:59:00 AM DELIVERED HAVERHILL, MA US
2/1/2013 6:18:00 AM OUT FOR DELIVERY CHELMSFORD, MA US
2/1/2013 1:27:00 AM ARRIVAL SCAN CHELMSFORD, MA US
2/1/2013 12:38:00 AM DEPARTURE SCAN SHREWSBURY, MA US
1/31/2013 9:05:00 PM ORIGIN SCAN SHREWSBURY, MA US
1/31/2013 6:04:00 PM BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED US

As to the packaging, yes...we packaged it ourselves though we had the UPS store take a look before we sealed it. And yes, the UPS store did its own label.

I'll try your suggestion about calling them but they did finally respond to a written inquiry: "Your frustration is understandable. I am truly sorry that the package was not inspected as scheduled.Please contact us if you need any additional assistance." They rubbed salt in the wound by sending me a follow-up survey about how wonderful their customer service was.

It's the service center who said UPS never showed up despite what shows in the tracking report. They (service center) still have the receiver there and called us on April 2 asking what we want to do with it now. We had been told on Feb 6th by the UPS inspector that he had already picked it up (and that is what the tracking report shows).

The service center told us on Feb 5th that they would hold on to the packing materials for a few days till the UPS inspector arrived. I don't know if they would have held onto all of that stuff all this time.

I guess I don't really trust UPS to do the right thing and I clearly don't see a lot of concern from them.

Thanks again for the feedback.

I operate a shipping business similar to UPS Stores. Those businesses are typically decent, but I prefer mine (slight bias). A month is too long to conclude a claim, whether approved or not. That's the bad news, but you already knew that. 

It doesn't say specifically, but I will assume that you paid The UPS Store to create a label, rather than using one that the repair shop gave you. If this is the case then, yes, that The UPS store will finish the claim. The company that you sent it to obviously has record errors. The tracking number on the shipping label of your shipment was scanned by UPS which is proof positive that it was picked up from the location that was to repair the receiver. The fact that UPS now doesn't know where it is at is odd. Though it is not necessarily the case, poor packaging sometimes leads to these problems when a shipment has to be taken out of the standard routine for reboxing/package repair. The complaint also is not specific with whom packaged the receiver. I think it's safe to say, however, that you packaged it yourself. I'll make another even larger assumption and state that it appears the receiver, which is a bit larger and heavier than average shipments, was not packaged properly. Please don't jump down my throat with that assumption. Many people package without reading the carrier packaging guidelines used in for the shipping industry by all carriers. Shipments are often packaged as though they are the only box in transit, and it will be placed on the padded back seat of someone's car. Perhaps your receiver was shipped in the original factory box, which was only intended to rest on a pallet with other similar receivers until it was stocked on a warehouse or Best Buy shelf. Without seeing it, speculation would be wasting our time.

OK...now the good news. I've seen it happen before. If the item has been misrouted for any reason, enough time has now passed. A loss claim should be made. I know FedEx doesn't in these cases, but UPS will pay especially with the fact that the claim is relatively low. You should receive your $200 insured amount, plus your shipping cost. If you did in fact have The UPS Store pack the receiver, then you will receive your packaging back as well. This ordeal, however, more than likely would have never happened if it wasn't for a packaging deficiency. You should be able to cash in on a full refund now, regardless of any packaging problems.

One thing you could try is to call UPS again to ask the status. When they ask who you are, indicate that you are an employee of that The UPS Store. Just give them your normal name when the ask. UPS will ask for your account number. It is the six characters following the '1Z' on your tracking #. That will be all they need. If you receive no updates, just indicate that the customer is courteous but getting very frustrated and they want to file a loss claim now. Indicate that it clearly shows that UPS scanned the package when they picked it up and need to know when a loss claim can be submitted. If you prefer, ask that The UPS Store when a loss claim will be submitted. You are past that point already. Good luck and let us know how it goes.