Date:         Thu, 27 Apr 2006 15:17:45 -0400
Reply-To:     Wil Haslup <whaslup@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Wil Haslup <whaslup@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Fun with UPS--DON'T USE THEM.
In-Reply-To:  <BAY103-F5D339BA1BB1830DC0488EBABD0@phx.gbl>
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joe trussell wrote:

> What can Brown do for you?  Overcharge you and lose your cargo, apparently.

Having the wheels picked up relies on a driver.  Banding relies on a
driver (unless you'd already done it and then you've got heavier
packages...and UPS has weight restrictions because they rely on the
drivers to carry stuff).

I'm not defending them but generally I don't depend on what people tell
me over the phone.  If I can't read it it ain't so because you can't
make them back it up.

There are some things I have to depend on UPS for...U.S.P.S., FedEx or
other are just not priced well enough to manage some items.

I've shipped computers and monitors sold on ebay and you're talking
20-30 lbs so you're in UPS's neighborhood weightwise.

I pack it and take directly to the local UPS center and avoid the higher
priced, privately owned mail centers.  I have them weigh it and they
tell me the price and tell me if my packing complies with their rules.
At that point, I've got tracking and insurance and have yet to lose
anything.

On the other side, I worked as a warehouse manager handling inventory
for a small retail firm for a while and we depended on UPS for
deliveries of stock in a busy resort area.  The drivers were stretched
to their limits in vacation season and verged on being reckless on days
when they were particularly fried.  I don't doubt that mistakes happen
and things get lost and the wrong things get quoted but do what you can
to avoid introducing a human's discretion into the system and you come
out ahead.  Depend on the systems they've organized and do what you can
to make your package NOT depart from it and require special handling and
you'll have fewer problems.

As for shipping tires/wheels I'm thinking a freight trucking company
might give you a better price and be less risk.



--

Wil

"It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with
potatoes."
-- Douglas Adams