Trad Gang

Last Monday upon returning home from work I spied where UPS had left the "packaged" new-to-me 70 inch Howard Hill longbow that I had been waiting for leaning against my front door....

 WAS I EVER SURPRISED !!!  

   :scared:      :scared:      :scared:      


I'll let the pictures from the re-enactment tell the story....


 (http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy45/crus8r4life/HH%20shipment/HH_001_DSCN2911JPG.jpg)

 (http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy45/crus8r4life/HH%20shipment/HH_002_DSCN2912JPG.jpg)

(http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy45/crus8r4life/HH%20shipment/HH_003_DSCN2910JPG.jpg)

(http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy45/crus8r4life/HH%20shipment/HH_004_DSCN2916JPG.jpg)

(http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy45/crus8r4life/HH%20shipment/HH_005_DSCN2915JPG.jpg)

(http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy45/crus8r4life/HH%20shipment/HH_006_DSCN2918JPG.jpg)


  :banghead:    :banghead:    :banghead:

(http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy45/crus8r4life/HH%20shipment/HH_007_DSCN2913JPG.jpg)


Long story short, the rubber tip protector on the lower limb saved the bow, but I did have a small repair job on the upper limb tip.

Thankfully the bow seems to be sound with more than 100+ shots through it up to this point in time....


   :pray:      :pray:      :pray:

Dang, I would have thought that a PVC tube would be about indestructible.  I've shipped 6 or 7 bows in the last year and have always used the USPS.  Thankfully no damage so far.  That tube makes me think about those old American Tourister luggage commercials with the gorillas in them.

I never, ever, use UPS. For that reason
USPS Priority and never had a bow damaged in any way.

Ouch, that sucks! Musta taken a serious hit to break the tube like that!

UPS is my last choice-they are hard on stuff and don't honor claims.
How about some pics of the bow.

How very "professional."

1) To leave a valuable item "leaning against your door."

2) To deliver a package so obviously damaged, and not leave a claim form with such a poorly handled package

UPS and FedEx are simply abysmal in their handling of packages, and everything else.

File a complaint (or ask where your package is, as you, obviously, didn't sign for its receipt)

The package looks to have had the tape removed, and then opened, before the other end was crushed off. So this could have been an act of attempted theft, or vandalism, by a company employee.

Disgusting "service," to say the least.


R.W.

It is cheaper for UPS to pay the occasional claim (if they ever will-most of the time they refuse and cite "improper packaging").  It costs them less than handling packages properly-a business decision on the part of management-a crappy decision.  

You can say what you want about the USPS, but I've never seen stuff like that.  Ever.  USPS Priority always.  The less time it is a shipper's hands, the less likely it is that they will destroy it somehow.

RonP

None are perfect. I camo dipped a couple of risers and limbs for a customer in Canada. Sent them usps and they never made it. Acording to the tracking, they got lost in Atlanta.

Here's the saddest part. I forgot to tell my secretary to insure them for more ($1500) so they got insured for $375. Now my customer  has no bows, and I'm out the balance of the money and the usps has the gall to ask for proof of value for $375. If they were insured for any amount, they should be guaranteed for that amount with out proof. Do you think if you over insured it and they paid true value, that they would refund the extra money you paid on insurance. I don't think so.
BigJim

Also, as I found out, when we buy used bows from other members, and we resell them and buy insurance when we do ship them, if the package gets lost, the USPS WILL NOT honor its insurance unless you have a receipt of the value of the bow from a store.
They don't tell you that, but they always ask if you want insurance... it's a waste of money unless you can prove the worth of the object with proof of purchase. Marco

I always use USPS.  Never UPS.  They always mess something up.

I've had more trouble with UPS than I care 2 think about--USPS has been "hassle-free" so far

thats terrible ,i would take it further & not let it drop .

QuoteOriginally posted by Reaper TN:
 That tube makes me think about those old American Tourister luggage commercials with the gorillas in them.

I think it was Samsonite, actually.    :p     :knothead:

Big Jim,
That was the point I tried to make in an earlier post on shipping bows. All Tracking will do for you is at best you can see the package was delivered (still does not "prove" the addressee received it). At worst it will track your package up to the last scan prior to the point where it was lost. Does not help very much at that point.
Up until three years ago, I was responsible for settling insurance claims as part of my daily requirements as a Postmaster. I can only remember a very few claims in 25 years that I had problems making payment on. Sometimes people would basically throw  fragile stuff in a box, with very little packing and send it off. So sometimes the sender is responsible for his own lack of prep.- not saying this is true of anyone here.

Proving value is a necessary job, because there are people out there who do try to scam the system.  I remember one guy who shipped a bunch of rare coins (registered mail) and then tried to claim the box had been opened and some of the coins taken. The Inspection Service got a list of all the coins- then duplicated the weight of it and discovered there was no way he shipped the amount of coins he said he did.  Getting a value on most items was not that difficult. Maybe it has changed, but we used to be able to accept a picture from a catalog of the same item with retail price listed as proof, for instance. Or have a dealer write up an estimate of value. It's just another case of a few bad apples spoiling it for everyone.

I still think USPS is the best way to go. I have received two bows in the mail, one from Shrew, and one from Tippit; both were fine.

I would never ship anything valuable and breakable with UPS or Fedex, period!
I worked for them both at one time, and honestly believe their only concern is with moving as much as possible, as fast as possible.
Both companies load trailers floor to ceiling as fast as they can and pack as tight as they can. They tell you it is to prevent shifting and damage to packages, but it causes more damage than it prevents. They time employees as they load and unload trailers, and push them to move as fast as possible. This in it self causes a lot of damage to packages.

USPS on the other hand is not nearly as rough on your package. My experience with USPS has been almost flawless. Never had a damaged package, and have only once had one take longer than expected to arrive at its destination. And that was due to a hurricane!

USPS Priority Insured is the only way to go.  Bows should be bubble wrapped in a PVC or carpet tube.  UPS is SLOW and they just leave stuff on the porch. I have had several bows sent by USPS and got them within 2 days.

I've shipped dozen's and received many bows that were just wrapped up in paper and put in a cardboard box. If you ever get a bow from Craig at Howard Hill archery that's how he ships them and he probable ships a few more than me. I usually use USPS......stabow

.... I shipped a flint knife and six flint tipped primitive arrows I made using UPS.. The box never made it. I had it returned back  to me a month later with the box and contents ... CRUSHED" It was in a arrow box well packed.. UPS said I didn't box it right ...Hmmmmm ??? ARROW box for ARROWS.. Well the crushed box had tire tracks on it ..."yes ...tire tracks" I guess I needed to ship it in a cast iron case...lol !!

They basicly told me ..."STICK IT"  never got anything  ..?

There is no way that the pcv should have been damaged that bad. That had to be intentional.

Geez !! That's BAD, Carpet tubes, bubble wrap and USPS for me, 30 Bows later can't be wrong ,, Knock on Wood !!!

With UPS I just figure the better you pack it the harder they handle it. It becomes a challenge.

that would sure turn my stomach,  i would get a written repair estimate from Craig @ Howard Hill and file a claim with the UPS.

USPS is the only way to go.Is that tube thin wall pvc or schedule 40.

Both of my Blacktail bows from Norm Johnson were shipped USPS Priority Mail and no problems. I've also sold two trad bows to two Trad Gang members and shipped by USPS Priority Mail and and they arrived with no problems.

I only use usps when I ship. I have had ups open boxes shipped to me and did not even retape.

I've driven over that type of PVC with a farm tractor and it doesn't break. Someone hit that with a bat or something.  

That's amazing, how they could be that hard on PVC I can't imagine.

The breakage to that PVC tube had to be deliberate.

I've had PVC tubes busted by USPS too.  It's tough to do but remember the size of the equipment they use and the unusual and awkward shape of our packaged bows.  Get that sucker sideways one the front of a pallet and drive it around on a forklift  :)   Hell I can run into things with a 48x40" pallet alone  :)

That being said, an honorable person stands and admits to his mistakes.  So should an honorable company.

I have always had good luck with USPS.  Never any problems, that is all I use anymore.  The only problem I have had with UPS is the drop off.  I live out in the sticks. Maybe they just get annoyed at my 1.5 mile dirt driveway, but I have had many a package dropped off by my porch and one time leaned against my wifes' car.  No nock, no horn, nothing.  I just happed to walk outside and noice the corner of a package against the rear bumper of my wifes car.  She could have backed over it without seeing it.  Just careless.  

I live in an area where most folks know each other.  My USPS lady, calls me to tell my I have another bow and then drops it off IN MY HANDS.  How is that for service?  USPS all the way now.

I guess we are all lucky it doesnt happen more.

That's insane...you know what kind of force it takes to break PVC..and how did the limb not get snapped off in the process?Imagine if that box was cardboard?  :eek:  

Yet folks still ship one piece bows in Cardboard boxes..  :nono:

Sad.