Claims experience of damaged UPS shipment

[David_Senesac]

During the recent Christmas period, one of my print shipments was damaged during the UPS shipment. There have always been some horror stories of we photographers dealing with reimbursement of claims from the various shipping companies so I thought it would be of some worth to share my current experience here with others. Having to absorb the full cost of a damaged shipment without insurance reimbursement is certainly painful considering the meager profits most of us reap from our work.

A customer for a fine art print on the East Coast received a UPS ground shipped package within the usual time frame and immediately noted the damage to the container as received. I go to some length on my website alerting my customers what they ought to do when receiving a package showing physical damage. Additionally I have a custom label on my packages that advises customers to not accept damaged packages when the UPS delivery person come by so they can initiate a return to shipper process immediately. In this case the recipient business was not in position to immediately turn the package around because of their daily volume of packages received. Per my website instructions upon inspection, they did promptly contact me via email and attached a digital camera image of that damage. The next day the damaged package was returned to UPS for shipment back to the actual shipper Staples that is responsible for initiating the claims process including collection of information.

Upon return of the damaged package, I began working through Staples which is one of several national companies that have official UPS outlets within their retail stores. Thus a claim number was created for the UPS tracking number. Staples has a national claims office that works directly with UPS over shipping damage claims so that I didn't need to personally communicate with UPS. A week later, I have received status that UPS approved the modest insurance reimbursement and I will be receiving a check within a couple weeks. All individuals I communicated with on this matter have been quite helpful and professional thus I can happily applaud their handling of this small case.

This was the first time damage has occurred during any shipment of prints to my customers. Something I'd hoped never to have to deal with but knew would likely eventually occur. In this case I use 36 inch long 4 inch diameter, 1.25 pound, white Uline shipping tubes to ship rolled Fuji Crystal Archive prints.

http://www.uline.com/ProductDetail.asp?model=S-2361&ref=3654

The shipping tube is more robust with heavy 0.08 inch thick spiral paper than usual tube containers. And I choose the larger diameter tubes so that my prints won't need to be rolled quite so tightly. Regardless these containers can be crushed inwardly if other heavy containers are atop them. Such occasionally occurs at UPS receiving warehouses when their automated ship movement conveyors become over clogged. For my fine art print business model, I have chose not to ship matted or framed prints but rather rolled prints in shipping tubes. Thus allow the customer to seek out the many framing businesses that in any case are likely to do a much better job than most of we photographers. Of course shipping framed prints, and especially those with glass, require considerably more effort with packaging, and are inherently more likely to suffer damage. Something I had done in previous days a decade and more ago. Additionally the raw cost of even a 32x40 inch print is considerable less than a matted or framed print such that in my case the cost is under the $100 basic default insurance offered by UPS for all their shipments. Thus no need to purchase an additional insurance fee. Finally I'll note that there is an advantage when dealing with damage claims through one of the UPS authorized shippers as Staple or The UPS Store versus delivering a package via the many UPS non authorized outlets.

...David

[roteague]

Thanks for passing this along David.

Have you seen how West Coast Imaging ships their large prints? The prints are put into a sleve, backed by a protective paper. This is then rolled around an inner cardboard tube, with bubble wrap over it. This is then placed into a large square box. Costly to prepare for shipping, but very safe.

[Michael Gordon]

I recommend Ox Tubes http://www.oxpapertube.com/

Those glossy white tubes tend to be whimpy. Damaging an OxTube requires some effort.

[David_Senesac]

I recommend Ox Tubes http://www.oxpapertube.com/

Those glossy white tubes tend to be whimpy. Damaging an OxTube requires some effort.

Thanks Michael, I checked out your link. Although the Uline tubes I use are more robust than a number of other mailing tubes I've seen, I'd be quick to get something even more sturdy as long as price and weight remains comparable. Noted the wall thickness for a similar 36 inch long 4 inch diameter tube is 0.15 inches thick versus the 0.08 inches of Uline tubes. Given the similar spiral wound construction, I have to believe that results in more integrity. And the price is still under $3. Thus I will likely check out some samples as soon as my current stock diminishes. ...David

[QT Luong]

Having to absorb the full cost of a damaged shipment without insurance reimbursement is certainly painful considering the meager profits most of us reap from our work.


Maybe time to re-evaluate your print prices ? I can tell you that I don't even raise an eyebrow when I have to reship a print, considering how tiny material costs are compared to the print price. Nowadays, I woudn't even bother to make any claim.

I'd agree with Rob's suggestion. Personally I never considered rolling a print inside a tube a proper form of packaging for anything other than posters.

[Scott Davis]

You are extremely fortunate to have had such a smooth experience dealing with a UPS claim. I had a horror story that I won't go into at length here, but the Readers Digest version was that it took me six months to get paid for my claim, after enduring stonewalling and outright physical intimidation. I will bend over backwards and willingly spend double or more the shipping cost to get something delivered by any other means than UPS. I wouldn't trust them to safely deliver rancid fish to my worst enemy.

[Eric Woodbury]

Sound like you were lucky. I know a photographer that ships photographs almost daily and now only with FedX. He's told me that if you read the fine print with any carrier, you cannot make a claim for damaged artwork, photographs, etc. FedX allows a $100 claim only against said goods. They will all take your money, but in his experience only the feds would pay up and only $100.

He successfully ships his prints in rolled and padded in a very hard tube. He showed me wooden flat crates and metal sided flat crates that he had shipped mounted prints in. The damage was amazing. Big holes and dents.

[linuxpng]

I know a borderline rant is not really helpful, but I would avoid UPS whenever possible. I've had items shipped from adorama and bh that looked like they put my film box below a TV they were carrying.

They have the worst customer service, and if your package requires a signature in person... there's no waiver you can fill out. Guess why that is? It's probably the same reason they have metal detectors on the way out (only on the way out) of their facility. How do I know about the metal detectors? You tend to notice things when you are waiting 45minutes to an hour waiting for them to go grab your box out of the warehouse because of said signature requirement.

Yeah, I'm bitter. In my opinion DHL is the best carrier followed by FedEx.

[David Spivak-Focus Magazine]

...David

In my opinion that's because you're dealing with UPS and not FedEx. I've heard horror stories about FedEx only and never about UPS when shipping art.

[Joe S]

I have to agree, I havent shipped photographs but many other items. I have found DHL to be the best followed by FedEx with UPS being a far and very distant 3rd when it comes to a package arriving in safe condition, and yes I have had UPS show up at my door and drop a package that requires a signature and try to leave, I always catch them and note damages to packages, its as if they dont want you to note that so they dont have to pay out on the item.

[Carlos R Herrera]

Sound like you were lucky. I know a photographer that ships photographs almost daily and now only with FedX. He's told me that if you read the fine print with any carrier, you cannot make a claim for damaged artwork, photographs, etc. FedX allows a $100 claim only against said goods. They will all take your money, but in his experience only the feds would pay up and only $100.


No, that's incorrect. Every gallery uses the main two (UPS and FedEX). Works by Ansel, the Westons, etc are considered "antiques" and as such any claim maxes out at $100. The idea is that the gallery cannot simply go out and get a NEW replacement like you could with a Burkett, Caponigro, or a Charlie Cramer. If a $5,000 Burkett print gets damaged and it was insured fully, both carriers will honor the replacement cost for a new print WHATEVER that may be ($2,500, $3,000, etc). Of course, anything under $100 is an automatic refund, but anything over might/could trigger a UPS inspection on that box or tube as the case may be. Most galleries dealing with "antiques" have private insurance covering what UPS/FedEX won't.

I shipped an estimated 15,000 packages in 10 years. It pays to have an ACCOUNT with UPS, that way in case something ever goes wrong, you can speak with your account rep. 10 years with 3 problems total; one lost during shipment, 2 damages.

Posters were always shipped rolled in 4x30" tubes with .80 thickness. If you can squeeze the tube with your hand, then it's not good enough. Posters were not allowed to expand inside the tube. They were rolled somewhat tight inside a plastic sleeve and taped. A wad of bubble wrap on the bottom, poster, and then another wad of bubble wrap on top. 30x40 photographs on the other end of the scale were automatic wooden crates. Ansel's were always 2nd Day Air minimum. Anything in between was shipped mounted and overmatted as is custom. 11x14 images, for example, were shipped with 16x20 cardboard pads (3-4 on top, 3-4 on the bottom) in a custom box. 30x40 wooden crates were shipped through FedEX as their cost for oversize packages was better than UPS, plus their size max was a bit higher. I have a feeling that DHL probably has better oversize rates than UPS now as well.

Framed prints are shipped with plexi, NOT GLASS. You're just asking for trouble there.

You can't prevent everything, but shipping falls into customer service. Your customer shouldn't have to deal with some BS because you skimped on your shipping materials. Those that have problems with UPS or FedEX, often do so because they don't have a clue. The UPS claim form is two pages that they fax to you with a bar code on top. One is a cover sheet, The other you fill out with your replacement costs. Takes two minutes. You attach a copy of your original shipping manifest record and some proof of replacement cost. Fax it back them. That's it. Nothing to it. How hard can this be? Six months for a claim as someone here stated? Wow...

Typically UPS or FedEX will deal directly with the shipper, in this case Staples. Things may have changed within the last few years, but that means that they issue a check to Staples and Staples in turn refunds their client.

If you don't want an account with UPS or your package numbers are low, get to know the local UPS center people or EVEN BETTER your regular driver and ask them about the best way FOR YOU to ship your prints. They all have published guidelines but often those are overkill. Keep in mind that UPS drivers are VERY well paid and not non-union/minimum wage FedEX, RPS, DHL people. Can't make blanket statements, but the Center I dealt with took pride in what they were doing because they were in it for the long haul. Sad to say, but there are some Centers and drivers that suck ass, especially the temp drivers covering someone else's route.

Authorized UPS outlets like MBE/UPS Store and Staples overcharge a couple of bucks as a regular thing. If possible, I would advise going directly to the UPS Center and pay the TRUE rates.

Work smarter, not harder....

CH

[roteague]

You can't prevent everything, but shipping falls into customer service. Your customer shouldn't have to deal with some BS because you skimped on your shipping materials. Those that have problems with UPS or FedEX, often do so because they don't have a clue.

Thank You. This bears repeating.

[David_Senesac]

280hpwrx >>>"...Posters were always shipped rolled in 4x30" tubes with .80 thickness."

I'm guessing that's a typo and you meant 0.08 inch thickness just like my Uline shipping tubes.

280hpwrx >>>"...Authorized UPS outlets like MBE/UPS Store and Staples overcharge a couple of bucks as a regular thing. If possible, I would advise going directly to the UPS Center and pay the TRUE rates. "

The UPS online site has a shipping cost calculation tool I tend to use because it allows me to calculate correct costs for my invoices before sealing up a package and delivering it to the shipper. The cost is identical to what I receive at Staples. Hence I suspect what your refering to is no longer the case. ...David

[Carlos R Herrera]

I'm guessing that's a typo and you meant 0.08 inch thickness just like my Uline shipping tubes.

Hmm..part of my post didn't make it....too much typing. It shoud ahve read ".150 instead of .080"...I'll edit my original post. We used .150 thick tubes, 4x30 inches.

Super thick and it would take a UPS backing up over the tube to crush it. Those tubes used to cost us roughly $2.50 wholesale plus the caps. We dealt with Confiner/Unisource for packing materials back then. .08 tubes are what you would buy in a store like Staples or OfficeMax. Those are "mailing tubes". Shipping tubes are usually more robust. Packing costs were factored into our shipping charge.

Things may have indeed changed....I would think that complaints about overcharging customers is probably the reason or they contracted for much better rates. They have to make something on each shipment or else they would lose on every shipment. I can say from old experience that the Staples in Sierra Vista AZ and one in Tucson have tried to stick it to me. The small family run outfit here in LA that handles my private mail tries to charge me $4 for 200 bucks of insurance. Knowing full well that the first 100 is automatically free and that every 100 after that is 35 cents, $4 is excessive.

CH

[David_Senesac]

February 26 now and I just picked up a check from Staples for $107 that covers cost of the raw lab cost of the damaged print, a wee bit of gas to and fro, and the Staples UPS shipping fee. Thanks UPS and Staples!