photoman43

A lot depends on what your insurance will cover. If it covers a new lens, get a new lens and let your insurance co have the old one.

If you have your photo equipment covered under a separate effects policy, that might cover it too.

Damage of $278 does not seem like a lot of money. A new filter can cost $50-100 by itself.

george19

I have a friend who was building a harpsichord from a kit. He was nearby, so I drove an hour to meet him at the factory and got a lesson in stringing a harpsichord. On the bench was a keyboard, and later he told me it was his...a delicate collection of about 1000 carefully arranged pieces of wood and metal.

A while later he emailed me that when he got his keyboard back it was smashed to bits. It took some time, but he finally got the shipping company to say that an elephant sat on it. And no...not making this up.

Beenthere

HEY! it is not our duty to scold this unfortunate person. He trusted a supposed professional who assured him his package would arrive intact. The counter clerk didn't start, or take part in the rugby match that ensued.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

All good advice here. There is plenty of advice I had not thought of. I didn’t think that “boycotting” FedEx on your own accomplishes nothing. You just limit your shopping choices in the future. While an 800-1000 dollars lens has been damaged by someone’s carelessness, this is not a reason to become adversarial. Keeping proper decorum will resolve more issues that having a tantrum and making the resolution harder to achieve.
Please be well and stay safe.

Johnsonbdr

That sounds like our local FedEx people here. Many problems with delivery’s and then on top of that damaged packages from their mishandling.

Good luck

Charlie

trapper1 Loc: Southside Virginia

I have received, over a period of time, seven shipments via FedEx that were clearly marked that a signature was required. Every one of them was simply dumped on my front steps with no attempt by the FedEx driver at getting a signature. I do not ship by FedEx as they do not have an office anywhere nearby and shipping is by drop-box only. It doesn't take a genius to realize that if you drop a shipment off in one of those boxes, you have no proof it was ever shipped if the shipment is never delivered to the addressee.

Jim 100 Loc: Everett, Washington

I am not trying to start any arguments here, just stating personal experiences. I have had bad and good experiences with Fedex and UPS. I have never had a bad experience with USPS.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I worked in the express industry for a number of years. There is a tremendous amount of misunderstanding arund what is involved in shipping, much of it dating back to the sailing ship days. For instance, unless you are shipping through the post office, there is really no such thing as "Insurance" on your shipments. When you pay the "Declared Value" adder, you are buying the right to negotiate for compensation in case of damage to or loss of your shipment. That is a company internal process, NOT protection against loss by a third party, and therefore, NOT insurance. Competent counter personnel will make that clear. I find that many now do not know the difference and inaccurately refer to what you are buying as "insurance."

Also...the rules around shipping are defined in multipage documents called "Tariffs." They are very complex. very detailed, and very biased in favor of the shipping company. Shipping is actually a "best effort" undertaking. If you approach it as anything different from that, you are being very naive.

Express companies handle many millions of packages a day. The vast majority get where they are going just fine. Most customers end up very happy. The shipping companies rely heavily on that. But a few don't. You need to be prepared for that eventuality before you ever tender your package at the counter. Because when something goes wrong, some shippers will receive compensation and satisfaction. Others will not. If you are not prepared for that possibility, then you should probably just carry your package where it needs to go. I make no claim that this is the way that things really should be. But it is how things are. Be ready for it. It is why the company that I worked for did not accept over the counter shipments from individual customers for many years.

manofhg Loc: Knoxville, TN

I matted and framed a picture I had taken, carefully packaged it and sent it from East TN to a friend in Maryland. I used FedEx and had it insured for the amount of materials and shipping costs. I notified my friend it was coming. FedEx showed it had been delivered. My friend said that it had not and his neighborhood is in a rural area and doesn't typically have package theft. He checked the area and asked neighbors, but no package. I contacted FedEx who rechecked and again said it was delivered and refused to refund or do anything. What I didn't do and should have is require a receipt signature. I sent the package again through USPS with signature required. This time it arrived.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

I truly hope that FedEx will make everything right.

Please Be Well and Stay Safe.

RichJ207 Loc: Sammamish, WA

On the receiving end, I specify UPS. They add the requirement on my profile that my signature is required on every delivery. They have followed that requirement for years on every package since I added it to my profile. When I asked FedEx to do the same thing, I was informed that the FedEx business that delivers is a locally owned franchise and they refused to require a signature on every delivery. I would never use FedEx for that reason alone.

TV714

Just my two cents here. How many times have you opened a package to find one air pillow inside the box along with the item being shipped? A box has six sides to it. Putting one air pillow inside only keeps the item from jostling around inside the box, it does nothing to protect it from shock on the other five sides. To be properly protected, there should be cushioning on the bottom, all four sides, and on top as well. It won't protect it from being run over by a truck but it will help on those dropped passes when your package is being tossed like a football. Also, I'm not sure solid foam gives an item much cushioning.

cejonesjr Loc: Norman, Oklahoma

Years ago, I sent a large, framed photo to my daughter for Christmas using Fed-X. It arrived in shambles. We had stuck all kinds of fragile signs and this side up signs on the package. It was well packaged with bubble wrap which was placed inside the Styrofoam peanuts. I had insured it for $1,000 just to make them pay if they damaged it. It paid for a new print of the image, custom frame and museum glass. I've had great service with UPS.

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

Keep us informed when all is done and over.

sabrejet

I would like to hear if you get anything out of them.