Guess it had to happen eventually...frame I shipped damaged in shipping

[Frank]

I shipped a frame to a fellow I had done business with before via FedEx Home Delivery. He e-mailed me after receiving and unpacking the frame at his home Wednesday, January 11, to say the left seat stay was dented in as if it had taken a significant blow from a heavy object. There was no damage to the 1" foam pipe insulation, but was a small hole in the side of the bike box where the stay would have been located.

I sent an on-line claim to FedEx that Wednesday evening. I then called them and they gave me a pick-up number, saying they would pick up the package from the buyer the next day.

The next day, Thursday January 12, I faxed FedEx hard copies of the claim, FedEx shipping pick-up record, proof of value of the frame, and additional shipping information. FedEx picked up the frame at the buyer's home (buyer was very helpful in getting the frame back in the box just as he received it) that day, just as they said they would.

Today, Monday January 16, I received an e-mail from FedEx Claim Service indicating they were settling the claim with me for the sale price of the frame and fork, albeit only their actual shipping cost. They don't reimburse for packing time or materials, eBay or PayPal fees, etc.

I am not what they do with the frame since they paid it in full rather than making an adjustment on it. I imagine their letter that is said to be coming with the refund check will explain that.

My experience with FedEx on shipping had been, to this point, perfect. I have never had any of my many shipped frames arrive late or damaged in any way. My opinion of FedEx after this claim is not diminished one bit. Their on-line claim service was easy to follow, their response to the claim was quick, and the settlement was fair.

I understand damage can occur during shipping from any number of sources, which is why I pack the frames I ship as carefully as I do. That said, I am not sure any packing method could ever 100% guarantee no possibility of damage under any circumstances. All I can do is pack the frames to the best of my ability and expect the shipper to do the best they can to safely deliver them. In the rare occasion they fall short of undamaged delivery, a response such as I received from FedEx on this claim makes the situation almost pleasant, especially in light of the stories I have read about unpaid claims and uncooperative shippers.

I have refunded the buyer his entire purchase price, and am glad to have had this claim go as professionally and quickly as it did. I wish the frame had arrived safely but, since it didn't, the way FedEx dealt with me certainly made the negative situation a positive one in my mind.

[shinomaster]

I ship a lot of art glass and ceramics from the gallery I work at. We double box everything and use lots of styrafoam pellets. In my experience things break or boxes get crushed because they are not filled with enough packing material, be it newspaper or whatever. The boxes should be buldging with packing material so nothing can move in the box and so the box is extra stiff and supported from the inside.
I worked in a shop and know that frames and wheels are not packed this way. THey rely on the strength of the wheel and frame to keep the box in tact.
When I got my frame back from serotta I was impressed by how well it was packed. Bubble wrap and card board wrapped all over the frame and fork and then that slid snugly into a sturdy frame box.
I'm glad Fed Ex was good about covering your claim. Sometimes they just screw up no matter how well something is packed.

[Frank]

I happened to take pics of the Pinarello I recently sold and shipped. I packed it this past weekend and thought of taking pics after I found out last week the Rossin was damaged in transit.

Pics aren't loading in the forum for me right now (the old partial attachment message again) but I will post them when I can.

Frame and fork get wrapped in 1" pipe insulation. If the bike box is full size and I am not going to cut it down and take the fork off the bike, it looks like this all wrapped up. Dropout protectors front and rear, as well as additional bubble wrap on the bottom bracket shell, seat tube opening, and rear dropouts.

I put a layer of some sort of protection (bubble wrap, heavy weight plastic, etc.) at the bottom of the bike box.

I use discarded padding from a local furniture store big furniture comes wrapped in. I set this padding inside the bike box, and then set the pipe-insulated frame and fork inside the bike box.

I put styrofoam pieces (also free from the furniture store) at the ends of the bike box to protect the frame and fork from movement or blows to the ends of the box. If I have it and it will fit without making the box too wide for shipping, I place a cardboard sheet on each side of the frame also.

I fill the box up with heavy sheet plastic (free from mattress store), styrofoam, paper, etc.

I put styrofoam strips on top of the frame and fork inside the bike box before sealing it with heavy duty tape.

I do all that I can to protect the bike, and until this incident could say I have never had one damaged. So much for a perfect record :rolleyes:

[shinomaster]

Sometimes they drive over boxes....Sounds like it WAS all their fault! :beer:

[CNY rider]

Bummer on the Rossin. I sort of guessed that might have been the one.

It's great you got reimbursed, but too bad that frame met an early demise.