Some of you followed the thread where I gave notice on this board that I was selling a 750
through an eBay listing. An outlaw saw the
notice and ended up making the purchase.

Since then he and I have gone through UPS hell. I shipped him the 750 unopened in the
factory shipping container. I sent it via
Mailboxes Etc. acting as an agent for UPS.

I insured it and sent it via air $125.00

UPS apparently mishandled (read dropped) the
box and more or less scattered the guts of the 750. Now, if you have ever seen how
the OUTLAWS pack these babies you'd know that
they are intended to take a lot of abuse. In fact, the outside of the box showed little or no damage.

The recipient opened the box and immediately noticed that the 750 had been seriously damaged, to the extent that the input jacks had been pulled loose of the rear panel. This was just the immediately apparent damage. Wisely, he chose not to plug it in and risk damage due to shorts, etc. He immediately filed a claim with UPS. They picked it up and immediately denied the claim based on the following:

1. The exterior carton was not badly damaged
2. The carton was not "approved" by UPS as
sufficient packaging.

They are judge and jury on their claims. No recourse is available. I maintain that it is
their business plan to reject any and all claims. Insurance is simply incremental revenue if you reject all claims.

Since UPS ships for the OUTLAW's all the time in the same packaging, it is absurd
to say that the packaging somehow is not
approved. Further, the fact that the packaging withstood their abuse is hardly
evidence that the contents could not be
damaged by dropping the box.

After a series of claims, rejections, and
appeals, Mailboxes Etc. sent the unit to
the OUTLAW's without my knowledge or consent.
Mailboxes ETC. has separate insurance from
UPS. They refuse to consider replacing the
unit. So far I figure I am out at least $500
assuming I someday get the amp back in a more or less repaired condition.

Even though the amp is now at best a
repaired device with questionable future reliability, they take no responsibility.
Further, they did not treat me like a customer, and treated the process as clearly
adversarial.

The OUTLAWs stepped in today and started using their leverage with UPS. It is unclear
if that will have any impact, but it is the
first time in my 55 years that a manufacturer
has ever gone this extra mile to this extent
for me. I am hugely impressed!!!!

Here is the advice portion of the posting

Never send something via UPS unless you can
afford to lose most or all its value without
undue heartburn.

Understand that insurance is interpreted by
UPS and there is no appealing their findings. Insurance does not mean replacement
even if you insure for the full value of the item.

Deal direct with the shipper and don't use
third party shippers like Mailboxes Etc.
However well intentioned, they just cloud the
issues. It only leads to circular finger pointing with ultimately you holding the bag.
Further, they charge a big surcharge for handling the box and add no real value.

USE FEDEX! I have had stellar luck with them
in every way. You pay a small premium which is clearly worth it.

Double box everything you send. .. if it is even a little bit fragile. This won't help with collecting the insurance, but will serve to prevent your needing it.

I am telling everyone I know to avoid both UPS and Mailboxes etc. They have apparently dealt in complete bad faith with me. I have no reason to doubt that the same could happen to you.

I have dedicated the next 6 months to mounting an internet campaign of apocolyptic
dimensions. I will be telling everyone I
can touch about UPS and the way I have been
treated.

There is a major difference between an Outlaw and a criminal.

Eddyboy

Let me start by saying UPS and Mailboxes Etc. could take a lesson or two from the Outlaws on customer service. My guess, if they spent 5 minutes in the same room with Mike, Scott and the rest of the Outlaw gang they would at least learn to smile when a customer walks through the door with a problem.

As Eddyboy (now known to me as "friend") has stated, the 750 was shipped in it's original box. The box was in faily good condition upon receipt. Well, that where the good news ends. Upon opening the package I noticed the amp sections with the heat sinks wiggling and thought that seemed odd that they weren't better supported, but I didn't think too much of it at the time. As I inspected the outside appearance of the unit I noticed a bad gash on the bottom of the unit. I checked the box and found a hole at the same spot the gash was. It appeared that something metalic had gone through the box and scraped the bottom.

No big deal I thought because it was not noticeable from the front or sides. Well, while inspecting this gash I noticed little pieces of white plastic in the bottom I could see through the vent holes. At this point I was suspecting internal damage, so I removed the cover and found why the amp sections were wiggling around. This unit had taken one hell of a smack on it's side. Enough so that it had ripped not one or two, but all five of the amp sections from the input jacks. Subsequent rough handling finished off these inputs.

Mailboxes Etc. has shipped the unit to be repaired at Outlaw's manufacturer and I have no doubt that they will do a fine job, but the fact of the matter is, Ed is stuck with a repaired unit (which I still intend to buy), he's out his original purchase price and frieght he paid (less what I'll be paying him), he's out the $150.00 he paid to get it shipped (2nd day air in hopes it would get to me safely) and not to mention the aggravation the shippers (if you can call them that) have caused him.

This is just not right. Not right at all. The unit was shipped in it's original container (UPS sees these from Outlaw all the time), it's marked with arrows and this end up (the unit was obviously dropped on it's side), fragile (had to of been dropped some distance to do that damage)and is obviously heavy to indicate mass to be treated with respect. But NO, we had to throw it from the plane as we flew over Austin.

Anyway. I'm with Ed on this one. If you want it to get there in one piece, you're best to find any other option to using UPS and Mailboxes Etc. And I guess the Insurance is only as good as the paper it is written on.

Outlaws forever. UPS/Mailboxes never again.

Bill in Texas

I would try to take them to small claims court. From what I understand the "little guy" usually wins in these type of cases. There is a good chance they won't even show. Just make sure you have all of your documentation and bring pictures. There's got to be a lawyer in this crowd, right?
Fletch

Sounds like you're not alone:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/delivery/united_parcel_service.htm

"I received my 755 today by UPS. Odered it Monday afternoon (4/1). They weren't kidding when they said it was heavy. This is one heavy S*B. On the down side, all of the staples that were used to close the bottom of the box were "popped", and the box was open. I e-mailed Jarmen, and suggested that in addition to the staples they should tape the shipping boxes for the 755, and 770 closed. I'll be interested to see if they follow through on the suggestion or not. Now all I have to do is get the amp home and see if it is OK. I can't wait. Maybe I'll go ask the boss if I can leave early."
This is a message I posted under the 755 thread. UPS dosen't seem to do too well with very heavy packages. I would not consider them as my first choice to ship one of Outlaws power amps. I hope everything works out for you.

Why am I not surprised when reading these?

Hey Oil Can. If UPS brought it, you may wish to at least shake it to make sure it doesn't rattle. I'd hate to see you bring down the grid in your neighborhood because of internal damage caused by them.

Go ahead and reply and you'll become a Gunslinger.

Bill

I checked out the consumer website. They are even worse than I thought. It is easy to believe that it is their business plan to
deny any and all claims. Insurance is, indeed just incremental income to them. I would strongly encourage the OUTLAWs to formally join a boycott of delivery providors who intentionally, and with prior intent, conduct anti consumer activities such as we see here. I will never use them for any services again even if competing services are more money and/or less convenient. As I see it loss of my stuff is included in the cost of the transaction

Eddyboy

The box 755 was shipped in was open when I received it, they obviously had dropped it, and I checked the contents while the UPS guy watched. There was no appearent damage to the 755, so I had him sign that the packaging was damaged, and that I would file a claim if the unit proved to be inoperable. Luckily it has been two months without problems, but as they say at the end of the pre-fight instructions, "and protect yourself at all times".

UPDATE:

MailBOXES etc sez that they sent the amp
to the OUTLAWs for a repair estimate. They
would pay the fair cost of repairs (they being the sole arbiter of what is fair).

The Outlaws told them that the amp is a write
off and is just not repairable. Sooo..Mailboxes say so sorry, since it is a total write off, they won't pay anything, ZERO, not even what they might have paid if it had been repairable. Small Claims is next.

I also got something from them that is not in the fine print. Their insurance pays ONLY IF THEY PACK THE ITEM. So if you are forced to use them (I still don't recommend it) bring your item opened and pay them their fee to pack it. Then their insurance is binding.

I can't tell why they still accept the insurance money if you pack it yourself since the fine print voids the insurance. Guess they have no rules against incremental income at no risk??!

eddyboy