Shipping equipment and livestock

[Herefishyfishy]

I used to ship Neon Bar signs, and they are SUPER fragile. Got most to arrive but in the process learned quite a bit about the process. The simplicity of it was explained by a claims rep. "The conveyor belts and sorting gates can't read." Fragile and UP are completely ignored by all the automated sorting equipment which is based on bar codes and machines knocking boxes off a belt into a cart. The few humans handling these boxes follow suit. All items shipped UPS/FedEx/Parcel need to be packed to allow a gorilla to toss it around as that is about what to expect with each and every.

One can pay for special human to human handling such as with rare antiques, but it becomes cost prohibitive.

As to filing insurance claims, it is designed to reject for any and all reasons. Takes skill to get reimbursed. Photos of packaging helps. Documentation of costs. A signature from the shipper at time of drop-off that it was packaged correctly helps.

Double box everything with padding between the boxes.

With all the above, one might be able to compell the shipper to make payment on paid insurance.

 

[noworries]

Well put. I used to breed poison dart frogs and several reptile species and this is very true of the shipping process.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I had a business that involved shipping delicate items framed in glass picture frames. When I was developing shipping methods, my test was to throw the shipping box at a wall from about 10 feet as hard as I could. Not very scientific, but if you don't think your package can survive that, then it probably won't.

 

[Faciosity]

All very true for the most part. However, it's not just the machines, it's also negligent people who can make mistakes. A couple months back, I recieved a box of corals clearly labeled fragile, and when the guy walked up toward my door, he tossed it in the air and pretended to drop it thinking it was funny. I didn't get the joke, and kinda told him off. Dang near pulled an ace ventura with my live animal package.

 

[dogfrog]

I work in the shipping industry any anything not professionaly packed is not going to win in the claim war. Having a UPS center pack it for you takes that denial away or you can go back om them for not packing it right. Pictures,Pictures and more pictures are needed. Any Yes... Monkeys work on the dock and it's all about how much freight you can get in one trailer.

 

[sullest]

I had a friend who used to work for FedEx, he said they stand on boxes =).

 

[dogfrog]

Yes we do stand on them. I had to load a 48 foot trailer high and tight by hand with boom boxes for Sears. In order to get them all the way to the top I had to build steps out of the boxes (tiers) to get them on the top layers. And we crawl ove the freight all the time.