my new(to me) speaker debaucle

[jayman_1975]

I recently found a decent deal on some Monitor Audio gold GS 60 and a matching center channel so after some dealing on them and coming to an agreement i sent payment and held my breath.

After reading about Mole's nightmare with UPS i made sure the deal was made with shipping via Fedex. The seller did not want to get a pre-quote for shipping so he just guessed and the price was set for shipping included. He would have preferred to use UPS but was willing to go with Fedex even though he had never used them before. The speakers were in MS and were to be shipped to me in Saskatchewan Canada. Get some popcorn and check this out. These are emails from this guy on the first day of "attempted" shipping and then the second day of successful shipment.


Sent Aug 30
"Your speakers are freaking killing me!!! I took them this morning to Kinkos-Fed-EX,only to have them tell me that they do not do international ground. This is of course, after all four boxes had been lugged into the store by me, myself, and I with the aide of my trusty dolly-hand truck. So, me and my crew of me had to load the speakers back up, to be shipped out tomorrow at the real Fed-Ex which opens at 7:00 am Central time. I will shoot you the tracking number when I get it.

Sent Aug 31 (i just about fell off my chair reading this next one)
"First, this story does have a happy ending for you.
Second, I started my epic battle to get your speakers shipped to you via Fed-Ex. on Sunday 08-30-10, I lost this battle, as you cannot ship out of the US using ground at the Kinko's-Fed-EX, even though I was told by Kinko'sFE that you could.
So, I reload( taking all proper care, etc,LOL) the speakers by in my SUV. THe Kinko's dude stated that the Fed-EX terminal opens at 7:00 am. I get their with the speakers at 6:55, and wonder of wonders, they do not open until 8:30am.
So, I am back at 8:30, but Fed-Ex tells me you cannot do INT. Ground, unless you open up a account with fed-ex. BTW, the speakers are inside the fed-ex store at this point. Fed-Ex tells me that you must open this account elsewhere, as you cannot do that on site.
So, I leave the speakers with them, and I go home to open up a account, no luck, could not get it to go through.
So, I call Kinko's, and they say you can do it there.
So, I go to Kinko's, and to make a long story short, It took four employees and MGR to get the account set up. However, I had to go back to the fed-ex site where the speakers were, and get measurements. I did, and I go back to Kinko's. After all of this, It is the manager and I, being besieged by seemingly insurmountable obstacles. After, talking with 12 different fed-ex cust. SERV. reps, the MGR finally gets four labels printed. Yet, they all have the same tracking number, which the mgr says is wrong. We never get this totally resolved, but we end up with a another form, and being told to go back to fed-ex.
So, I am off again for my fourth trip to FE, and wonder of wonders, I am told you cannot do what Kinko's told me to do. So, we talk to Kinko's, and finally, start to make some progress, after Fed-Ex calls Kinkos twice, and their on-line help number with kicking that up to the supervisory level. They have finally been shipped to you, at 11:45am.

I now have a few things to say about the whole Fed-Ex process. First, !@#$@#@#%@%@#%!@%!%!@#%%%%@#%!@#%@%@%@%@%!@%!@%@%@ %@%$%!#$%#%^$%^%^!#$^!#$%!%!$%!%!#$%!#$%!!#$%!#$%! #$%!#$%!#%!#$%!#%!#$^.

and Second, !@%!@#%@#%!@#%!#%!%!@#%!@%!%!@#%!@%!@#%!@#%!%!#%!# $%!#$%^%!#%!~@$%!$%!$%!$%!#$%!#$%!#$%!#%!#%!#%!@#% !#%!#%!#%!#%!#$%!#$%!#$%!%!#$%#$%#$%!#$%!#%!#$%!#$ %!#$%!#$%!.

So, having succeeded in what I set out to do, albeit, at such a hard fought process, the Tracking numbers are: "deleted"

Now, I need to just take a vacation, but this is after I see if I still have a job, since I was supposed to be at work at 8:00 am.

After being floored by the shipping costs, and steam rolled by the whole Fed-EX process, you pretty much got the center channel for free."



OMG!! I felt pretty bad for this dude after reading this. I am surprised he didn't pull the plug when he realized what a headache this was turning into. Anyways... it doesnt end there.

I use the tracking numbers to track it all the way up to Grand Forks ND on Sept 3 and then there is a "crossing delay" I watch patiently every day expecting one day i'll check and they will be back in transit. Yesterday (Sept 9) they still haven't moved so i decide something is wrong and i better look into this. I sent an email to Fedex customer service and after they direct it to the right person they get back to me and tell me that they don't have any Canada Customs documents needed to process the clearance. WTF? They send me forms i must fill out and fax in within 5 days or they will send my speakers back to the shipper. Unfreakinbelievable.

So now that UPS AND Fedex are off the list, who the heck can a guy use now?

[cheif pontiac]

I would suggest not to do International buying on such items. Wait until you are hit with customs, duties and brokerage fees. USPS is really the most economical and easiest way to do international, of course they will only take packages up to 70 pounds.

FedEx is still the way to go over UPS. UPS only cares about very large high volume shippers. They do not care much about the package only getting it there. I cannot believe the condition of boxes I see on almost a daily basis from UPS. I ship and receive daily FedEx will take an extra day domestic but the boxes are typically in better shape.

I can't even imagine what shipping charges were on those packages.

[BeefJerky]

I think it also depends on where you live. Where I live, both DHL and FedEx are quite bad. Neither of them can manage to deliver a package on time. They just give excuses and never improve. In addition, I had an issue where FedEx claimed they delivered a package to my residence, but it never actually was; I never managed to get reimbursed for that one either. Thankfully, it wasn't anything really important.

On the other hand, both UPS and USPS are reliable to my place of residence. They both manage to get my packages here on time; at least 95% of the time. I've also never had any real issues with damaged packaging from either. I've had minor damage, but nothing that would come close to damaging the contents.

[jayman_1975]

well i had once gotten a shipping rate on a pair of medium sized floor standers at $300 from TN up to me. I told this guy about this and he figured his would be roughly the same. I was surprised that he never checked it out first.

I know customs are going to soak me. I was hoping maybe it might be a little cheaper going with Fedex. I got a $300 pair of surround speakers. I had to cut UPS a cheque for $79 for brokerage fees. Ouch. These ones are gonna hurt.... if i get them. If i don't i'm out about 3 large so you can see why i'm holding my breath.

[cheif pontiac]

I'm not sure what brokerage fees FedEx may have. I believe UPS is the worst in Canada. Most USPS makes it into Canada without much extra.

I shipped DHL for a while and had great luck, good rates. I thought they quit operating in the U.S. domestic. they have pulled out of my area. FedEx was on us right away to get the business. They have done a great job.

Good luck with the packages, hope it works out.

[jayman_1975]

I have been getting hit with fees when using USPS lately too. I bought my processor for $1500 and got nailed for $120. But when i bought my Oppo for $1100 i only paid $23, both via UPSP. I'm not sure how they decide how much you have to pay but it sure isn't very consistent.

[mdaudioguy]

I have been getting hit with fees when using USPS lately too. I bought my processor for $1500 and got nailed for $120. But when i bought my Oppo for $1100 i only paid $23, both via UPSP. I'm not sure how they decide how much you have to pay but it sure isn't very consistent.

Uh, size, weight, value (insurance?), and distance? And remember, what a business charges for shipping doesn't always reflect what they actually paid to the shipper - it could be more or less. I'm guessing there was a substantial difference in weight between the two items you mentioned above.

[mdaudioguy]

Oh, and your original post? Yeah, I hate days like that! It seems as if even the business itself doesn't know how it operates.

[jayman_1975]

Both deals i mentioned were with shipping included. Unless one of them somehow stuck me with the shipping fees upon delivery. The weights of both were very close. maybe 15lbs difference.

[Ric5811]

WOW, Justin, that's an ordeal! Good luck! And pics or it didn't happen!

[LeftCoast]

I'm in So Cal and just bought a set of SRT speakers from a guy in Houston. As everyone knows, they are huge! He wanted to throw them in a box with some packing peanuts. I was like..."uh...no no no...that's ok. I'll figure out something...even if I have to go get them."
That's what is happeningl It's gonna cost me to get them back here either way, so I'm going to to Houston, rent a cargo van one way, and drive back and see a few site along the way. I hear New Mexico is scenic, and I've never been to the Grand Canyon either.
I figured, why not use the money it would cost to ship, and make a little trip out of it.
Plus, I'd be personally escorting the speakers back to my my place...No one will take care to get them here in one place, better than myself, right?

[wild-bill]

That sucks Jayman. I hope you get them with no more problems.

I'm in So Cal and just bought a set of SRT speakers from a guy in Houston. As everyone knows, they are huge! He wanted to throw them in a box with some packing peanuts. I was like..."uh...no no no...that's ok. I'll figure out something...even if I have to go get them."
That's what is happeningl It's gonna cost me to get them back here either way, so I'm going to to Houston, rent a cargo van one way, and drive back and see a few site along the way. I hear New Mexico is scenic, and I've never been to the Grand Canyon either.
I figured, why not use the money it would cost to ship, and make a little trip out of it.
Plus, I'd be personally escorting the speakers back to my my place...No one will take care to get them here in one place, better than myself, right?

Left Coast, I live in Houston. If you want a more scenic route, I've always been told I-40 is more scenic than I-10. So that's the way I went to visit my mom in Vegas. It was only 100 miles longer each way. And from Kingman, AZ to Oklahoma City, what was once US 66(Route 66) parallels I-40. You can exit in some of the towns and ride 66 for a short time if you're a 66 buff like I am. Then in OK City you can turn south on I-35 to Dallas.

[LeftCoast]

Oh, right on, wild bill!! Yeah...I was gonna go join AAA for the card then ask them a route back...I will look into the route you suggested. Thanks!

[mdaudioguy]

Oh, right on, wild bill!! Yeah...I was gonna go join AAA for the card then ask them a route back...I will look into the route you suggested. Thanks!

You might want to watch yer step there pardner, takin' directions for an alternate route from a dude named Wild Bill... He may be fixin' to ambush ya' on 66, and ride off with them thar SRTs. ;)

Yeah. :) (I swear, I don't drink.) :)

[LeftCoast]

hahah..

You mean head me off at the pass? lol