Shipping Exception - Damaged in Transit

I just had a damaged exception as well this week but they are still delivering my box to the recipient...curious to hear what the deal is when my buddy gets it today.

 

Do I call or wait. That is the question. Exception occurred today.

 

Sometimes you get the exception alert over it not making it onto the truck that day, have that happen a lot coming out of Chicago

 

Damaged, they didn't explain why. Just filed a claim, we'll see. Said it was homeade vinegar and juice. Had to somehow explain the red, syrupy, sticky stuff

 

My buddy got the package today...out of the 10 beers I sent only 4 made it to him. No way 6 of them broke with the way I packed it so my guess is one broke and then someone helped themselves to the ones they wanted. Odd that it was the "rarest" beers that didn't make it to my friend.

Oh well that's the game

 

Did you have the bottles sealed in bags? Stops from having to explain liquids coming out of the box. I put everything in a plastic bag then plastic wrap it so you have nice waterproof seal.

 

Yes...everything was bubble wrapped and then sealed in it's own individual zip loc bag. You could have dropped the box off the second story of a house and it would have been fine. I suppose it's possible it got punctured by a forklift but the way I had it packed I have trouble believing 6/10 beers broke.

 

Sorry mps, I was talking about patdunkel with that post

 

Not only do you want to put each bottle in its own ziploc bag, but you want to line the box with a contractors grade garbage bag before packing it. Resists punctures and catches leaks. This way, the only person opening that box is your trade partner.

 

^^^ Punctures from broken glass, not a forklift.

 

I know this post is a old one, but it hit home to me I just got a alert for damaged and returned. Funny thing is I live 30 minutes away and they wont let me come pick it up lol

 

About a year and a half ago, I started opting for UPS instead of FedEx. Assuming that all the issues mentioned in this thread are with FedEx, I'm so glad I made the switch.

 

My new favorite shipping method:

http://m.uline.com/mt/www.uline.com/BL_3653/Kraft-Tubes

Cut tube to bottle length + a couple inches, pack one bottle per tube, and then box up tubes. The really thick ones make cardboard seem like paper.

 

From experience and reading up on these occurrences, FedEx will likely repack a damage shipment and return or deliver. UPS will ALWAYS discard a damaged beer shipment that is not properly declared. Most people use FedEx because of better rates too, that's why you hear more problems from people shipping FedEx.

 

I'm glad you explained that. I was wondering myself.

 

I've received a shipment from Fed Ex that was completely repackaged and missing a bottle (the assumption is it broke, but we'll never know for sure), and I've received two shipments from UPS that were soaked through with beer. No comments/exceptions were brought up in any of the instances.

I think in a lot of cases it just comes down to the particular employee/delivery person who handles the box. Some are sticklers, and others just want to finish the day and get home to some beer of their own.

 

That's good to hear. I had a UPS box made it to the door of my trade partner and the driver noticed that it was wet. My partner begged for the box, but driver absolutely refused.

 

That would be incredibly frustrating. So close yet so far away. To further clarify, the driver brought it to my attention in one of the cases, but just in a "do you want this, or should I take it back" kind of way, no concern at all about the contents of the box, just their condition. The two main trade bottles were shattered, but on the plus side, the extras came through fine.

 

The worst part of it was...it was my FIRST trade ever! Hahahaha

 

Trial by fire. The trading gods were just making sure you had the requisite fortitude to stick with this ridiculous hobby .