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Quick - will Fedex, UPS etc competently pack large speakers?

R

riker1384

Active Member
I have an opportunity to buy a pair of speakers I really want, but they're in another state and the owner doesn't have the original boxes to ship them in. So, that means I'm going to have to pay for them to be shipped and for the shipper to back them. The speakers are modern tall, narrow, deep towers, 45 inches high and about 60 pounds each.

I think it's best to let the shipper pack them so that they will be responsible for damage and because this seller is not an experienced seller. (It's actually a Craigslist sale in another area.)

Are the typical shipping places going to be able to do this in a way that will properly protect the speakers? This is going to require styrofoam cut to fit the speakers, or something like that. I was thinking of going with FedEx because the UPS Store has been exorbitantly expensive in my experience. Can they do it? And how much is packing going to cost?
 
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I checked with fedex once for an 80 pound amp.
They said "no problem".
About $20 packing fee.
We ended up not doing it so I have no idea how well it would have worked.
I've had large speakers shipped by fedex and the packing was by the owner and it was good enough. fedex did stab the box with a forklift, but then no one can pack for that!

FWIW, fedex does have good size boxes and probably would do a decent job. Insurance is a must though...forklifts and all...
 
For speakers that size and weight I'd look for another alternative. I think there are trucking companies that specialize in this type of thing and can even palletize the speakers for you. I'm sure someone will chime in with the name of one of these specialized movers.
 
You can save money, or you can have the speakers arrive safely. Pretty much your choices, IMHO. I would not trust either UPS nor Fedex to do a competent job.

If it were me, I'd either get in the car and drive, or I'd look into other methods. Possibly an AKer can help you out.
 
I'd try and find a willing AKer to do it. I did the same thing once, had a guy ship me components from a pair of L80t3s. Didn't turn out all that great.

AKers often know how to box and ship very well. I suppose the shipping company does as well though.
 
Driving is not an option, it's a thousand miles away.

Any AKers in Eau Claire, WI? But really, I think my chances of collecting insurance are greater if the shipping company packs them.

I'm going to call the local FedEx there and ask them what they think.
 
If you have Fedex or UPS pack the speakers for you, then your damage claim will fly right through. Even if your packaging is good enough to survive the Samsonite Gorilla, your damage claim could get rejected and you will be left holding the bag. Keep in mind that Fedex has a 70 pound limit for delivery to home addresses.
 
I've been told that Greyhound is a good option for big, heavy items. I don't know if they pack though.
 
riker1384 said:
Driving is not an option, it's a thousand miles away.

Any AKers in Eau Claire, WI? But really, I think my chances of collecting insurance are greater if the shipping company packs them.

I'm going to call the local FedEx there and ask them what they think.
Click to expand...

Is the goal to get the speakers or a check? Take a bit to read the Packing and Shipping forum and read all the horror stories. Proper packing is an art form and a labor of love and takes far more involvement than any company (or most individuals) will commit to.

I've shipped large and heavy items with 100% success, but I pack to survive re-entry. It's expensive to buy enough proper packing material to ship something large and heavy. I doubt Fedex is going to send somebody to Home Depot to buy a few sheets of 2" styrofoam and EPP foam for cushions. They are going to wrap some bubble wrap around the speakers and put them in a box. They aren't going to pack the grills separately.

Save yourself the trouble, find some speakers close enough to pick up.
 
These are tower speakers to upgrade the fronts of my surround system from bookshelves. I'm unlikely to find these locally. I've been watching for a year.
 
SoCal Sam said:
Call up UPS or Fedex and get a definitive answer.
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The 'definitive answer' will be "Sure, we can do it, bring 'em on by!" Unfortunately, when a pimple-faced teenage UPS or Fedex cashier tells you that, you're not getting expert advice. If people want to believe they are getting expert advice, that's up to them. IMHO, they'll always tell you 'yes' and they'll always make a serious mess of it. But hey, they're not MY speakers. I wish the OP the best of luck, I know this is not a fun situation.
 
Wigwam Jones said:
The 'definitive answer' will be "Sure, we can do it, bring 'em on by!" Unfortunately, when a pimple-faced teenage UPS or Fedex cashier tells you that, you're not getting expert advice. If people want to believe they are getting expert advice, that's up to them. IMHO, they'll always tell you 'yes' and they'll always make a serious mess of it. But hey, they're not MY speakers. I wish the OP the best of luck, I know this is not a fun situation.
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True. However, paying the carrier to pack the item means the inevitable damage claim will be a slam dunk. Think of this as added insurance. And true, I suspect the "pimple-face teenage" workers (you were young once, weren't you?) will not pack as well as most of us.
 
SoCal Sam said:
And true, I suspect the "pimple-face teenage" workers (you were young once, weren't you?) will not pack as well as most of us.
Click to expand...

Yes, I was young once. And no different from those worthies, which is to say stupid, lazy, and incompetent. I got better, and they may as well, but not on my dime, says I.
 
I've shipped dozens of speakers and would say "no".
Packing big heavy things is an art and regardless of what they say, I wouldn't believe them.

Unless you can find a guardian angel, I would look elsewhere as I doubt either the seller or an agent will pack these speakers properly.
 
The can't pack a mid-sized receiver so that it arrives safely, so I'm damn sure I wouldn't trust them with a pair of speakers of that size.
 
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