Shipping Information

We will discuss two ways in which you can get in trouble with shipping companies.

1. Sending the package
2. Receiving the package

Sending the Package

Insurance:

Always have insurance on a shipment. All shipping companies offer it. If they don't want to insure it, find another way to ship. Some shipping companies don't keep total control over their freight. They might use an outside carrier such as a commercial airline for air frieght because they don't have enough of their own airplanes. In this case the shipping company might start giving you a harder time about how you pack an expensive item or what markings are on the shipping container. An example might be a Sony HDW-F900 HDCam camcorder in the original box with a discription and maybe an inviting picture on the box. High level tempation for the airline employee who has a second job ripping off merchendise. He/she is not an employee of the shipping company and maybe not even in the same country so the ability to get to the bottom of the theft gets that much harder. These types of boxes I cover with plain brown wrapping paper

Some buyer's companies have internal insurance to cover transportation. This only works if the shipping company is hired by the buyer. Whoever hires the shipper is responsible for the shipment. If a buyer says "Don't bother with shipping insurance, we have our own insurance, get that in writing.

Packing:

Proper packaging is of the utmost importance. A bad packing job is the main culprit in shipping damage. Shipping companies are always looking for a way out of paying the insurance on a damaged shipment and the first thing they look at is how it was packed. If the packing job is sub-standard, the shipping company will refuse to pay the insurance .

Having the original shipping box and packing materials is the best. If that is not available there are companies that specialize in packing items. (Check under Packaging Services in the Yellow Pages). They will usually double box an item for you and the shipping company will pick it up from the packaging house.

If you are determined to pack that valuable piece of equipment yourself here are some tips. These tips are suggestions and by no means are they to be considered the proper way to pack a piece of equipment. (I say this because of the legal repercussions of damaged equipment during shipping if you used the procedures below. They have worked for me but maybe I'm just lucky). To insure proper packing of equipment have the original manufactures box/crate and materials or use a third party packing house suggested above. If a legal challange arises over the packing of equipment you can go after the packaging company.

Make sure the shipping container has no empty space inside when your finished packing. I had one client who shipped a VTR I sold to the buyer. The box he chose was not high enough for the deck to fit so he put it in on an angle and taped up the box. No packing material. Needless to say, the box collapsed during shipping and was in poor shape when it reached the other end. Bubble wrap works well. You can get away with crumpled newspaper, the main point being the walls of the container are supported from collapsing and that there is sufficient material around the equipment to absorb impact when Trucker Joe tosses the container to Trucker Bob when Trucker Bob is watching the secretary walk by or that inadvertant shortcut to the floor from the 12 foot high conveyer belt .

Styrofoam peanuts is not the best packing material. Equipment can shift around in a box packed with styrofoam peanuts and end up against a wall of the container. Now the equipment doesn't have a shock absorbing buffer between it and floor rushing at it at 32 feet per second per second.

Sometimes shipping companies sub-out pickups and deliveries if you are to far from a city center. This is referred to as a Beyond Point . These sub-carriers can be as simple and home town as Joe with a truck. Joe shows up at the door, picks up the package, says see you later and is gone. What documentation do you have that the package was picked up.

A slight turn on this is a larger sub-carrier picks up the equipment, gives you a copy of their waybill. Days later you get a call from the buyer, where is his shippment. You try to track the shippmemt with the main carrier but your waybill is with the sub-carrier. The main carrier can't track the sub-carriers waybill. When the sub-carrier dropped off your package, the main carrier generated a new waybill on their own system but you don't have a copy of this waybill. Oh Oh!

If the item you are selling is of value, take pictures of the equipment before it is packed, during packing and the finished product. When the shipping company says your equipment was poorly packed, you at least have some proof of your packing job.

Receiving the Package:

Please inspect all equipment immediately!!! If your equipment is damaged in any way, keep all packing materials and call Techtraders and the shipping company as soon as possible. Advise us of the damage and the date of delivery.

In case of either visible or concealed damage, we should be notified within twenty-four hours of delivery. Do not destroy or throw out the shipping carton and packing materials until you have determined that no damage has occured.

Failure to comply with the above statements could result in the loss of a damage claim against the freight company. While Techtraders cannot assume liability for shipping damages, we can assist you in the proper filing of a claim. Again, you need to keep all packaging materials until the shipping company inspects the damage.

Although you have a trial period from the time you receive the equipment, you should inspect for shipping damage immediately upon receiving the equipment and if there is any visible damage to the shipping container write "Subject to Inspection" on the release form the driver for the shipping company will get you to sign when they deliver the package.

Below are examples of bad days for buyers

What can be hard about receiving a package. Shipper arrives at the door, you sign for the package, say thanks and life is wonderful. Well as it turns out the box took a flyer off the conveyor belt at the airport and landed flat on its side. No damage to the box but the electronics inside took a thump and cracked the mother-board. You unknowingly take your newest treasure out of the shipping box throwing the packing material and box into the trash to keep the space clear. When you test the unit the next day the curcuit breaker pops.

You call the shipping company to complain that the equipment was damaged in shipping and you want to make an insurance claim. A few days later the shipping company claims adjuster shows up and asks to see the packing materials. You threw it out, oh, that's to bad. We don't have any proof that there was shipping damage, that you didn't drop the equipment yourself and are trying to pull a fast one.

Broker associate of mine buys equipment through me, receives the equipment, looks inside the shipping container, everything looks ok so they take it over to their buyer. Next day this broker gets a call from the buyer. This equipment doesn't work and there is damage to the bottom of the unit. Broker makes an insurance claim to the their shipper. Claims adjuster says, you removed the equipment from where we delivered it. You must have damaged it when you took it to your client. We won't pay.

The best time to notify a shipping company that you intend to file a claim is when they deliver the package. If the container looks like it has been beat up, ask the driver to wait a few minutes while you open the box and examine the equipment. If the container looks ok it is hard to ask the driver to stick around while you have the equipment tested. Do test the equipment as soon as possible, if there is damage, gather your documentation, packing materials and container and take your own pictures. Contact the shipper and the equipment broker right away. They can offer good advice as to what to do next.

Shipping Analog Audio Consoles - Power Amps

This equipment has been shipped a long way and many things can happen as a result. The most common problem is boards inside the unit becoming un-seated. It is best to have a qualified tech inspect the inside of the console before turning it on. It is best to use a variac (variable transformer connected between the console power supply and the source of AC.). Assuming we are talking 120 volts, with the variac start at around 90 volts and the unit should come alive. If there are power supply problems or other problems, it is easier to spot them before failure. Examples would be the output transistors on power amps would get hot before failure.

Carnets - Certificates

These are documents you need if you are traveling abroad with your equipment. The standard Customs document used if you cross international borders with equipment is the ATA Carnet. This permits tempory duty free and tax free temporary import of goods and saves time clearing customs. It is presented when entering a Carnet country (there are 69 of them) with equipment that will be re-exported within twelve months.
When you apply for a Carnet you must supply a general list of everything covered by the Carnet including Model number and serial number.
Check with your insurance company to make sure you are covered for international travel.
There are Processing Fees involved between $200 and $350.
A Surety Bond will probably be required. That is $10 per $1,000 in value of the equipmenrt.
For more informaation check out www.atacarnet.com