UPS

For the very first time - and I've done A LOT of purchases with B&H - I was shocked to see how poorly UPS handled my delivery today. The box was bent, the tape had been torn on one side, and there was a hole. The guy DROPPED it in front of me on the porch. I said - "that's my camera in there!" and he said "Ah - that's gentle. As long as they packed it right..." I'm like WTF?! Are you kidding me?! I've been in live chat with customer service and the sales desk at B&H. They are saying to send it back. What do you think? Should I even bother to open the box? It was free shipping. I am going to contact UPS and tell them what happened and that I'm PO'd with their service. B&H would happily exchange it - but for what... another visit from these idiots? What would you do? I mean, this isn't a small amount of $$ - and God knows we could use the money more than a broken camera and lens right now.

I would send it back...get a new one and hope its in better shape

You say you've done a lot of purchases from them.....maybe this was a one time incident and the one you get 2nd time round will be perfect

If you think that's bad, then you definitely don't want to know how boxes are treated en route. Several of my college classmates worked at UPS during school, and boxes are dropped, thrown, tossed, slammed and just about everything else when in the warehouse.

Since - stupid me - I signed for the damn thing (in shock as the guy was such a jerk and basically ran back to his truck) - UPS will not send it back for free... I am on the phone with them now. But B&H said they will happily exchange it. Perhaps that's the best way to go. Sucks, but whatever. I'm reporting this delivery person, so the box should be REALLY bad next time it arrives.{ So what do I do when I send it back? It's not like I can take pictures of it... they can always claim I did it? Geesh. What a nightmare. Figures.

doctorgonzo wrote in post #7238928
If you think that's bad, then you definitely don't want to know how boxes are treated en route. Several of my college classmates worked at UPS during school, and boxes are dropped, thrown, tossed, slammed and just about everything else when in the warehouse.

Yes, I know. I didn't say it was necessarily this moron who did it. I don't really care who it was - as long as B&H is aware it WASN'T ME.

If the camera looks OK, I'm sure the packaging will stand up to even pretty harsh handling. sure the guy's a jerk - but equally, for sure a lot worse goes on where you can't see it. Really I wouldn't worry. Test the camera, if it works OK then it is OK

Why did you sign for it?

I've received some pretty beat up packages and have yet to experience anything actually breaking. The camera and lens are packed in Styrofoam so they are well cushioned. On top of that B&H should have packed the equipment boxes in bubble wrap as well offering another level of shock absorption. Calling everyone and venting is a good thing to do just to document the event in case there is something broken, but I would open the equipment and check it's condition before returning it.

SkyW wrote in post #7238851
I would send it back...get a new one and hope its in better shape

You say you've done a lot of purchases from them.....maybe this was a one time incident and the one you get 2nd time round will be perfect

Then again im sure if you open it and theres something wrong with the camera B&H will swap it out...after thinking about it i would just open it

Is the actual cameras box damaged or another box that the camera box is in...

Bah they can't baby every package that goes in the back of the truck considering the enormous volume they go through. I didn't work as a driver for UPS, but I did work at the store packing shipments and those corrugated boxes are meant to withstand a lot of abuse. Not to mention the Styrofoam and other packing materials. You have to understand that they engineer these materials specifically to withstand transit. The camera is probably fine, cameras in themselves are made to be abused as well.

If you think UPS is bad, you ever see airline guys handle luggage?! O.o

Is the camera ok?

Paul J McCain wrote in post #7238987
Why did you sign for it?

Because I'm an idiot. Seriously - I have two young children - one who is sick - it was enough for me to open the door and sign. I have NEVER had an issue with UPS... Will NEVER do that again. Although I'll likely use FedEx in the future.

Mum2J&M wrote in post #7239334
Because I'm an idiot. Seriously - I have two young children - one who is sick - it was enough for me to open the door and sign. I have NEVER had an issue with UPS... Will NEVER do that again. Although I'll likely use FedEx in the future.

They all beat the boxes to hell. Really.

I'd just get the camera out and use it. If anything went wrong you can still exchange it, but why waste the time and money exchanging something that might be perfectly OK.

And keep in mind, UPS will beat the hell out of the replacement too, they just won't do it in front of you.

Ok - I'm convinced. Not sending it back. I haven't opened it yet, but will do so and return/exchange if I need to. B&H were extremely helpful as usual. Wish me luck... now I gotta call back UPS. Ugh...

Even if you refused to sign for it that's not a guarantee that you wouldn't see it again. Back in November, I refused a heavy damaged box from Amazon that contained an expensive lens. UPS showed up at my door a couple days later with an unmarked box for me to sign for. Here's what was inside.

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE