Never mark anything fragile

[W3TDH]

A number of studies have been done were identical packages of instrumentation have been shipped via various carriers with one of the packages marked fragile and the other unmarked. In every such study the package marked fragile got treated worse.
--
Tom Horne, W3TDH

[K4ICL]

Believe what you like. I "sticker" the top and all sides of every package shipped. At the very lease, it puts everyone involved with my shipment on notice that the package is not to be handled like a box of rocks.

A better solution is NOT to ship using UPS! Works for me...

Nuff Said...

K4ICL

[W3TDH]

I never meant to imply that a particular carrier was any worse than another and since their are UPS bashing threads already you could rant their or start a new rant of your own.

The studies that I read back in the pre internet days of my management courses in college were not carrier specific. Instrument packages were sent by several different carriers and the results were the same across all the carriers that the studies tested including the then US post office.
--
Tom Horne

[clubvikram]

this is true, and thereis a book called Murphy's law...read it and you will find it damn interesting

vikram
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[N9LCD]

Marking something "FRAGILE" is kind of like sending something "REGISTERED" mail.

When I was in banking we used to joke that "REGISTERED" ment "STEAL ME FIRST".

May "FRAGILE" means "SMASH ME FIRST"..
Jerry

N9LCD

[K4ICL]

To assume all carriers could care less about damaging your package or that employees LIKE to damage FRAGILE marked packages is your business.

But if you don't want your prize $2,100 dollar transceiver to be handled like a box of rocks, mark your box with FRAGILE, DO NOT DROP, SPECIAL HANDLING red on white stickers or placards.

Or, continue to play a Russian Roulette and let the carrier's employees GUESS which box in the pile of millions of other boxes needs to be handled with care.

You are taking the risk, not the carrier.

Nuff said...

K4ICL

[KC8VWM]

I don't use "Fragile" but rather I prefer to place "Glass" stickers on the package. I feel this is more of a "deterrent" that a package handling reality. Besides, who want's to cut themselves while handling a package?

Of course if they had a sticker option called, "Package Will Explode Violently On Impact" , I would probobly use them instead.

73

[W1QJ]

EVERY side of every box and the top get written in black magic marker
FRAGILE DO NOT DROP and sent Fed Ex ground. Over 100 packages of amplifiers 55plus pounds were never damaged. When I used to use UPS (they suck) they destroyed many packages marked or unmarked. Made no difference. They simply do not care and NEVER paid a claim. Fed EX has never damaged a shipment on me and the package is marked all over and also red fragile stickers. I guess the people they use can read. UPS are a bunch of MORONS

[JohnstonK]

As for me, I actually don't use "Fragile" either. It's really way easier to mention "Glass" on the package. That's how my aunt taught me many years ago. And it works!



________________
free puzzles

[N0XE]

I am with K4ICL, mark it Fragile , with Fed X it makes some difference in that they do pay off on their claims and employees found to not paying attention to that marking on the Box in handling are dealt with. Remember cell phones with cameras are all around and there have been incidents with both UPS and FEd X that made it to Utube but usually the result of some temporary driver or Christmas rush incident and not something that happens with FEd X often, As far a Marking it Glass, good luck there, many of the carriers no longer honor glass shipments for damage, even Fed X has some restrictions, I have had hundreds of shipments with Fed X ground in the last 8 years, never one claim, using UPS I can not say the same and and only use them when I have no choice or for non fragile items, your milage may vary and maybe it is the area I am in, or the zone as they call it but no complaints here at all. My boxes come in not even showing signs of stacking, most damage is not from the driver who is delivering it but from the poor packing of the senders, I have had many boxes come in with no packing and even some expensive tranceivers just tossed in and sealed, All those boxes take the big drop off the conveyor belt, if not packed right, there will be trouble for sure. There is no way any carrier will pay off on that to include Fed X. 73 Jim N0XE