While I've been in the Reselling Game for a good amount of time now
(2005ish) and have read many a-post having issues with
every Shipping Company, in my personal experience as well as what I've read as the majority on here UPS *does* seem to bear both the largest amount of "Shipping Nightmare" stories as well as the biggest "Oopsie!" Lost-In-Shipping and Breakage stories.
My most recent was just yesterday, as I was out of boxes and took a sold bass into my "new" local store
(haven't used this particular one since the move here to Eville about 2 years ago) and their employee quoted me
$80-$100 to pack & ship!
(an EBMM Stingray-like SUB 5, nothing special in size or weight)... and I quote, "I'll have to wrap it with 4" of Bubble Wrap on each side"... and this wasn't just "A Bass" carried in by its neck, but in a decent Gig Bag providing its own protection.
Needless to say I walked out of there, stopped by my local Guitar Center where my friends hooked me up with the box I was needing, wrapped in up with about 4" of Bubble Wrap... costing me all of $15 from Target, and shipped USPS Insured & Tracked for $35, even with their "Balloon/Oversized Charge". I'll generally use either USPS or FedEx, and only UPS if my Customers insist on it
(and will incur the extra cost). The above reason, as well as fairly crappy Customer Service on delivering items to me as a Customer, are the reasons why...
