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NEED HELP!! Regarding a FedEx claim payment and depreciated value

bassguppy

bassguppy

Jan 8, 2003
2,448
461
Queens
#1
I am enraged.

I sold an Ampeg SVT-IIPro Tube head and SKB rack to a fellow TB'er for a Mesa Walkabout head and $425 cash (basically 825.00). I shipped via FedEx Ground and purchased $700 insurance with the cost of shipping (total shipping and insurance was $119.60). Item was shipped on 12/28 and was scheduled to arrive to the buyer around 1/6/16. The item via tracking arrived at an Ohio Fedex facility and then no further updates. Someone asshat more than likely discovered what it was and stole it IMO.

FedEx stated I had to wait about a month I think before I can file a claim which I did. About 10 days later they rejected the claim stating that OfficeMax should have filed the claim since they were the shipper. I went to OfficeMax and they filed and after about 2 weeks I called FedEx and their system said that a check was to be mailed for $496.20. The check is going to OfficeMax and I advised do not cash it. This amount is nearly $330 less than my cost to insure and ship. I called FedEx and left several messages with a "senior rep" and I finally go ahold of her and she stated that it was Fedex's depreciated value for the item. I said I had a bill of sale along with photo's of the item and I asked what reference they use to determine the cost they pay. She said it was determined on a 2011 item and I stated that that's incorrect because the amp is a 1997 model to which she replied then I should depreciate it more. I already refunded the money to the buyer because it sure ain't his fault.

So according to FedEx, an SVTIIPRO in good condition should only sell for $376.60.

I asked to speak with a supervisor and am waiting for their call. Any suggestions?
 
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#3
I have no idea what you can do to fix it, but I know what you shouldn't do because it'll only hurt your cause: don't get aggravated on the phone with them. Remain calm and cordial. Yes sir and yes ma'am. Be friendly and polite. The person on the other end of the phone doesn't care about your problem. You're one of a few hundred calls that day. Keep it civil.
 
#4
5544 said:
Why is FedEx putting a value on the stuff you are shipping?

They don't know what you sold it for.
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Im not sure how to answer that. I sent them a copy of the bill of sale (which of course when u sell something on TB there really isn't one other than a link to the sale). But I made a copy of the bill along with the shipping charge.

I can see why they investigate the value of an item because I'm sure people can overvalue their insurance. But, the item never arrived. It didn't make it to the buyers doorstep and was lost somewhere in Ohio.

And $700 is a very fair price for this amp. Including the rack!
 
#5
Gorn said:
I have no idea what you can do to fix it, but I know what you shouldn't do because it'll only hurt your cause: don't get aggravated on the phone with them. Remain calm and cordial. Yes sir and yes ma'am. Be friendly and polite. The person on the other end of the phone doesn't care about your problem. You're one of a few hundred calls that day. Keep it civil.
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Agree. I'm sure she was reading from her script that's why I asked for a callback from a supervisor.
 
#6
It's been a while since I shipped something with insurance, but isn't the cost of the insurance based on your declaration of the value? If the insurance cost is based on the value, I should be able to ship a box of air insured for $1,000, and get a settlement of $1,000 if the package is lost. It's no different than life insurance, you pay for the amount of coverage that you want to receive in the event you need to use the insurance. It doesn't matter what the person's life was "worth," it matters what the face value of the policy was.

And I totally disagree about kissing their butt to resolve this. They lost your amp and were paid to insure it. I would be nice for about another one or two people, then I would escalate to volcano status if necessary, until I got what was rightfully mine. In my experience, people who handle these situations for large corporations are trained to resist you up until the point that you become belligerent, and then they start complying. Good luck.
 
#7
ChrisB2 said:
It's been a while since I shipped something with insurance, but isn't the cost of the insurance based on your declaration of the value? If the insurance cost is based on the value, I should be able to ship a box of air insured for $1,000, and get a settlement of $1,000 if the package is lost. It's no different than life insurance, you pay for the amount of coverage that you want to receive in the event you need to use the insurance. It doesn't matter what the person's life was "worth," it matters what the face value of the policy was.

And I totally disagree about kissing their butt to resolve this. They lost your amp and were paid to insure it. I would be nice for about another one or two people, then I would escalate to volcano status if necessary, until I got what was rightfully mine. In my experience, people who handle these situations for large corporations are trained to resist you up until the point that you become belligerent, and then they start complying. Good luck.
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There's a difference between kissing butt and speaking to someone with respect and professionalism. Escalating to volcano status will only get your file moved to the bottom of the stack.
 
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#8
Wait... they don't just pay out the insured value? I suppose that makes sense but if you have a bill saying you sold the item for $X I'm pretty sure that means market value is $X, doesn't it?

I've never had to go through this OP so I'm just here to follow along and offer support.
 
#9
DiabolusInMusic said:
Wait... they don't just pay out the insured value? I suppose that makes sense but if you have a bill saying you sold the item for $X I'm pretty sure that means market value is $X, doesn't it?

I've never had to go through this OP so I'm just here to follow along and offer support.
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Thanks for the support. This is new to me also as I've shipped probably 60-70 items via FedEx over the years and I've never had a lost package. I'm just dumbfounded because I had a bill of sale and I referenced if they did a search on eBay, CL, etc they will see the item sells for my insured amount. I searched an hour ago on eBay and under completed items there were 4 2PRO's that sold (850, 890, 900, & 1050).

I'm still waiting on a supervisor call but if I get nowhere I may file the fee for a small claim. Or maybe a threat of a claim will get it done.
 
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#10
I went through a claim about two years ago with Fedex where I shipped a $2k digital mixer and they pretty trashed it. I insured it for $2k. They rejected because I "boxed it myself" in the original boxing.

Most recently, I sold a guitar amp which I let them box. They charged me $45 for shipping. A week later they add $20 on my credit card because they "reevaluated the shipping charge and realized they under charged" me.

I'm selling everything local now. I hate both fedex and ups so I'm restricting myself from having to deal with them.
 
#11
Fed Ex is betting you won't raise hell and you won't take them to court. If the item is insured and "their" insurance fee is paid in full they took the gamble and lost. It's not for them to determine depreciation. If they want to play that game they should get the MSRP from you.
 
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#12
Gorn said:
There's a difference between kissing butt and speaking to someone with respect and professionalism. Escalating to volcano status will only get your file moved to the bottom of the stack.
Click to expand...

Who said anything about being disrespectful or unprofessional? As I said, I was relating my experience. Your experience may be different, and that's okay!
 
#14
Tomis17 said:
I went through a claim about two years ago with Fedex where I shipped a $2k digital mixer and they pretty trashed it. I insured it for $2k. They rejected because I "boxed it myself" in the original boxing.

Most recently, I sold a guitar amp which I let them box. They charged me $45 for shipping. A week later they add $20 on my credit card because they "reevaluated the shipping charge and realized they under charged" me.

I'm selling everything local now. I hate both fedex and ups so I'm restricting myself from having to deal with them.
Click to expand...

Ugh... I hate Fedex. How is it possibly anybody's fault but theirs that they failed to properly size and charge for the box?

Like all couriers they add mystery charges for importing items, Fedex also loves to charge you $10 to loan you $2 over this. The real kicker is that Fedex will let you sign, hand you the item AND THEN mail you a bill for customs charges a week later. I'm pretty sure they do this because people were refusing based on their charges.
 
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#15
It was years ago, but the only thing of any major value I've ever had get "lost" in shipping was a Gallien-Krueger amp. This was also shipped by FedEx and I always suspected someone discovered how valuable it was. So it's more likely that it got stolen rather than lost. It took me months before I got a check which was for the actual value of the amp. Still, all of this was a major PITA. All I wanted was my Gallien-Krueger, not the Spanish Inquisition.
 
#18
ChrisB2 said:
It's been a while since I shipped something with insurance, but isn't the cost of the insurance based on your declaration of the value? If the insurance cost is based on the value, I should be able to ship a box of air insured for $1,000, and get a settlement of $1,000 if the package is lost. It's no different than life insurance, you pay for the amount of coverage that you want to receive in the event you need to use the insurance. It doesn't matter what the person's life was "worth," it matters what the face value of the policy was.

And I totally disagree about kissing their butt to resolve this. They lost your amp and were paid to insure it. I would be nice for about another one or two people, then I would escalate to volcano status if necessary, until I got what was rightfully mine. In my experience, people who handle these situations for large corporations are trained to resist you up until the point that you become belligerent, and then they start complying. Good luck.
Click to expand...
life insurance is the only kind that works that way. A basic principle of insurance is coverage against actual loss. Frequently over insurance is held as grounds for voiding of the contract.
 

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