A note on shipping lenses and cameras

[jrc]

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I've been very nervous about shipping lenses and cameras since I sent one to NY (by Express mail) and it got lost. I looked into it and found that UPS and FedEx have loss rates that are no better (did you know that at times, when their planes get full, FedEx will bundle shipments and send them by regular mail?)

 

So asking about all of this, I learned that "registered" mail has a loss rate so low that gold bullion is shipped that way. It's a little slower than first class mail, and more expensive -- I shipped five lenses to NJ and it cost $24. It's slower because each mail handler along the way has to specifically accept the package, sign for it, and then account for it goes down the line, being handed off from person-to-person. They can go for years without losing a single piece of registered mail, I'm told.

 

Anyway, for what it's worth...

 

JC

[sagarwal]

did you know that at times, when their planes get full, FedEx will bundle shipments and send them by regular mail?

 

"regular mail" as in USPS in the US? That's rather interesting since the USPS contracts UPS to carry quite a bit of its mail. So ultimately UPS could potentially be carrying FedEx's packages?!

[jedisdl]

Several years ago, I worked for a company that was in the process of selling itself. We shipped some very confidential documents to a potential acquierer by register mail - it arrived at the destination 9 months later - and yes, it wasn't lost. We were obvously very worried about what had happened - and quite suprosed to find that it did finally arrive at the corrrect destination.

 

So even this is not foolproof. I still feel more comfortable with FEDEX, but less so after your information.

[earleygallery]

I sent some money to Germany for an e bay purchase a couple of years ago, by Registered mail of course.

 

Basically, the money never arrived, and the post office couldn't trace the package to Germany, which would imply that it was stolen by someone within the post office in the UK.

 

When I tried to make a claim they told me that they had to allow the German post office at least 3 months to carry out their trace enquiries. So I had to send more money (by bank transfer this time).

 

Anyway to cut a long story short, the post office really dragged their heels over my claim, telephone enquiry line was never answered and I ended up writing a letter of complaint to the Chairman, threatening legal action. I had a call from his PA the next day and a cheque within the week.

 

So I'm not too convinced about the security of any of these services - all depend on an element of luck!

[grober]

Tracking my M8 shipment on the UPS site this morning, I learned that the camera is in New Jersey and "out for delivery." Leica USA should have it in their hands by this afternoon. They will pitch it across the pond to Germany where, supposedly, it will be fixed and returned to me (by Christmas?).

 

Stop this chatter about items getting lost in the mail, NOW!

 

BTW: Leica USA advised me to scribe a large "8" on the outside of my box (not M8) so their receiving personnel can spot the camera right away and properly expedite.

 

-g

[grober]

Good ol' UPS. I just received the following via e-mail: "This notice is to confirm that the shipment has been delivered."

 

The timestamp indicates that Leica USA received my M8 just before noon today in New Jersey. (Shipped 2-day air on Friday afternoon from the Left Coast.)

 

-g

[Guest guy_mancuso]

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Good news.

 

 

I am sitting here literally and waiting for Fed -X priority overnight M8 to arrive. Not the new version