Thursday, May 24, 2012

FedEx Fr(e)ight

This is the worst one we've had in a while, but most of our bike shipments arrive with one or more kicked to crap. I wonder how it is in other industries. This came off the truck looking like this. Another box was merely ripped open at the top. Others arrive crushed, dented or punctured in various ways.

Several decades ago when I was considering a transcontinental  bike tour I was going to take the bike almost completely apart so I could ship the frame and wheels separately in boxes smaller and sturdier that did not suggest that a bike was  inside. It's a good argument for a take-apart frame so the box dimensions are more compact. Shippers seem to like that.

It's not practical for production bikes.

at

5 comments:

  1. Janice in GA3:02 PM

    .... wow...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Steve A5:42 PM

    Hey, isn't that MY bike?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous6:18 PM

    I hope you kept the driver there as you inspected each and every part of that bike! Otherwise, once you accept it, it would be difficult to prove that any damage occurred before it arrived at your shop.

    ReplyDelete
  4. cafiend6:25 PM

    No, after too many frustrating arguments with shippers and suppliers over the years we've given up. The driver blames the loaders. The shipper blames the packers. The people in this country blame the people on the ship that carried the crap across the Pacific. The people on the ship say it was the people at the factory. Try proving anything. No one in the entire chain will admit to responsibility because they know they can stonewall and avoid having to pay.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous8:23 PM

    This is Anonymous 6:18 again.

    I hear ya! But...the last person holding the bag is responsible, at least in the theoretical world.

    I can't imagine running a small business today. But the stress would send me up and over the Kanc in record time!

    -Ed in Merrimack

    ReplyDelete