I shipped an RMA for a PC video card from the east coast to Baldwin Park CA about a month ago, from a UPS Store. Almost 2 weeks later I received a call from the receiving vendor stating that it couldn't be replaced under warranty because a DVI connector on the end of the card was damaged. They sent me pictures of damage, the box it came in (before opening), and the inside of the box after opening. Evidently this is a common problem?
Problem is, the video card was FINE when I sent it, and the box they sent me pictures of was absolutely NOT the box I shipped it in. My original box was smaller, shallower, and had print on the outside (prior mail order box), so I'd wrapped it in thick brown paper and put my own from-to label on it. The box in the pictures was larger, my label & wrapping paper were gone, and the UPS label on the outside was different than the one the UPS Store had applied when I sent it. Furthermore, the box in the picture was miraculously undamaged, whereas a closeup of the DVI connector on the video card showed obvious gouging by a heavy, sharp metal object.
In short, somewhere in the UPS shipping process my original box was severely damaged, along with the contents, and someone had repackaged it and applied a new label. Straight up criminality.
I've gone back and forth with the vendor & my local UPS Store, who eventually filed a claim on my behalf, since I wasted money on insuring the box. My claim was rejected today, on the grounds that I hadn't provided "proper padding" for the contents, which is supposed to provide a 2-inch barrier for all internal material. Problem is, the pictures which they were provided by the receiving PC vendor showed NO puncture from the outside, and no damage to the box.
Today I got the local UPS Store to repeal the insurance claim rejection. Not optimistic. Next will be an email to the UPS Fraud report line, assuming another rejection. Not optimistic there either, since you'll find if you go to their web site that there's almost NO way to contact them (computer only phone line w/no way to file a claim or contact a human), and customers that use UPS Stores are unable to enter their own claims. And apparently they have crooks working in their shipping lines and they cover for them.
BEWARE of UPS! If they damage your material, your insurance is a waste of money & they'll screw you!!
Don’t forget what Small Claims Court is for!