PowerBook G4 17" screen broken in transit

Which courier company?

Loomis/DHL Canada

CCC

a couple of options - First, many homeowner's/renter's insurance policies cover accidental damage. If that doesn't work another choice is to replace the screen yourself, check eBay.

Too late for you, but this is a good point to remind folks to learn to correctly to pack fragile items. You obviously didn't do a good enough job as it didn't survive. I always assume gorillas will be handling my shipment and pack so I feel comfortable enough to hurl the package across the room.

- sorry -

dan k

Around here the same subcontractor runs the local AirBourne Express and DHL. Too bad for DHL. They suck. I've had packages dropped off 20 feet from the front gate, which is 15 feet from the front door. My wife told me she heard them pull up and looked out the window. The driver leanded out the door, dropped the package, and drove off. They've done other, worse things too. All from Apple for small items.

I hate that carrier, and plan to refuse any DHL service I might be offered, along with the AE I currently refuse. If I get a service company that won't use UPS or FedEx, I'd be willing ot cover the extra shipping charges to get them to do it. There *is* a real reason why cheap shippers are cheap. Gas, equipment and wages/training all cost money. They can't do much about the first two.

As for your situation, did Appel request you to use DHL, or was it your own choice?

I would've felt comfortable hurling that package against the wall, I was a shipping department manager for five years, and packed up many many fragile items daily. I know what I'm doing when it comes to packaging.

I have no idea what one earth they could've done to it to break it, but my best guess would be jumping on it, or dropping something incredibly heavy on it, and there really isn't any way to protect effectively against that.

CCC

Around here, we have DHL Canada, and Purolator. All of my previous warranty repairs (when I was living in the US, and apple sent me a box to send them my computer in) were by DHL, and I'd never had a problem with them. Purolator is largely unknown to me, so I thought I'd stick with what I knew. Bad idea.

CCC

* I better preface this by saying I'm totally sympathetic here, and the note that follows is not an attack, merely an attempt to add to the general knowledge base. *

OK, now I'm curious. Would you describe your packaging method for a critique? Or better, how about some pics of the actual packaging as (if?) returned to you?

Sorry, I don't mean to question your bonafides/experience, but everyone can learn something, myself included. However, I still suspect your packaging inadequate, proof being its failure to protect the contents.

Not that you used one, but FWIW, IMNSHO original Apple retail shipping boxes are not (by themselves) adequate for individual courier shipment.

dan k

I realize you're not attacking, the package was not returned to me, looked alright from the outside, I'd assume.

my packaging method for this particular unit was:

wrapped in 3" of large bubble-style bubble wrap, taped up completely.

placed in a cardboard apple box (if you're familliar) with the sides cut down to fit the bubblewrapped package properly.

the cardboard used is heavy gauge, and highly crush-resistant, since it's used to ship apples, a rather heavy commodity, and was made stronger by the methods I use to cut down the sides.

the only possible way they would've been able to destroy it, is by dropping something heavy on top of it, on it's corner, so that all of the force would be transferred to that one point, or by jumping up and down on it. I've shipped many pieces of sensitive electronic equipment using this method of cushioning and immobilizing, and have never had a problem. first time for everything I suppose.

and as someone who knows a considerable amount about packaging, the apple retail box for the powerbook is more than adequate protection against package smashers -- It has to be, as I'd assume it's certified by UPS, Fedex, and all other major carriers. Certification involves dropping it from six feet on a corner, and several other tests. (been several years since I last looked into packaging certification) having your packaging certified brings your shipping rates down tremendously, but I'm rambling here, back on topic.

Another possibility I can think of, is that a repair tech could've dropped it, and is trying to cover up his blunder by blaming it on the shipping company, but I don't think that's likely.

CCC

homeowners is your best bet... if you had it listed. I don' t have a home, but my machines are all listed with my father's homeowners insurance.

I can't believe there wasn't insurance on the package itself! When you put $2000 in the mail, you insure it for $4000, and that only costs mere dozens of dollars. Most package companies automatically insure items for a little bit, I think, maybe a $100, so make sure you investigate that and get at least that little bit.

loss insurance for $4500 was over 150$.

CCC

When my mom got her iMac Blueberry repaired (only 60 days since we had it) some idiot had a bad day and *Threw* the package literally about 25ft up the hill to our porch and sped off. (our house is about 25 from the curb, and there is a small hill in front of the house (actually on 3 sides of the house) and the guy *Heaved* to throw it. Not only did the damage the computer, but we had split boards when it hit. They blamed it on apple that apple screwed it up and then mailed it like that (It was practically falling out of the box) and didn't want to pay the full price for it (they only wanted to pay $100

Another time, they actually shipped my iBook to someone in California (my address is california St in Omaha, NE) and couldn't locate it for a week. I was so PO'd at them. And this was the first time my iBook was in (my old G3 one [dually usb]) Everytime after that I had everything from broken screens by them dropping it, to case damage when it got crushed while sending it thru the Office's.

I Want to actually physically harm everyone in the company. And have thought several times of taking them hostage every time they show up with a smashed box. And worst of all, Apple would not let me pay for shipping to and/or from apple's repair facility

In my experience, a single box is not adequate for such a fragile item, I always insist on double boxing, whether I'm packing it or receiving it. Here's part of the copy I routinely send to folks from whom I purchase such fragiles:

Yeah I'm a b@llbuster about this stuff, but there's no excuse for something getting broken if they follow my guidelines. In my experience, it's a hella lot better to ensure stuff arrives intact than to try and get the carrier to cough up claim payments. I realize alot of folks baulk at the extra packaging and shipping expense (for which I fully expect to pay), but I consider it money well spent.

I think your best bet at this point is to have the 'Book sent back and source a replacement LCD yourself. While the $500 or so it will cost will be painful, it sure beats paying Apple to supply a new display.

re: retail packaging - Most such cartons are designed to protect the item as it's shipped on a pallet along with a stack of its peers. Such retail cartons are not usually certified for individual shipment via a courier (eg: UPS or DHL.) I've had 'Books shipped to me (only) in such cartons, but I consider myself lucky the contents arrived intact. I normally insist such containers be double boxed.

dan k

If you live in a major urban centre with an Apple Authorized Dealer (I'm thinking WestWord and My Mac Dealer here in Calgary, AB) nearby, I've always found that the best way to handle these things is to bring your computer to the dealer and request that they see to fixing it. Most Apple dealers are good about this stuff. Apple reimburses them fully for their parts/labour, and most are happy to have gotten your business. Plus, if it needs to be shipped to Apple, the dealers generally will do it themselves, and they carry all the required insurance to ensure your machine doesn't get destroyed.

Clinton: How far have you escalated this problem with the shipping company? I realize it will take a long time, but start out with whomever answers at the contact number provided. Explain your problem politely but firmly. If the rep. says she cannot help you, politely ask to speak to her supervisor/manager. She probably won't be very receptive to this idea, but use this phrase: "I don't mean to give you a hard time, but this situation is not being resolved to my satisfaction. I appreciate that you have rules and guidelines that you must abide by, so I would like to speak to someone in a more senior position in hopes that they will be able to assist me in this."

Repeat the process when you speak to the manager. If she cannot help you, ask her if you may speak to her supervisor. Repeat until you talk to someone who can help you.

Record the names of *everyone* you speak with, including the time and date you spoke with them, an extension where they may be reached, and the results of that conversation. Many call centre staff will promise you the moon to get you to hangup, but rarely come through with it. Also, if you have to file an insurance claim, you can provide these mini-transcripts to the insurance company, which will aid in your getting your claim, and the insurance company re-couping their losses.

When speaking with managerial types, don't be afraid to throw in words from the trade. If you know about packaging requirements, make sure that they know this. When they know that they're dealing with someone in the business, they're much less likely to try and run you 'round in a circle.

Hopefully this will aid in your attempt to get your PowerBook repaired.

Cheers,

The Czar

As I've already said, I'm in canada, where apple has no large service centre. Their way of handling warranty claims is through a network of dealers that do the warranty repairs for them. You're responsible for taking the unit into them, or like in my case, having to ship it in.

As for DHL, going up the chain of command will lead me nowhere, and only waste my time. They've clearly spelled out in their agreement that they aren't responsible for damage of the package in transit, because it isn't brand new in factory packaging. The only thing they can be held responsible for is loss, and since they delivered it successfully, they have no obligation to fix their screw-up.

I'm looking to get this resolved, by talking apple into replacing the screen for me anyway, since it would've had to be replaced under warranty, had it not been smashed by DHL.

CCC