Nate wrote:
I recently purchased a 16KW aluminum generator from Ziller Electric. I
came home from work to meet the shipper and inspected the package...
cardboard, pallet, etc all looked fine. We carefully placed the pallet
in my garage and I returned to work. About a week later I decided to
do an inventory in order to make plans for installation. After lifting
the cardboard cover and inspecting the internals, I walk to the rear
and find that the rear panel is pushed in exactly where the flex
conduit is stored during shipment. Something obviously pushed on the
rear of the unit and dented the panel and two of the air louvers.

I called Ziller twice and left voicemail both times. After not
receiving a return call, I called a third time and, upon speaking with
their manager, was immediately told that "I had signed for it". I
asked for a replacement or someone to come replace the panel and was
basically told to take it up with the shipper. I started to get upset
at this point and the manager actually started laughing at me on the
phone. Nice customer service.

I honestly wouldn't expect anyone to completely unpack a 500 lb
generator while the shipper is sitting in the driveway but that's
Ziller's stance. I'm in the process of taking this up with both my
credit card company and Generac so we'll see what happens.

You do realize that Usenet complaints such as yours often come across
as whining, don't you? You didn't mention whether the damage was
functional (didn't sound like it) or purely cosmetic. If it's purely
cosmetic, and it's the rear panel, are you actually financially injured
or are you upset that someone laughed at you?

As far as the shipping, if you sign for something you are essentially
saying that you've accepted it. It is not your responsibility to worry
about the shipper's time schedule. Here's how it works: delivery,
inspect package, open package, inspect contents, sign delivery receipt.
If you feel that you unjustly delayed the driver, then throw the
driver some beer money.

If there is a delivery and I can't fully inspect it before signing, I
write "Uninspected package, conditionally accepted, all rights
reserved", and I don't sign on the line where they want you to sign as
there's usually boilerplate acceptance terms there. I'll cross them
out and hand the receipt back to the driver. Once you've crossed the
thing out and signed it, it's not really his problem any more - it's
the company's problem. he can't write up a anew receipt, so what's he
going to do. Be polite at all times, it's unlikely that it's the
driver's fault unless you saw them drop the package at your place. If
he starts raising a bit of a ruckus about the non standard signature,
throw him some beer money.

And stop whining on Usenet. It's unseemly.

R