BOE Marine Fast and free shipping...be warned

[Bodick93]

I just bought an Evo3s 12 and a B175HW from BOE, in no small part due to their free shipping, as their price was better, and I have spent around $12k with them in my last 3 boats in Simrad and Airmar products.

Well, after one of my dogs (inside their invisible fence) tore into that package, totally destroyed the $100 Mix and Match cable and chewed into the transducer cable -naturally very close to the $1200 transducer- I filed a claim with UPS. Forget the dogs for a sec, anything could have happened, including theft and my night shift son backing over it in the dark since UPS left it right in the middle of my gravel driveway, in the dark. Never OVERLY worried, that's why we insure packages...buuuut...

BOE insures your package for whatever the default shipping coverage exists, NOT what the shipment is worth.

They actually pointed that out. Says it right there in the fine print 3 pages down if you go looking for it. So the UPS default is $100 dollars and that's what BOE offered out of the goodness of their hearts.

Their words after several emails:
"BOE Marine does not advertise that packages are insured for their full value, nor is it a requirement to ship packages with additional shipping insurance. A $100 credit will be applied to your account today, which can be used toward a future order."

Hell, the way they chose to phrase their shipping policy, even if it is stolen WITH EXTRA INSURANCE, they are not responsible.

Their "Fast and Free shipping on orders over $150" combined with my greed for the best deal is gonna cost me $1200 if I don't have enough undamaged wire to get this cable spliced.

Be warned, buy local.

 

[1801Steve]

So BOE Marine/UPS delivered your package intact. Good, serviceable order. And YOUR dogs damaged it. And you are shaming BOE? Huh? Sue your dogs....

 

[Bodick93]

So BOE Marine/UPS delivered your package intact. Good, serviceable order. And YOUR dogs damaged it. And you are shaming BOE? Huh? Sue your dogs....

It's a warning to you all. If your package is stolen damaged etc, it is not insured to its value by default. And yes, they should be ashamed, because it's shady not to insure packages properly by default. Won't happen to me again, and hopefully won't happen to anyone else.
The dogs have no assets...only licks and destruction.

So next time YOU buy something from them, you better up that insurance...then this post will have been a success.

 

[Yachtjim]

I am the owner of BOE. I am also not aware of any retail companies that offer free insured shipping for values over $100. If you have situation where you'd want shipping insurance it can certainly be purchased from us, and most retailers. As a testament to our industry leading customer service we have certainly made customers whole in situations where they are getting hosed by the shipping company. In this particular case, everybody did their part and delivered the package safely, but the dog ate it. I am terribly sorry you have a dog that eats your packages, and this happened.

 

[Bodick93]

I am the owner of BOE. I am also not aware of any retail companies that offer free insured shipping for values over $100. If you have situation where you'd want shipping insurance it can certainly be purchased from us, and most retailers. As a testament to our industry leading customer service we have certainly made customers whole in situations where they are getting hosed by the shipping company. In this particular case, everybody did their part and delivered the package safely, but the dog ate it. I am terribly sorry you have a dog that eats your packages, and this happened

I don't really care about the dogs tearing up the package. It could just as easily have been stolen after delivery. The location where the driver left the package (in the actual middle of my gravel driveway), my son WOULD have backed over the package in the dark when he went to work, had I not noticed another torn box that was too heavy for the dogs to move when I arrived...in the dark. Stuff happens.
The point is, I was not being cheap by not buying additional insurance. You guys should insure packages BY DEFAULT for their value. It is no accident that you guys offered $100 dollars for the event. That is the amount for which it was insured, and probably 1 out of 10 people realize that.
None of that matters anyway. I posted this thread to warn purchasers TO INSURE THEIR PACKAGES, because it is not done by default. I was actually lucky that it was drop- shipped from Aimar and was not packaged and shipped with the 12" Evo3s I also purchased. Or I would have been out an extra $1700.

To your point about the free shipping, I see that "everyone does it." But my transaction was with you guys.

 

[Postal719]

This wins the award for the craziest post I have ever read.....even topping the insane Bloodydeck posts I've read. The "my dog ate my homework" scenario from a grown a#s man. I am in disbelieve but also can't stop laughing at the same time.

Then the owner of the company replied in a perfectly classy manner, and the OP rants again, all the while, it's his own fault.

Just based on the fact BOE replied, I'm going to give them future business.

 

[Bodick93]

And you are absolutely entitled. I want it to be entertaining and serious at the same time.
I'll also bet you and others will go for the optional shipping based on this thread. If you don't, you miss the point entirely.

 

[Aheider]

One bazzillion packages delivered to my house without issue. I'll probably continue to risk it.

 

[Bodick93]

One bazzillion packages delivered to my house without issue. I'll probably continue to risk it.

Yeah, me too, except for the "big" ones like this. I just never even considered it. I understand it is very expensive. I shipped the new Garmin unit I pulled out the dash a few weeks earlier and insurance (plus shipping) was about 50 bucks for $3000 worth to ship within the state.
I also understand the price of "free" is built into the price in most examples.

You can go into your UPS account and set up a default delivery location. I added a large box marked "packages" near the default location. Of course I haven't needed anything worth more than 25 bucks since then, and they are 5 for 5.

 

[John D.]

I am embarrassed for you. Stand next to your dogs and look in the mirror and you will see the problem!

 

[Aheider]

Can you imagine the fraud that would occur if companies insured the product by default for their value as you suggested... No one would be able to afford to insure anything. Every POS person out there would claim they never received it, porch pirates took it, now pay me the value of the 3K electronics...

I think you are right to buy extra insurance on high dollar items if you are worried about it. But that's an option for the consumer and should not be automatically provided by the seller. That's just my opinion, worth what you paid.

 

[Postal719]

Can you imagine the fraud that would occur if companies insured the product by default for their value as you suggested... No one would be able to afford to insure anything. Every POS person out there would claim they never received it, porch pirates took it, now pay me the value of the 3K electronics...

I think you are right to buy extra insurance on high dollar items if you are worried about it. But that's an option for the consumer and should not be automatically provided by the seller. That's just my opinion, worth what you paid.

Ya but what if the porch pirate was a family member (your dog!) and then you called out the company who shipped it. It would be like calling out the Chevy dealer because my wife hit my truck pulling into the driveway.

A more thought out, self reflective post would have been more like "Can you believe my terrible luck? My dog ate my Garmin." Everyone would been chiming in about how much of a bummer that was.

 

[Bodick93]

I said exactly what I wanted to say. It's America, and I am not driven by "likes," so that's a difference between you and me. I didn't buy from the GPS store, Hodges or anyone else.

I don't believe in luck, good or bad. If I thought there was a chance my shipment was at risk of not being covered in some manner, I would have bought more insurance. Now I know.

 

[pelagic2530]

As far as your intent in making the post, thanks for bringing it to everyone’s attention that it’s probably worth it to take a look at what the package is insured for when shipping high value items. That’s a good idea and is often overlooked.

Even with extra insurance, I’m not sure you would’ve been covered here. The package was delivered safely by the shipper, and was destroyed by a member of your household on your property. If your kid runs out and smacks it with a bat, are you covered? If your son drives over it, are you covered? At what point does the shipper’s liability end and yours begin?

This is why I buy most of my electronics through West Marine and pick up in store. The prices are set by the manufacturer, so they can’t really gouge you too bad like they do on some other stuff. In store pickup is always free, you get their warranty in addition to the manufacturer’s, and if you’re a member and you play your cards right you can get some pretty decent points for big purchases.

 

[Bodick93]

There is a reason I have purchased electronics from BOE. They really do a nice job and have great prices.
I remembered that when I bought the Evo3 9s and 175HW for the 2320 I recently sold, I drove to Maryland BOE and picked them up because they had the transducer in stock and I was going to be 45 minutes away for something else. I later added a reman'd evo3 12 to the cockpit from Hodges, and probably used free shipping.
I don't like to say "never," but I won't be taking advantage of any free shipping on expensive items anymore. Drop cables, tees, rod holders and cheaper stuff, sure. Future purchases I will buy locally or pay for "signature required" shipping.
I really like West Marine too. You go in knowing that they will have a decent, albeit higher priced selection in the store. In the middle of a project WM's brick and mortar store has allowed me to proceed when I failed to buy some special part or adhesive beforehand. They will price match certain items sold and shipped through Amazon the last time I needed something (Magma grill).
Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[GotChrist?]

Insurance would not cover your loss. Your dogs destroyed it.
Call UPS. They have an idiot employee. Do not say a word about your dogs tearing the box up. Sounds like they would have done it even if left on your porch. Consider training your dogs to not chew things except the chew toys you give them. For future shipments, log into UPS and leave specific delivery instructions. If your dogs chew anything and everything, put a delivery box on your porch.
If your dogs are running loose, the delivery people don't know you have an invisible fence. Dogs are great at running thru them, but won't return. Your loose dogs will keep the delivery people from going further onto your property. You reaped what you sowed.

 

[Bodick93]

Yeah that's been taken care of. I installed a big Rubbermaid tote with "packages" sprayed in orange and designated a spot near it as a default.
Regardless, a damaged or lost package would have still been insured for...100 bucks.

 

[GotChrist?]

Yeah that's been taken care of. I installed a big Rubbermaid tote with "packages" sprayed in orange and designated a spot near it as a default.
Regardless, a damaged or lost package would have still been insured for...100 bucks.

Not for what your dogs destroyed. That's a point you're having a hard time accepting. We hear you want the shippers to insure. Again, that's an option you had when accepting free shipping or should have. You need to hear the rest of us. Insurance and destructive dogs are not linked. From now on when mail ordering, pay for insurance to cover the cost of the contents. If your dogs repeat it, you'll be in the same outcome. Look at outcome. It's like moving from A to B to C. A is the company that shipped. B is the shipment process. C is the package delivered. A moved to B to C perfectly. Did A ship? Yes. Did B (UPS) do their job and get the package to your house? Yes. Was it delivered to your property in good, undamaged condition? Yes. You're bringing D into the logistic process in order to make A look bad. Throw D out of the picture. Do that and you will have learned a lesson that you could share without blaming A for what D did. A-B-C is the only thing that should be in the discussion. It's a 2 Tim 1:7 thing. Hope this helps.