Shipping Information

Shipments are made F.O.B. shipping point.

How does insurance work with freight shipments?
Every freight shipment is insured. But in order to collect the insurance on damaged goods the receiver MUST INSPECT THE SHIPMENT BEFORE SIGNING FOR IT!! Legally when the shipment is signed over to the freight company, the freight company owns it. When you receive the item and sign for it, you own it. Therefore it is imperative that you carefully inspect your shipment for any damage. If there is any damage at all you must note the damage on the freight bill. This is the only way to be compensated for the damage. 

To fully recover the cost of replacing the damaged goods, your best option is to refuse delivery of damaged items

What should I look for when inspecting my shipment?
About 2% of freight shipments arrive damaged, so be sure to inspect your item when it arrives. The most common cause of damage is the fork-lift so pay special attention to holes poked in the packaging and to the bottom 18" of the shipment. Inspect the outside of the packaging to look for dents or crushed corners. If you see anything even slightly suspicious carefully remove all packaging and inspect the item. The driver may be impatient but that beats having to settle for a damaged item. Unlike FedEx, if you sign your Freight bill free of any claims then you have little recourse if you later discover that it is damaged.

What if my item is damaged?
You have two options. You can note damage on the freight bill and accept the item anyway, or you can refuse the shipment. 99% of freight damage is cosmetic. If you sign the freight bill damaged then the freight company will replace your item, approve reimbursement for parts and repair, or provide compensation depending on the damage. This is often the best option if you need to get your item operational and the damage is cosmetic. If you refuse the shipment it will be returned to us, and we will help ship a replacement as soon as possible. This may take some time due to stocking issues and transit times, but this is usually the best option if a shipment is damaged beyond repair. If you accept a shipment in a damaged state it is very important that you call the freight company immediately to schedule an inspection and file the freight claim, you should take good pictures from different angles of the item and the packaging, and should save all packaging material.

What is a lift-gate?
A lift-gate is a device used to raise and lower items from ground level to the level of a tractor trailer. Freight companies deliver items on a tractor trailer which is 56 inches above the ground. These trailers are designed to load and unload at a loading dock or with a fork-lift. If your delivery location does not have a loading dock or fork-lift and the item is too heavy to remove from the trailer by hand, then you may need a lift-gate.

Do I need lift-gate delivery?
There are several ways to avoid paying lift-gate delivery costs. If your delivery location has a loading dock or forklift, you do not need a lift-gate. If the individual items in your shipment are light enough for you to remove from the truck, you do not need a lift-gate. If you are willing to drive to the closest terminal and take terminal delivery, you do not need a lift-gate. Terminal delivery is often a good way to save on lift-gate delivery fees.

How much does lift-gate delivery service cost?
Lift-gate Service is $125.