careful ordering tools

[Drew Watson]

I have ordered a few tools from Grizzly before. Two I picked up and one delivered with no issues. With that experience being good I ordered another tool a thickness planer and the first shipment arrived looking like someone had taken a hammer to the paint with cracks and chips everywhere. It was returned and a second machine sent out with the promise that it would be inspected first. It arrived today with the box looking like it had been run into with a fork lift and bashed around. Upon initial inspection I couldn't see any damage other than a hold down strap had been damaged ( no big deal) it was only when I opened it did I discover two chunks of cast iron sitting under the machine. Turns out the fork lift bars that come with the machine had been driven hard enough to break two small ribs off the cast table. ( an issue but not a big one) then I noticed that the wheel for moving it had been damaged by the fork lift (the initial damage on the box) Still not a huge deal as that can be replaced and fixed. Now for the big one the paint is again cracked in certain places. this was the reason that it was sent back and suppose to have been inspected before shipping.

[Myk Rian]

This sounds like a rant.

[Matt Meiser]

I hope you noted the shipping damage on the outside of the box. You really aren't going to be happy if you didn't.

[Mike Goetzke]

The paint is probably a Grizz problem but the shipping companies don't seem to know how to handle large equipment no matter what the brand.

Mike

[Mark Ashmeade]

....So either it happened in transport of Grizzly just doesn't give a damn about sales and keeping the customers happy.

I think you'll find that they do. They very much do. It wouldn't surprise me if Shiraz himself pipes up on this thread, apologises, promises he will make it right, and then open a can of whoopass in private.

Sorry to hear you've had a problem. They've been very good for me.

[Jim Andrew]

I ordered a planer, a shaper and a power feeder in December, to take advantage of the special pricing, and the only thing broken was a plastic handle for the power feeder. The planer was delivered in a plywood box, the shaper in cardboard, and the power feeder in cardboard. None of the boxes were damaged. SAIA trucking delivered mine, and they had the boxes tied to the inside wall of the truck.

[Mark Bolton]

No offense but what I find funny is that cracked cast iron, a fork impact to a hand wheel which may or may not have bent the shaft, who knows what ever other structural issue may or may not effect the machine, "the big one" is the paint being chipped.

While I love to look at nice machines in my shop, I would gladly accept some concessions from a vendor for cosmetics (which they will most always ablidge) I'm horrified at the thought I will have to fuss with a new piece of equipment that should be close straight off the crate.

[glenn bradley]

That would be shipping damage, re-shipping and so forth pretty much kill the profit margin on a sale when your tools are priced as low as Grizzly's. There's no way they would want to knowingly send out a machine that would involve a return. It is hard to swallow though when you get a one two punch like this regardless of who is at fault. I don't mind a little extra effort when I can get a green tool for hundreds less than its other-colored twin. Your experience is rare although I'm sure it doesn't feel that way about now. You would think with how hard it is to find a job that these bozos in the freight biz would be more attentive.

[Chris Padilla]

Shipping companies are classic for not caring how they handle things. Check out YouTube for all sorts of FedEx and UPS drivers caught on camera literally tossing boxes around and kicking them.

[Mikail Khan]

I have ordered 8 pieces of stationary equipment from Grizzly. I have a ninth on the way. After they arrive at my freight forwarder in Miami, they are put in a container which is shipped 1500 miles to a bonded warehouse in Trinidad, West Indies. The container is then unstuffed in the warehouse by a handling agent. Thus far all have arrived undamaged.

MK

[Ronald Blue]

I just purchased a new 3 HP dust collector and it arrived unscathed and as expected. I have a beef with the truck service though. Why schedule a delivery and then not show? Thanks SAIA! I will buy again from Grizzly in the future. You don't reveal where you are located but my order only came about 400 miles and was transferred 3 times at terminals. Get a careless lift truck operator and you have damage. I have no doubt Grizzly will do all they can to make it right with you. Even the shipping damage but that's not really on them.

[Scott T Smith]

Drew, I think that you are being very unfair to Grizzly.

I have personally spent several hours in both their Missouri and Pennsylvania warehouses, and did not observe any damage whatsoever on any of the cartons or crates in stock.

It's not reasonable to speak negatively of them for shipping damage that in all probability occurred after the shipment left their warehouse. They have thousands of very satisfied customers and a reputation for caring about their customers.

[James Nugnes]

Companies that ship big heavy stuff to residential addresses have two strikes working against them every time one of those things leaves the warehouse. The freight company employees don't like the things cause they are big and heavy, tough to deal with monsters and they think they can take some abuse cause they are big and heavy, tough to deal with monsters.

Shoving the forklift into the thing like that is pretty darned careless. Would you think that the forklift driver carefully nudged up to the thing with his forks or came whipping around some corner slammin' the forks into the skids? It really does not matter what the supplier is willing to spend on packaging if the carrier is going to be that careless...Just about everything but an Abrams tank loses to the business end of a forklift handled carelessly.

Fedex freight does home freight delivery but I would bet their rates are just way past what Grizzly thinks the customer base will tolerate. Fedex freight costs could easily be higher than the price of the tool you would be buying.

[Mike Heidrick]

You take a risk in ordering any huge tool and getting it delivered. Did you make note of the condition of the box on the manifest? That would put Grizzly in a much better spot to help you. Good luck. You are in the land of maple leaf General tools correct??

[John Coloccia]

Fedex freight does home freight delivery but I would bet their rates are just way past what Grizzly thinks the customer base will tolerate. Fedex freight costs could easily be higher than the price of the tool you would be buying.

FWIW, my experience with Fedex freight is that they are the WORST you could possibly use. Their damage rate was so bad that when stuff was delivered to us from them at work, we would not accept the shipment until it was completely uncrated and examined. Truly pathetic. Honestly, though, I have enough experience with freight that I know they're all pretty lousy. If you're going to ship something via freight service, you'd better have some really good packing and protection or it will likely arrive damaged.