Shipping

We do not require a RA# to ship a unit in for repair, however we suggest you read the following:

Please include in the box a note with your name, address, and phone number on it. The note should also describe the fault or problem that you are having with the unit. The more information you can give us as to how to recreate the problem the better chance of us actually finding the exact problem that you are having with the unit. Please note the following:

1. Yes you are right if you don’t include a note we will have to call you to find out what’s wrong, however this will cause the unit to be shifted back in the “repair que” and will cause more delays in turn around time.
2. If you had the box packed by a third party, such as Mailboxes etc., remember that your name and address does not appear on the OUTSIDE of the box. If you do not include a note, we have no idea who sent the unit and the box goes into “limbo area” waiting for you to contact us and tell us who you are and why you sent us the unit.
3. If you spoke to us on the phone about your unit , you MUST still include a note as we typically field 50 or more calls a day about units and will not remember your particular unit, no matter how special it is to you.
4. Please don’t call us to see if your unit arrived. Check the tracking number the shipping carrier gave you. They can give you detailed information as to when we received the unit. If you don’t hear from us two weeks AFTER we recieved the unit THEN call us.
5. If you ask for a estimate, we will have to test, disassemble, and diagnoise the problem and then contact you for approval to repair it. If your not available at the time we contact you the unit will move to back of the “repair que” awaiting your decision. A much quicker approach would be to look at our “estimated repair costs” and put a note in the box saying to repair if the cost is not over $ XXX.00, otherwise call. This way the unit can be repaired while it is still on the tech’s bech after diagnoising the problem.
6. We are well aware of a unit’s actual worth and would NEVER repair a unit when the repair cost comes close to the actual replacement cost UNLESS instructed to do so by you. If we feel the repair cost is beyond what the unit is worth, we will ask for payment in full BEFORE we start the repair.
7. Please try to incude as much information as possible as to how you are using the unit, such as inputs, outputs, levels, physical location, etc, so that we can try to duplicate your setup here at our shop. This is especially important for digital products if you are having sync issues. The more information you include the better chance we will have at not only finding the problem but confirming the unit will work back at your facility after we ship it back to you.
8. Intermittent problems are extremly difficult to find and require special handling to insure we see the problem, and correct it. If your problem is intermittent, be sure to state that in your note.

Use the orginal packing box and packing materials, if at all possible, otherwise do the following:

1. Wrap the unit securly in bubble wrap. (Bubbles facing in)
2. Place the the bubble-wrapped unit in a cardboard box. If the bubble wrapped unit is smaller than the box, use styrofoam peanuts to fill in the air space. Tape shut securely.
3. Place the taped box in another box that will allow at least a 1″ air gap around all sides of the internal box. Use styrofoam peanuts to “float” the internal box within the external box. Tape shut securely.
4. Place proper shipping information on the box, including RA (return authorization) number if instructed.
5. Insure the package for the full cost to replace the unit if it was damaged beyond repair or lost.

Now that we told you what to do let us show you a few examples of what NOT to do:

Click on images for larger view.

Rack mount equipment is 19″ wide, a FedEx box is 17.875″ wide, do we need to say more?

This customer left off an essential piece of packing material.

Protect those rack ears in the box!

Tight Fit

Nice Box