Trophy Shippers offline?

[yhc]

Coppersmith has several regional offices and my limited experience with Coppersmith is only with their Seattle office.

The POC at the office seemed less than enthused in handling my friends’ and my crates. When my crate was “accidentally” sent to Montana it took more than a week and a few phone calls and emails for her to respond. CS finally located the missing crate to route it back to its final destination.

Did we get our crates? Yes but with undue delays. Would I use them again in the future? Only if I don’t have any other options.

 

[375Fox]

Coppersmith has several regional offices and my limited experience with Coppersmith is only with their Seattle office.

The POC at the office seemed less than enthused in handling my friends’ and my crates. When my crate was “accidentally” sent to Montana it took more than a week and a few phone calls and emails for her to respond. CS finally located the missing crate to route it back to its final destination.

Did we get our crates? Yes but with undue delays. Would I use them again in the future? Only if I don’t have any other options.

If a customs broker has a good reputation and answers their phone, I’m generally happy. I used fauna and flora for my first few trophy shipments. They have a great reputation but to get them to answer their phone or email for any reason is a huge challenge. Even to pay your bill! I was happy with trophy shippers because they answered phone and email, but my next shipment is too important to chance. Hopefully they will get their act together with this transition soon and I’ll use them again.

 

[Dee S]

I never had an issue with Tom, always was responsive a got my stuff taken care of quickly.

I have put saying this off for many months trying to give Trophy Shippers a chance.

I have used Trophy Shippers for years now and Tom Kelly helped me tremendously. I have sent much business their way over the years. Tom is gone and now the phone lines are all down. Emails are not being answered. As far as I am concerned they are out of business.
Evidently Tom was transitioning to another job all the way back in the summer. They really screwed up my entire group's shipments from South Africa. They caused us to have massive storage fees at DFW. My shipment was not cleared for a week and I had to pay a high price for their laziness. I had one of my clients going to DFW with a semi truck to pick up the entire groups trophies. When he got there he was not able to find anyone who knew where the crates were. He drove all the way back 5 hours empty!
My Tanzania trophies are ready to ship and I am personally back to using Coppersmith.

Regards,
Philip

I had no issues with Tom. He was always responsive and took care of everything quickly. My shipment arrived in DFW on December 1st and I was told 2-4 days to be cleared for me to pick up.
Dec 5th, paperwork on the way to FWS.
Dec 14th, crickets.....

 

[R.M.C.]

I never had an issue with Tom, always was responsive a got my stuff taken care of quickly.

I had no issues with Tom. He was always responsive and took care of everything quickly. My shipment arrived in DFW on December 1st and I was told 2-4 days to be cleared for me to pick up.
Dec 5th, paperwork on the way to FWS.
Dec 14th, crickets.....

Oh boy, hope you hear something soon!! That's with the new crew from trophy shippers?

 

[Kelly G]

"Trophy Shippers" was worst experience I have ever had with bringing trophies home. (3rd trip)
Thought I would save some money since they are on AH and give members a discount.
Tom forgot about my shipment and let it sit in a warehouse accumulating $1600 in storage fees.
Would have been more storage fees if I wouldn't of called and checked. Brought it to "Trophy Shippers" attention that it was sitting in Seattle for 2 weeks. Had to kick Tom K. in the ass and have them complete paperwork and have it released.
There incompetence was very expensive!

Tom gave me every excuse in the world for all the extras and blah, blah, blah...with ending every sentence "it was not my fault."

To "Trophy Shippers" - I don't believe a word you say or advertise, but I'm not the one you have to sell it to anymore....

 

[Dee S]

John, Tom's replacement, just called me. Apparently, since I had combined two sets of trophies for shipment, Badger Cargo put both boxes into one bigger box. But all of the paperwork states there are two shipments. As a result of this paper work error, they won't release the box.
According to John, the storage fees are already above $2000. He is going to reach out to Badger Cargo in SA and see if they will eat the cost since this is their screw up. If not, I told him they could keep the box, I'm not paying it.
Hopefully this can be resolved in my favor as it's not my fault, nor is it Trophy Shippers. If they don't cover the cost of their screw up, then I'll be using a different shipper other than Badger Cargo, or I won't bring anything back.

 

[Philip Glass]

"Trophy Shippers" was worst experience I have ever had with bringing trophies home. (3rd trip)
Thought I would save some money since they are on AH and give members a discount.
Tom forgot about my shipment and let it sit in a warehouse accumulating $1600 in storage fees.
Would have been more storage fees if I wouldn't of called and checked. Brought it to "Trophy Shippers" attention that it was sitting in Seattle for 2 weeks. Had to kick Tom K. in the ass and have them complete paperwork and have it released.
There incompetence was very expensive!

Tom gave me every excuse in the world for all the extras and blah, blah, blah...with ending every sentence "it was not my fault."

To "Trophy Shippers" - I don't believe a word you say or advertise, but I'm not the one you have to sell it to anymore....

It has been bad this year. So sorry for your trouble. That was a big bill for storage fees!

 

[Philip Glass]

Have you used coppersmith before?

Yes for many years. I met Tom and Alan at SCI in Reno one year and decided to go with Trophy Shippers. I know Michael Coppersmith and they are big SCI supporters. They have more staff at major airports around the country than anyone else. Will issues arise? Always with international freight.
I encourage everyone who is able to meet with all these types of people at DSC and SCI. Put a face with a name and learn more about what they do.
Regards,
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

Hate hearing that @Philip Glass .. Im expecting to be called by my taxidermist in SA any day now.. I've also got some stuff in Ireland that Im going to need moved to the US soon.. I've used TS exclusively for the last 3 crates and was planning on using them for these next two crates.. Now Ive got some considering to do..

Do yourself a favor and use Coppersmith.

 

[TXhunter65]

And Mr. Barnum said, "There is no such thing as bad publicity!"... this seems pretty bad.

I'm very fortunate to clear my own trophies and pick them up as soon as they are available. I've cleared 4 shippments since 2017 and will clear 3 shippments in 2023. Haven't paid anything in storage fees to date but with all the COVID increase/gouging going on I may get my chance this year. In the past I believe the first 48 hours were free at the storage facility. That may have changed since I did my last pick up. Hope to find out around March!

 

[Rickmt]

Try Trophy Solutions dip/ pack in northern SA and then ship via Coppersmith . On two trips my stuff was shipped in 90 days .

 

[Tgood1]

Try Trophy Solutions dip/ pack in northern SA and then ship via Coppersmith . On two trips my stuff was shipped in 90 days .

This is the recipe i've used for the past 3 trips to SA. Its been fantastic thus far. on of the Coppersmith agents called me yesterday that my Argentina trophies arrived and cleared in Atlanta. Doing fund transfer today and possibly delivered tuesday of nest week. In my experience the communication from trophy shippers and coppersmith has always been first rate.

 

[Dee S]

TS has sent an email to Badger Cargo regarding the screw up on the paperwork. But bottom line, TS failed to follow up on my crate sitting in Dallas for this long. They should have been aware of this problem on day 5 or 6, not day 13 when I sent another email asking about the status. The storage bill will easily be $3000 before TS and BC figure it out and I have zero faith that either will cover the cost. I will not pay it, I will let the box sit as unclaimed freight. Not counting the cost of the hunt and airfare, I've got $6000 in taxidermy and cargo shipping costs in the box. I'm not paying another $3000.
I'll be looking into some custom made T-shirts so I can wear them at the DSC. Front and back, a warning to not use Trophy Shippers or Badger Cargo. I will visit every booth that I can and explain to every PH that asks, why I'm wearing the shirt.
If you know of a law firm that would be willing to take this case on, I'd appreciate a number to contact them.
I've got a double hunt planned in August, 11 days in Natal and another 11 in Zambia. I'm already thinking I'll just invest in a really good camera and lens, take great pictures, and leave everything behind. Target animals on that hunt will be Nyala, Cape Bushbuck, Cape Buffalo, Crawshays Zebra, Chobe Bushbuck, and there are others if time allows. It would suck to leave them, but today, that's the direction I'm leaning.
Other options for getting the out are plentiful in this media age. YouTube, Instagram, FaceBook, etc.
From what I've read from other people here, the customer is the one that gets screwed in these situations as both TS and BC will wash their hands of it. I've told Tom and John at TS, this is why I pay you, so I don't have to do the leg work or paperwork, just tell me when to pick it up. Yet my box sat there, and is still sitting there, because of their missteps.
Now, if this get's cleared up and somehow they get it all worked out, I'll give them praise on this forum to let everyone that they redeemed themselves, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[375Fox]

TS has sent an email to Badger Cargo regarding the screw up on the paperwork. But bottom line, TS failed to follow up on my crate sitting in Dallas for this long. They should have been aware of this problem on day 5 or 6, not day 13 when I sent another email asking about the status. The storage bill will easily be $3000 before TS and BC figure it out and I have zero faith that either will cover the cost. I will not pay it, I will let the box sit as unclaimed freight. Not counting the cost of the hunt and airfare, I've got $6000 in taxidermy and cargo shipping costs in the box. I'm not paying another $3000.
I'll be looking into some custom made T-shirts so I can wear them at the DSC. Front and back, a warning to not use Trophy Shippers or Badger Cargo. I will visit every booth that I can and explain to every PH that asks, why I'm wearing the shirt.
If you know of a law firm that would be willing to take this case on, I'd appreciate a number to contact them.
I've got a double hunt planned in August, 11 days in Natal and another 11 in Zambia. I'm already thinking I'll just invest in a really good camera and lens, take great pictures, and leave everything behind. Target animals on that hunt will be Nyala, Cape Bushbuck, Cape Buffalo, Crawshays Zebra, Chobe Bushbuck, and there are others if time allows. It would suck to leave them, but today, that's the direction I'm leaning.
Other options for getting the out are plentiful in this media age. YouTube, Instagram, FaceBook, etc.
From what I've read from other people here, the customer is the one that gets screwed in these situations as both TS and BC will wash their hands of it. I've told Tom and John at TS, this is why I pay you, so I don't have to do the leg work or paperwork, just tell me when to pick it up. Yet my box sat there, and is still sitting there, because of their missteps.
Now, if this get's cleared up and somehow they get it all worked out, I'll give them praise on this forum to let everyone that they redeemed themselves, but I'm not holding my breath.

Have you reached out directly to Badger Cargo yourself for their explanation? or only through trophy shippers? I’ve used Badger Cargo at least twice and previously while they worked for a different company. They were always very good to deal with and very knowledgeable.

 

[Dee S]

I have not just yet, been a crazy morning. My taxidermist, who is from South Africa is going to call them today so they can speak the same language and be no miscommunication.

 

[Kelly G]

It has been bad this year. So sorry for your trouble. That was a big bill for storage fees!

Currently I have work being done at "Collettes" in Bulawayo.
Will use Coppersmith for clearance.
Thank you Philip Glass for your time and advice you have provided to everyone through out the years.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I have used hunter's international 3 times and Cargo Tours International once. No issues and super responsive. Depends on where you want your trophies cleared.

 

[Philip Glass]

Currently I have work being done at "Collettes" in Bulawayo.
Will use Coppersmith for clearance.
Thank you Philip Glass for your time and advice you have provided to everyone through out the years.

You are so welcome. My point with my posts on AH is not to prove I know it all, because I don’t, but to help other stay out of the many pitfalls it seems so many wind up in.
Thanks again.
Philip

 

[Speedster]

Is there a specific contact for Coppersmith? I used TS last time but it sounds like a change would be smart.

 

[Areaonereal]

I heard a Horror Story from a fellow hunter I spent 10 days with in Namibia regarding TS handling his one and only experience regarding his shipment in February….a true Dog and Pony Show. My personal experience with 5 shipments having Coppersmith, Chicago handle everything. Painless and Professional thru arranging shipment from SA or Namibia thru Chicago to my door.