Returning a broken item (INAD) without even opening the box.
I don't know if you guys remember the story of my favorite discontinued Corning "Visions" pot.
It's my favorite pot to cook with.
Every few years I break it and have to order a replacement from ebay.
The last time I had to order 3 of them before I could finally receive one the wasn't shattered on arrival.
I recently broke that pot again.
I mistakenly ordered 2 pots to replace it.
One was a best offer that I didn't realize was accepted so I ended up ordering 2 by mistake.
No problem. I can always use an extra one for the next time I break it.
The first pot showed up in perfect condition.
The second pot arrived broken/shattered.
When I picked it up from my front porch I could hear the glass pieces rattling around inside.
I did not open the box.
I wanted the seller to see that it is still sealed and unopened.
Would there be any problem returning a broken item (INAD) without even opening the box?
I did contact the seller with all this information before starting a return just to see how they would like to proceed.
evry1nositswindy
·1 year agoI agree the packaging is sincerely lacking. That being said, the one that arrived in one piece came from a warm climate and the one that broke came from a cold climate. There are certain (glass) things I stop selling when it is winter here. I have only had 2 broken items in 13 year [stops to knock on wood] and both times were in winter. I also tell my buyers of glass items to wait 24 hours before opening the item to acclimate to the temperature. It seems to work. FWIW...
gurlcat
·1 year agoI am the same way with the Cuisinart Grind n' Brew coffee maker, which was discontinued ages ago, but I am currently on my ..... 5th(?) one, all from eBay. Fortunately it has a steel carafe instead of glass -not only non-breakable but it's so well-insulated the burner only heats underneath while the coffee is brewing (so it doesn't drip into a cold vessel), then it shuts off and the coffee still stays hot for hours, instead of steadily cooking and getting all bitter, bleh.
Everything about the machine is so perfect, if you gave me the choice between never having another one or never having another husband ..... PFFFFFFFFFF 🤣😆😂
susanb1872
·1 year agoThanks for posting the pictures. It was an amazingly poor packing job. I am the opposite-I tend to add too many packing materials. But the thing I do last before I tape up a box is I shake the box and if I can hear the item moving, I open it and add more materials until I hear no movement. So far, no complaints on breakage.
chapeau-noir
·1 year agoSomething I learned from a professional who worked for a packing company "A box's strength comes from within" - since then when it comes to breakables, I make sure there is no void space.
adamcartwright
·1 year ago@inhawaii
Curious to know if you purchased this from an experienced seller?
But come to think of it, even as a newbie I knew how to pack.
inhawaii
OP1 year agohttps://www.ebay.com/itm/326451989080 Arrived broken
https://www.ebay.com/itm/176859548080 Arrived perfect
mam98031
·1 year agoThat is interesting. The one that arrived in great condition, I likely would not have purchased from because of their feedback. The one that is broken, the sellers as good feedback. I just find that interesting.
inhawaii
OP1 year agoMy un-professional opinion.
Not a good job of packing.
bdmh-enterprises
·1 year agoWOW lol. That bubble wrap looks like it's on it's 4th or 5th re-use. I'll go to great lengths to save a few cents on shipping, but even I would have tossed that stuff long ago.
iamalwaysright
·1 year agoAgree. There seems to be way too much space on the top part of the box. I guess the seller never expected the box to ever get turned upside down.
Also the box itself suggests to a carrier that the box is super strong and rigid (since it has rolls of packing tape inside it). They likely did this to it.
mam98031
·1 year agoGreat pic. But I don't think the carrier would have had to do that to break the item. Just normal movement would cause that item to move so much inside the package to break. I'm surprised that inhawaii actually receive one of the two in tact.
inhawaii
OP1 year agoFunny you should mention that.
Notice you can't see the shipping label?
It's on the BOTTOM of the box.
I have no idea if that has anything to do with anything, just thought it was strange.
mam98031
·1 year agoBoy would I agree with "Not a good job of packing" !!!! So much open space and room for the item to move. No where near packed with enough padding on any side as it appears.
sakic92710
·1 year agoAWFUL job of packing. I worked for a tourist shop for over 8 years. I worked alone taking care of stock & shipping the orders. Busiest time was late Oct. to Christmas. I would ship approx. 20-25 orders a day. Never had 1 single complaint. Packing orders is not a science. Common sense & basic knowledge is all that is required. If a box is too big, I cut it down to size & fold, so everything is tightly packed in.
chapeau-noir
·1 year agoIron cauldron. Or just barbecue everything.
adamcartwright
·1 year ago@inhawaii
Have you considered switching favorite pots from the Corning "Visions [of Broken Glass]" to something else?
inhawaii
OP1 year agoNo!
Never!
mam98031
·1 year agoMe either. I love mine too. But I have had mine for, Oh more than 3 decades and it only has one small chip in it. You seem to need to be a bit more gentle with yours. LOL
sakic92710
·1 year agoSome have more difficulty dealing with their managing of food.
mantle1951
·1 year agoIt's time for you to try to give up on this type of pot!!- Or you can hire a cook that doesn't break things in the kitchen!!
chapeau-noir
·1 year agoGo with hiring a cook - that's an elegant solution!
luckythewinner
·1 year agoWould there be any problem returning a broken item (INAD) without even opening the box?
What possible problem would you imagine there would be? But why wouldn't you open it?
inhawaii
OP1 year agoI just though the seller might appreciate that I leave it sealed to show that in fact it arrived broken and I had nothing to do with it.
lacemaker3
·1 year agoDon't let food get burned onto the pot, and never use anything made of metal to clean it or scrape it.
If you do that, (and don't drop it) then you should not have any more issues with Visions pots breaking.
If your "new" pot is used, then check it for teeny little spots on the inside bottom. Those would probably be tiny chips (from cleaning it with a metal scrubbie or brush) and if they are there, then it will eventually break. Could break spontaneously.
meme6253
·1 year agoEver hear of oven mitts?
iamalwaysright
·1 year agoAs a seller I wouldn't see a problem with doing this given the type of item it is. But some sellers might be annoyed at it with the notion of claiming SNAD without even taking a look at the item yet, even if it's with the reason that it's broken and shattered in pieces.
I also get the idea of not wanting to open it up and deal with the hassle for something you 100% know is broken and re-packing it. If you wanted to be thorough and avoid the risk of an annoyed seller, you can just break the seal of the packaging and re-seal it without actually opening the package.
Two thoughts. I wonder what happens once the seller receives the package, how likely are they going to issue a less than full refund for receiving a return that is damaged (received not in the condition as it was sent out in). I'm sure sellers of place settings know more about this. Also I hear that USPS refuses to deliver damaged (shattered) products right? I think they might consider the contents having potentially hazardous material. I don't know how involved they will be in this issue since they didn't recognize the damage when they delivered it to you.
12345jamesstamps
·1 year agoI think a photo showing it broken to the seller...the seller would just refund you and not ask for a return.
Would I return a broken item without opening the box...no
We sometimes have to think sellers are going to do the right thing.
I couldn't even imagine the seller wanting something returned broken.
If a buyer received your item broken in the same way as this...what would you do?
inhawaii
OP1 year agoThe best pot for making S.O.S. in! 😋
grand-and-glorious-purpose
·1 year agoI think you know you could return used soup and still get a full refund.
inhawaii
OP1 year agoQuick note.
This time around, the pot that did arrive in good condition was packed in actual foam rubber.
Ingenious.
meme6253
·1 year agoI agree with chapeau-noir, They need a photo of the damage,Then just close it back up & tape it shut, No Biggie., You may want to consider your cooking techniques though!, L.O.L.
iamalwaysright
·1 year agosakic92710
·1 year agoYou sound like a walking disaster. Glad you are not my roommate. 🤣
inhawaii
OP1 year agoI'm moving to Canada for 3 years and 10 months.
How much to rent your sofa?
sakic92710
·1 year agoIt all depends on how much stuff you break while you are here. 🤣
chapeau-noir
·1 year ago@inhawaii will cook for you, too!
inhawaii
OP1 year agoPoutine!
mam98031
·1 year agoIf you file an INAD, you are now required to supply at least one picture.
IMHO I would take pics of the outside box, then I would open it and take a pic or two. The seller will likely not want it back, but as a seller I would definitely want to see the broken item. Also hang onto everything as the seller may need it to file an insurance claim with the carrier.
Now what does this pot look like? What makes it so special to cook in? I'm curious !!!
meme6253
·1 year agoHe will try and find one that is not broken to show you.
mam98031
·1 year agoNo need now. As I posted earlier I found them on Ebay and realized I have a Dutch Oven in this Vision ware. It is fantastic to back a roast and vegies in.
simba6
·1 year agoIf you can clearly tell it's broken, then their is no reason to open it. It always used to be stop unpacking the moment you see damage . They way they could inspect how it was packed.
pastimpressions
·1 year agoI would open it up if for no other reason than the sheer curiosity as to how it was packaged that it was destroyed in transit.
If the box doesn't look like it was run over by a dump truck it must have been one poor packing job.
inhawaii
OP1 year agoHopefully they'll refund me without having to return a broken pot.
I am willing to take all the pictures they want.
ittybitnot
·1 year agoI am willing to take all the pictures they want.
@inhawaii
Are you willing to take the parcel to the Post Office on behalf of the seller so they can file the claim?
The last two 'broken in shipping' claims I made with USPS for which the buyer provided photos of the boxes and contents that looked like they had been run over by a truck were denied unless the buyer took them in for inspection. (The last claim I made with USPS was over 12 years ago and was refunded by submitting buyer photos.) Of course, there is no requirement that the buyer cooperated, but it may make the difference on whether or not the seller can collect on the insurance.
If it is shipped back, there will be no insurance payout to the seller to be sure whether or not you open the parcel.
inhawaii
OP1 year agoThis box is in pretty good shape.
I just heard back from the seller.
They want me to take pictures of the box, then open it up and take pictures of the inside.
They say they will refund me and not require I ship the broken pot back.
To answer your question, no I would not be willing to make a trip to the post office. Too much hassle.
mam98031
·1 year agoI found them on Ebay. No need for pics. I didn't know that was what they were called. I have a big Dutch Oven that I've had for years. It is the go to tool to back a roast and vegies in. Oh dang a Chuck Roast sounds good. It just falls apart baked in this pot!
itsjustasprain
·1 year agoIs this a pot with a lid? Maybe you will open it up and find that the lid has broken but the pot did not. (or vice-versa)
I have seen cases where the seller did not wrap the lid separately so the pot and lid hammered together until one of them broke.
mooncat_watches
·1 year agoResponse from seller: "Did you enjoy the lego set I included as a thank you gift?"
I'm with @chapeau-noir open the box. It would make more sense to include it since, as far as I know, you have to provide a photo.
chapeau-noir
·1 year agoI would photo the box, then open the box and take a photo of the broken insides. The seller is going to need these for when they file the insurance claim.
stainlessenginecovers
·1 year ago@chapeau-noir that's the 'old' days.
USPS doesn't accept 'photos' anymore
USPS doesn't pay out for 'damaged' until they 'inspect' the package, and the package itself needs
a.) to NOT be mailed back to the seller
b.) to be damaged on the outside, causing the damage of what's inside
otherwise, seller owes buyer 100% and should pay them if they want buyer to 'possibly take to their post office for inspection'.
chapeau-noir
·1 year agoOdd. That has been requested of me not that long ago.
It goes without saying that the seller reimburses the buyer then deals with the claim, however it is dealt with.
stainlessenginecovers
·1 year agoIt was requested of you by someone that has NO clue. This has been this way for 3+ years....
gurlcat
·1 year agoWhen did they change that? It doesn't feel like very long ago I got a claim approved with photos only.
klhmdg
·1 year agoNo not an issue at all.
If the seller asks for a photo you could open it and take one.
I cant imagine that the seller would want you to return a broken item but stranger things have happened.