Sellers who DON'T properly package fragile items for shipping that arrive broken RANT!

[jd197094]

I'm a buyer. I buy items that are hard to find, discontinued, retired - that I'm unable to find anywhere else.

I have been purchasing increasingly hard to find Franklin Mint items - Particularly from the Treasures Of Tutankhamun collection. In late 2019 I found a full collection of 18 individual Retired Egyption statues on Ebay for $450 + $75 S&H - I had been looking for this complete collection for a couple of YEARS so I was very excited to be finally getting it. 

Cut to 5 days later the package arrives and I could already hear the broken glass inside...Open the box and EVERY SINGLE STATUE and Glass dome was completely shattered. This seller didn't wrap each statue individually, she put the statues with glass domes in a box with shredded newspaper and somehow expected it to arrive from California  to Pennsylvania with no problem.  I was disappointed, kinda **bleep**, and baffled at how someone could put so little care or effort into packaging a $500 sale... I submitted a return request with a bunch of photos and her response blew me away, she said and I quote " I went out of my way to make sure they were protected enough for shipping " WHAT? NO, NO YOU DIDN'T!! She actually believed she did a good job packaging these statues...it boggles my mind, and I still haven't found another complete set since then, so it was a terrible experience. I also cut my hand open, and almost had to go to the hospital. How else was I going to take pictures if I didn't take everything out of the box?

I usually stay away from ordering anything fragil - I've had such bad luck with Ebay sellers that I just don't usually bother anymore...

I waited a year and a half before I tried again...

I ordered 2 limited Edition, retired since the 1990's Egyption Vases. Paid $200 + S&H and they arrived totally shattered! Once again I'm baffled at how little effort went into protecting these 2 vases (retired, limited edition, numbered, from a company that is no longer in business) I could once again hear the shattered pieces inside the box before I even opened it. Inside, there was some bubble wrap, but shockingly both vases were put into the box in a plastic bag and misc bubble wrap, scrunched up paper - but the vases were not individually wrapped or protected from banging into each other... it's sad, disappointing, and I can't understand how this keeps happening.

I will of course be refunded. The problem becomes bigger...I find myself NOT ordering things now out of fear they will just arrive broken. I just came across an almost complete set of those statues again, and I don't think I will order them because I don't have confidence they will arrive undamaged.

I could write the seller and ask for them to wrap each statue with care, but I shouldn't have to do that.

Here's what I want to make CRYSTAL CLEAR - I'm sure there are buyers who try to scam sellers, as well as sellers who try to scam buyers... Sellers MUST remember that MOST people are NOT trying to scam anybody. I just wanted the items I ordered to arrive undamaged! That's it! Apparently spending more doesn't equal better care.  

I'm now at a crossroads... I'm not sure I want to order anymore of these kind of items from Ebay.  And who cares, right? Nobody will miss 1 person's sales...but I'm not the only one! 

Sellers should have to watch packaging and shipping tutorials before they can sell items on Ebay. There needs to be a standard! Too many people just do whatever they want - ship items and believe they did a great job when in fact the only time the job was great is when the item arrives undamaged!

And it does have long terms consequences when you consider I still haven't found that entire collection again... It's just mind boggling, and disappointing! 

I said this was a rant in the title!!! 

Thanks for reading.

[simba6]

Many don't have a clue about packing. Be sure to file an item not as described case and get a refund.

[whattheactualfox]

Can second this. If they refuse get ebay involved and take lots of pictures, make sure you take pictures of the packaging too to show how it was packaged. Keep us updated OP

[katzrul15]

I could write the seller and ask for them to wrap each statue with care, but I shouldn't have to do that.

I am a Seller and I would not be offended if you emailed me to ask how I might prepare a fragile shipment to you and if you wanted to confirm that I double box items, etc.  Especially, if you preface the email with the fact that a recent order went awry and you are an avid collector and really want them to arrive intact and as promised.

I have emailed a Seller to ask if they intend for the shipping shown to reflect the manufacturer box it is in or if they intend to ship that box inside a box with packing.  How a seller responds, often lends to whether or not I end up buying something.  A good Seller will reply.  A Great Seller will work to assure you of their professional packing abilities and promise to get it to you.  Someone who does not reply or is offended - PASS and buy elsewhere.  Be patient - you'll eventually find your set.  Sorry this shipment was a dud.

[jd197094]

I will do that, I just hate that I have to do that.

It's so frustrating, and now I have to search for the items again. Find BOTH with the stands (Most are missing the stands) if I am even able find them again.

If it's common items it's one thing, when the items are limited, retired, etc... it's kinda a big deal.

Thanks for your help!

[jd197094]

That's a good idea. When the Franklin Mint originally mailed the items, they shipped in custom styrofoam that was fail safe! You could put the statue or plate in that styrofoam and throw it at a wall for 5 hours straight and when you were done the statue or plate would still be undamaged! I worked for the Franklin Mint for 1 year when I was a teenager (1995) as an inbound order rep... When I was in training they discussed the shipping materials. Everything was designed to insure there was no damage from warehouse to customer. As a mail-order company this would be a priority! 

I'm sure most sellers do a great job packaging items for shipment. I guess I just keep finding all the sellers who don't. 

I feel just as bad for the seller since they lost the product and the sale in the process. If you saw how these items were packaged...I can't wrap my mind around how this person thought these items would arrive safe and sound. There was literally NO WAY they would arrive any other way than totally busted. 

I would have slapped a bunch of Fragile stickers, or wrote it on the box.

Oh well!

Thanks!

[hilltop_homestead]

Oh my goodness, I have had this happen so many times!  More times than not, fragile items arrive just fine, but I have had several experiences with rare, expensive items packed poorly or poor responses from sellers.

The first was a large antique gesso framed mirror.  It was shipped in a big cardboard box with almost no padding.  Miraculously the mirror didn’t break, but the frame was completely broken off on one corner and required me to find an antique specialist who could do this very specific repair for $$$.  The seller was rude and unhinged and insisted that it was packed well and did nothing to help.  I didn’t leave negative feedback because at the time, sellers could retaliate with unhinged feedback of their own and I didn’t want to risk that.

Another was another mirror, this time an antique hall tree type mirror with hooks.  I heard the broken glass before it arrived.  This seller wanted the broken mirror back (possibly to put new glass in the frame and try again) but did refund me once he received my return.

Another bad experience was when I won an auction for dozens of pieces of blue and white china, including some antique pieces and some expensive ones.  I got the lot for well below their value and was thrilled.  When my husband picked up the box, again, he could hear all the broken glass.  All of these dishes—close to 50 pieces—were literally stacked in a giant box with only sheets of newspaper between them.  Who in their right mind would not expect everything to break?  She did refund me, and I was able to salvage 4-5 pieces out of all the wreckage, but I was so disappointed. I have often wondered if the seller was disappointed in the final sale amount and over-insured the package, counting on it breaking so she could collect.  

Yet another time I ordered six champagne flutes of my expensive and discontinued Crystal pattern, and the seller was very rude and hateful even before the purchase.  When I sent a fair inquiry/offer, she rudely suggested  that one of her cheapest items might suit my budget better.  Later she wrote and apologized and agreed to accept my offer, and when I didn’t respond immediately she wrote again and said “buy them or not, I really don’t care.” I really wanted the glasses because they are almost impossible to find, so I went against my better judgment and ordered.  

     They were not packaged particularly well, not the worst I’ve seen but not the best either, and two of the six were broken.  I informed the seller and sent pictures and she insisted that I needed to go to the post office since I was the one who purchased insurance (I wasn’t!). She insured the package when sending it so she had all the documentation.  I went to the post office twice (the second time with the “documentation” she sent, which was just a copy of my eBay invoice showing the package was insured) and became increasingly ruder when I tried to explain that my postmaster said the burden was on her to file.  She even went so far as to suggest I was scamming her.  Finally after nearly a month of this, I escalated it to EBay and received a full refund for the entire purchase.  I was content to be refunded for just the two broken ones, and if she had been reasonable from the start, that’s all I would have received.  I find it hard to feel bad that the entire amount came back to me after her erratic behavior and refusal to help me.

Recently I ordered five ceramic candle holders (also vintage, also discontinued) and the seller just wrapped them in paper like they do at the store and threw them in a box to rattle around.  She refunded me for the two that were broken upon arrival, and said how disappointing that was because they were such lovely pieces.  Meanwhile, I was wondering how thick headed you have to be to expect a thin paper wrap to do much of anything.

Just today, I received a different piece of my Crystal poorly wrapped and broken.  We will see how this one goes.

My UPS driver/mail carrier always say, “just have the seller send another,” which you know as a collector isn’t possible!

In spite of these major disappointments, I have mostly had good luck with fragile items and the vast majority of sellers are prompt to address the matter if something goes wrong. Don’t be afraid to politely ask how the item will be packaged.  And with eBay’s buyer protections, at least you won’t lose your money.  But I completely understand the excitement of finding your “unicorn,” splurging on it and being excited, only to have poor packaging destroy that desired item.  

[mg152]

That’s really sad. It broke my heart to see those beautiful items broken. I’m really sorry. Get your refund and keep looking for the set. 💔

[pargran3]

Terrible experiences. It just boggles the mind how a seller with an ounce of sense could think those items would survive shipping packaged like that.

That is one reason that I do not get offended if someone messages about careful packaging. However this is probably not effective. they will package however they intended to in the first place. The clueless will remain clueless.

If you are buying buy it nows you could perhaps check the seller's feedback to see if there are positives praising the packaging? 

So frustrating for you. 

[kh-laura]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.