A reminder to the importance of Bubble Wrap!

[klassic*kids]

Last week I bought a vintage pitcher & basin set.  When it arrived the pitcher was wrapped in lots of bubble wrap and was fine, however, for some inexplicable reason the seller did not  wrap the basin in it and it arrived demolished in 3 separate pieces. 

It was a real mess and I was upset as I really wanted this piece for the decorating project I am taking on in my new dining room. The seller is now out the money and I am out the set.  It was a lose-lose situation.

I do not sell collectibles and "breakables" but this is testament to remind sellers of the importance of bubble wrap!

Have a nice weekend, and here's to lots of sales!

[billythekid16]

This is one of the reasons why I never sell or buy items on eBay thats made of glass or materials that have a high risk of breakage, regardless of how much padding it gets for shipping.

[patd3283]

Billy, there is always some risk.  But I've been here since 2107 and sell mainly glass and china.  In all those years only 1 thing arrived broken - with tire tracks on it - where USPS ran over the box.

Look for a seller with a history of selling fragile items and no broken comments in feedback.

Patd

[castlemagicmemories]

I've received several porcelain dolls over the years that were not packed properly and arrived broken.  If you don't put bubble wrap, or another protective wrapping, around the arms and legs, they can hit together during transit and break.  This usually happens to the feet, but one that had bent knees had a knee broken when they slammed together.  One doll had a foot broken off at the ankle.  

[tinstarglassware]

All I sell is glass and use plenty of bubble wrap. But unfortunately, returns from buyers are just thrown in a box and mailed back without any protection. I once received a large glass sent in a bubble mailer which arrived shattered.

[kathieskorner]

Personally, I prefer to use foam padding or styrofoam (no peanuts) in addition to bubble wrap for fragile items - occasionally I double box.   Choosing the right box is sometimes as important as the packing material used.    I've sold a lot of glass and china over my 18 years here, and only had a couple of items break.   I don't sell as many breakables as I used to, but it has more to do with postage costs than items being damaged. 

[postingid2017]

😞  I'm sorry this happened.  I normally stray away from breakable both buying & selling 😞  

[coolections]

The best way to ship breakables is use bubble wrap as you suggested AND put that box into a larger box. The problem is sellers try saving every penny and do not want to spend on the extra postage cost. 99.999% of the time the items will arrive safely if done right. The biggest reason USPS will not pay the insurance if the item arrives broken is because the seller did not package correctly.

[klassic*kids]

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@kathieskorner wrote:

Personally, I prefer to use foam padding or styrofoam (no peanuts) in addition to bubble wrap for fragile items - occasionally I double box.   Choosing the right box is sometimes as important as the packing material used.    I've sold a lot of glass and china over my 18 years here, and only had a couple of items break.   I don't sell as many breakables as I used to, but it has more to do with postage costs than items being damaged. 

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There was some very thin, supposed to be protective I guess - might have been foam, don't know - it was very thin, lining around the basin.  However, no bubble wrap whatsoever.  The pitcher which was wrapped in bubble wrap was in perfect condition.

When I packed them up to go back I very carefully put the bubble wrap around the pitcher again.  Figured she may be able to sell that alone, but won't work for me as I was looking for a basic/pitcher set.

Yes, postage costs are crazy.  I paid out the nose for this shipping - $29.  And I felt bad for the seller getting stuck on paying shipping for both ways.  Hopefully she never sends something out without bubble wrap in the future.  Expesnive lesson to learn.

[klassic*kids]

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@tinstarglassware wrote:
All I sell is glass and use plenty of bubble wrap. But unfortunately, returns from buyers are just thrown in a box and mailed back without any protection. I once received a large glass sent in a bubble mailer which arrived shattered.

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I very carefully packed the pitcher back up in the bubble wrap it came to me in.  The basin I left alone - it was shattered anyway.  But I figured she can sell the pitcher again as a stand alone.  Won't work for me though as I wanted the set.

I have since found and bought another set.  I made sure the buyer sold a lot of breakables and recieved FB with happy customers thanking her for carefully wrapping her breakable items.

I feel bad for the first seller losing so much money in this deal and i am sure it was an expensive lesson to learn.  But the story about the nitwit sending you a breakable item in a bubble mailer takes the cake -- what in the world are some people thinking sometimes?

[castlemagicmemories]

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@tinstarglassware wrote:
All I sell is glass and use plenty of bubble wrap. But unfortunately, returns from buyers are just thrown in a box and mailed back without any protection. I once received a large glass sent in a bubble mailer which arrived shattered.

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Makes you wonder, what were they thinking?

Oh, wait, maybe they weren't...

[castlemagicmemories]

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@kathieskorner wrote:

Personally, I prefer to use foam padding or styrofoam (no peanuts) in addition to bubble wrap for fragile items - occasionally I double box.   Choosing the right box is sometimes as important as the packing material used.    I've sold a lot of glass and china over my 18 years here, and only had a couple of items break.   I don't sell as many breakables as I used to, but it has more to do with postage costs than items being damaged. 

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Wish I had bought that music box I bought from you.  Heavy music box, with a glass apple that fit on top of the figures.  Seller was on Ebay almost since it started and was a Trading Assistant, but while she put bubble wrap around each piece, she did not put the glass piece in another box, and then put that box in with the music box in the shipping box, so of course the heavier music box smashed the glass apple completely.  Seller thanked me for being so understanding that these things happen, to which I replied, yes, these things happen when you don't separate a glass item from a heavy music box.  This piece did not stand a chance, packed like that.  Glass apple should have been bubble wrapped and placed in a box, then added to the box with the music box in it and shipped.

[postingid2017]

I am so glad you found another one - to find a set in good condition is so rare.   I have a set here that my grandmother purchased in the South years back (but slightly damaged) and I also have a small collection of Chamber Pots (both mine and my grandmother's) that I have picked up along the way.

So glad it worked out for you