Is anyone else noticing a higher then normal number of items being damaged in shipment?

[mr_lincoln]

The last three months we have experienced a higher then normal number of damaged shipments ... and this includes not only our sales but some other local eBay Sellers we know.  For us, we're talking about items very very similar to what has been shipped for several years now.  One friend showed me a picture of a puncture in the side of a box from their Buyer ... we're talking maybe a large screw driver stabbed through that package ...

Anyway, was just wondering if others have seen an increase in damaged shipments lately?

[pargran3]

Nope.

Radine

[tools*]

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

The last three months we have experienced a higher then normal number of damaged shipments ... and this includes not only our sales but some other local eBay Sellers we know.  For us, we're talking about items very very similar to what has been shipped for several years now.  One friend showed me a picture of a puncture in the side of a box from their Buyer ... we're talking maybe a large screw driver stabbed through that package ...

Anyway, was just wondering if others have seen an increase in damaged shipments lately?

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My items are so well packed that they rarely suffer any damage. Of course, if a postal worker spears your box with a forklift tine then, well, pretty much all you can do is file an insurance claim.

[mr_lincoln]

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@tools* wrote:

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

The last three months we have experienced a higher then normal number of damaged shipments ... and this includes not only our sales but some other local eBay Sellers we know.  For us, we're talking about items very very similar to what has been shipped for several years now.  One friend showed me a picture of a puncture in the side of a box from their Buyer ... we're talking maybe a large screw driver stabbed through that package ...

Anyway, was just wondering if others have seen an increase in damaged shipments lately?

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My items are so well packed that they rarely suffer any damage. Of course, if a postal worker spears your box with a forklift tine then, well, pretty much all you can do is file an insurance claim.

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LOL!  I've seen many a fork tine hole in factory walls over the years!!!  I pack items securely too ... 35 plus years experience shipping many different things domestically and internationally (LONG before internet sales were even a thought ... let alone the internet itself ).  I expect a certain % of items to get damaged, I've been through 3 USPS bulk mail hubs plus other shipping facilities ... damage can happen in many ways ... its just that lately it seems above "average" (if there is such a thing?!?) for what we do ... maybe the law of averages or to be more scientific ... "our turn in the barrel" ...

[hawkwind5454]

I don't think I have ever had a USPS damage issue, in sending. For me, I have lately had a lot of problems with misrouted packages and taking longer than normal transit times to me. Never really had a problem with that before.  Maybe that will improve with this next USPS price hike! 😊

[mr_lincoln]

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@hawkwind5454 wrote:

I don't think I have ever had a USPS damage issue, in sending. For me, I have lately had a lot of problems with misrouted packages and taking longer than normal transit times to me. Never really had a problem with that before.  Maybe that will improve with this next USPS price hike! 😊

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Perhaps if they improved handling and thus reduced insurance claims there would less need to raise their rates ...

[slippinjimmy]

My damaged in transit by USPS rate is about 1 in 25,000 over the past 50 years, last one was more than 10 years ago, damaged by getting driven over by a fork lift.

[calntom]

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@slippinjimmy wrote:

My damaged in transit by USPS rate is about 1 in 25,000 over the past 50 years, last one was more than 10 years ago, damaged by getting driven over by a fork lift.

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Basically the same here. No damage from UPS or USPS for the last 4,000+ shipments across venues.

[mr_lincoln]

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@calntom wrote:

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@slippinjimmy wrote:

My damaged in transit by USPS rate is about 1 in 25,000 over the past 50 years, last one was more than 10 years ago, damaged by getting driven over by a fork lift.

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Basically the same here. No damage from UPS or USPS for the last 4,000+ shipments across venues.

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Excellent, they need experiences like yours to offset experiences like mine ... checks and balances ... may all your future shipments arrive safely.

[gwzcomps]

I overpack my stuff as well, so no major changes here in shipment issues.

[chapeau-noir]

I've had three items damaged over the years, but some boxes arrive to my buyers very beat up.  One item was glass that I think was not mishandled (and I packed it well) but blew up in a cargo hold from temp changes.

But now I'm feeling a little jinxed because I just shipped off a keyboard bundle.

[flyinhawaiiangirl]

Every Fed ex box I've received this year has been destroyed. But I really can't say it's an increase, just what Fed ex boxes arrive looking like normally. USPS by far has delivered the best and most well handled packages since the beginning. Oddly, I don't receive much by UPS.

I use to work in receiving at a large retailer and the UPS truck always looked like a box monster barfed inside but the boxes were always in great shape. All our electronics came UPS.

The Fex truck was usually more organized but most daily deliveries had at least one smooshed box. Go figure

[chapeau-noir]

Fed-Ex stuff generally arrives to me really beat up, too.  UPS is somewhat better but it's pretty battered, too.  I know it's not the drivers we have, either - it's pretty messed up before it even gets to them.  I agree - USPS is rarely damaged.

Except any package, ANY, that has said "Do Not Crush" on it - in every case, the box has been crushed.  I think there's some bozo working somewhere along the line who sees "Do Not Crush" and goes "Duuuuhhh...Crush. Okee-Dokee".

[this*old*attic]

Strangely, yes. Both damaged and lost (tracking suddenly goes poof!)

A combination of both items I’ve shipped and received.

[ed8108]

Damaged or lost in transit is always a possibly, that is why a carrier offers to provide your package insurance coverage.