Most Memorable eBay Package

[copper.boom]

Story time. Tell us some of your most memorable experiences opening packages of items you purchased on eBay. Doesn't matter if it's funny, horrifying, exhilarating, or tear-jerking... as long as it was a memorable moment.

Several years ago my cousin ordered a set of vintage salt and pepper shakers. The seller failed to take note that the salt shaker was full before they shipped it. Salt was spilling out from every crevice of that box when we opened it. The carpet was not pleased with the shower it got. We were vaccuming that thing up for weeks and ultimately had to have it professionally cleaned.

Another time I purchased something for my mom. She had a favorite item that broke and thought that was it since it's not made anymore. I found a replacement on eBay and I let her open the box. She was so surprised and excited. She couldn't believe that I found it. I won't soon forget the look on her face.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:

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@evry1nositswindy wrote:

A couple of years ago, our Christmas tree fell over during the night.  Several ornaments were broken, but none more heartbreaking than our dated first Christmas together ornament.  It was dated 1991 and was from Avon.  My hubby found another one on eBay and gave it to me on our anniversary the following year.  I was so surprised and touched that he took the time to find a replacement.  That is what eBay is all about, not new stuff from China.

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@evry1nositswindy

You are so right.  Your story stirred my memory.  Before we were married, my husband gave me a beautiful marble paperweight that said, God loves you and so do I.  While browsing through ornaments several years back, I found an ornament that said the same thing, and gave it to him as part of his Christmas presents.  He loved it.

Not my package, but saw feedback that someone left that said, Now she'll never know I broke it!  Thank you!  Loved that.

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[divwido]

My worst was somone's attempt at pleasing buyers.

It was wrapped a dozen times or more in wrapping paper.  And each layer had a 'gift'-tea bags, fake flowers, small bars of soap, something scented that set off my allergies somthing fierce.

And every layer was taped half to death.  She must have used a whole role of tape on  that one package.

Half way through, sneezing my head off I just gave up.

[divwido]

Oh, and when I mentioned it, she was insulted. "I just wanted to make your package special'.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@divwido wrote:
Oh, and when I mentioned it, she was insulted. "I just wanted to make your package special'.

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I don't tolerate smoke smell.  Most items are fine but have had some that really reeked!  I just febreeze or put outside, then they are ok.

Bought a large my size Barbie once, seller threw in a box with lots of packing peanuts.  She didn't put a bag over the doll's long blonde hair, and I spent HOURS trying to pick the peanuts out of her hair!  My seller was miffed when I passed very diplomatically passed that info on to her, and said, she just never thought of that.

[fart20cool]

One time order basketball shorts and they came with a free gift.

[fart20cool]

I only buy clean shorts and shirts when i buy them on ebay.

[auctionpet]

I guess my most memorable are actually buyer returns, each being gold items!

1) 14k Gold pocket knife. I sold via auction, final price pained me, but I rolled the dice. I had acid tested to confirm the stamped gold content. Buyer received it, claimed it wasn't gold and asked to return. I was thrilled they didn't want it considering it sold so cheaply. I waited and waited for the package, buyer emailed several times asking if I'd received it. Finally, I receive a torn up plain letter size white envelope, scotch taped by USPS, with the pocket knife literally falling out of it, and stamped "damaged in transit"! The buyer simply tossed the heavy thick pocket knife, unwrapped in the envelope, put stamps on it and expected it to arrive in tact!! I was shocked that I got it at all, the PO was honest in taping up the envelope to salvage it and not charging me extra to receive something that clearly didn't qualify to be shipped this method! I relisted it fixed price for MORE $, the second buyer had no problems with it! Yes, it WAS really gold!

2) Again, foolishly did an auction for a 14K gemstone ring, again sold well below what it should have. I send it off. Buyer files SNAD, complains about something non existent, this was when any buyer complaint resulted in a defect unless you fought it. I fought the complaint and won, although I told the buyer I would still take the ring back (I was actually thrilled they didn't want to keep it), I just didn't want a defect.  I shipped it in a plush ring box. I receive it back, open the ring box and it's filled with sawdust!! The ring is absolutely filthy with the stuff. Cleaned it up and sold it in person instead for about twice the ebay auction price!

[desertdaisies]

Years ago I purchased an antique  baby doll with its clothing in a basket.  When it arrived I was horrified to find a giant deceased cockroach inside the dolls sealed glass baby bottle .  It was like one of those ships in a bottle - no way it crawled in there - had to have gotten in as a tiny thing  and somehow fed and grown inside this antique glass baby bottle.  The bottle was not designed to be opened. It was completely sealed!   My kids were thrilled as all heck with it though. They begged me to let them keep it and one of them took it to school for show and tell, where it was a tremendous hit.  

[ebbyisme]

I bought an art piece, not sure how big it is 10x16 or something, in a heavy frame. arrived in a PFR envelope that just barely contained it. Somehow it arrived with only minor damage to the frame.

I've been pretty lucky like that. Once got two restaurantware pitchers that somehow was shipped in a regional rate A box with handles nestled together and less then 1/2 on each side..... I was amazed at how she packaged the pitchers with such little material because I would have used a box 4 times bigger and half a roll of bubble wrap..... I wish I had the talent and guts to package like that.

As a seller one of the only items to arrive damaged was an almost indestructible item made mostly from a flexible rubbery type of material. You could run over it with car and not break it. I used bubble wrap, other material to fill in space and packed safely  and snuggly in a box, where most people would have used an PFR envelope.  Got a message the item was broken in shipping. I asked about the package and was surprised to hear the box was in perfect condition.... when I got the item back it looked like it was cut in half with something, maybe a knife because the cut was so clean.... for the life of me I can't remember what the item was exactly, but from reading what I wrote it sure doesn't sound good.

[karthok.of.daolodus]

Positive side: The book I won for 25 cents (will people EVER learn about auctions?) that was packed as if I had spent 100 bucks - beautiful job!

The inexpensive scarf sent from Ireland nestled in tissue paper with a nice note - lovely seller - I'll purchase from her again any time!

The haori kimono shipped folded meticulously in tissue - I could wear it out of the bag!

Negative side:  12th century breviary page...shipped in a bubble pack envelope first class (oh, and charged me $15 archival shipping).

5th edition of Samuel Johnson's dictionary...shipped in a manila envelope.

1840s original Japanese prints shipped in a bubble pack (again, charging archival shipping).

The Johnson dictionary had the binding broken in transit and it was hanging by a thread, the others arrived OK, which amazes me.

Of course, there's all the clothing shipped in those little paper FRE envelopes that end up wet, torn, draggled because those little envelopes are not meant for clothing...but the seller says "no one else has ever complained" - yeah, and I'm a little blue man from Mars.

But all in all, I'd rather take my chances with some fellow everyday person than have nothing but Chinese sellers and big boxes to buy from!

[annadryl]

I was into polishing rocks for a while and I bought most of my rough on ebay. Pretty much any mineral for good prices here.

My mailman hated me! Big boxes of rocks are not light...

Anyway, a dealer once included a free coffee mug from his rock shop. That was a nice gesture, but it was in the box WITH THE ROCKS! We counted forty-some shards not counting the tiny fragments. I polished them like I do the rocks and they at least came out interesting.

[a12forever]

Purchased a 100 year old tea set that I had been trying to find for the better part of 15 years for my collection. New seller messages me to unpack the paper carefully as she had included an extra saucer, I thought oh no paper + very fragile = shards of porcelain. Been there, done that! I message her back to please pack well with lots of bubbles and padding so it will survive. She sends back that she had double boxed and it should be safe. I held my breath till it arrived.

Open the package locker at PO to find a large box that was all smashed with the label and tape across the top ripped and separated, my heart sank. I shook the box and did not hear that horrible sound of broken porcelain so I opened it. Inside there was a box that contained the cups & saucers, a couple of packing pillows, and some crumpled newspaper. The tea pot was taped between the packing pillows with the spout sticking out. I have no idea how it managed to survive but it did and I got funny looks when I let out a big "YES" in the PO lobby.

[gsh29georgina]

Once I received a porcelain doll in an ENVELOPE!...?

O  M  G, and I thought I'd seen it all when my DAB Radio arrived in a Jiffy bag.    

[gsh29georgina]

Excellent post 

JUST goes to show not EVERYthing on eBay is DOOM n GLOOM

[chiaretta]

I've been buying, though on a very irregular schedule, from a lady in Northen England, since some time in spring 2005.

As she never seemed to list consistently, I wasn't too surprised when more than a year passed without anything coming up, I've had her ID, which remains the same to the day, on my Favorites (now Followed searches) almost as long.

Then one day an email comes in saying there was a new listing from her, as it was indeed something I was interested in I bought it almost as soon as I saw it.

A few hours later an email comes in through my personal address, not ebay's, stating more or less "I'm Sophie, Sue's daughter. My mum is very ill, and is barely able to talk nowadays. But when she saw I was preparing a new listing she murmured a name, yours".

Got a knot in my throat as I type this, the only regret is we never managed to meet, something I have done with a couple recurrent sellers.