Poor packaging rant!

[train_slide_central]

I have purchased quite a few stereo receivers in the last couple months, and I just want to rant about poor packaging. Some awesome sellers put tons of Styrofoam, bubble wrap, double boxing etc, and it could survive a 10ft drop. Others have sent them, which can weigh 20 lbs or more, with next to no protection, and they have arrived damaged. eBay got my money back each time, but I am tired of it. I just sent instructions on packaging to the last seller I made a purchase from, and they said they have their own way of packing. I looked and they have a feedback of 26 and have sold mostly shoes. 🙄  I am only trying to help them have a good experience in shipping, but It's 50/50 whether it arrives safely or not.  I usually do not give instructions, but I am trying to avoid another damaged item. And hey, it's mine after I paid for it, should they not pack it how I wish?  'rant over' LOL

[spark-chaser1]

Agreed. I've had my mind blown a few times myself when I receive a rare, fragile piece of memorabilia in a cereal box without any other protection.

And then, on the other end of the spectrum, a rare fragile historical piece wrapped in 1 layer of newspaper and THEN wrapped with a Kevlar- armor style layer of shipping tape 1/2 inch thick wrapped so tightly I'm SURE I'm going to destroy item trying to cut/burn/ willpower my way through to remove without nicking or bending the " protected " item.

[mr_lincoln]

@train_slide_central   You have every right to rant and complain.  It's one thing if a carrier damages a package but it's a totally different issue if the Seller packs an item insecurely.  I have received a few items that I was surprised were NOT damaged in shipment ... of course they didn't weigh 20 lbs like your receivers. 

A lot of Sellers ship from their own homes and have little experience with shipping things.  I have gotten empty plastic bread bags (yes with crumbs) stuffed in the box to serve as padding along with empty shopping bags from Walmart and other stores ... 

[train_slide_central]

Yeah it's so crazy. I ship from my home, but I have shipped turntables which are probably one of the most difficult items, and everything else imaginable. All of my packages have made it unscathed. I once had a stereo component shipped to me in a box with NO PACKING at all. I can't believe it wasn't destroyed in transit, just bouncing around in the box.

[policequilts]

I remember buying a camera. I paid for flat rate box. (remember the 6x6 type)

When I went to the mailbox, I could hear it. Brought it into the house and took out the camera to film while opening this.  The camera was wrapped 3 times in "deflated" bubble wrap and no paper or ?? to surround it.  It's not like it's going to cost them more because of the weight of paper when it comes to a flat rate box.

Lucky, the camera did work.

[greatmidwestcoin]

Retired Postmaster here - I couldn't begin to tell the horror stories of how some people package. Some people believe that once they sell an item, they can toss it in a box or padded envelope and hand it off to the USPS and it is no longer their problem. I also order items off eBay and it is ridiculous how I receive items sometimes. I actually got a funny one yesterday wrapped in xmas paper and in a box that looked to be reused at least 6 times and smelled of cigars. Some people just don't get that if they sell here they are operating a business.  That's what the IRS has determined for most. Then act like one. Proper packaging is not brain surgery but it does take thought and care. I'll step down now and say, have a great day all.

[spark-chaser1]

Thanks for your past service. I have a friend who is a postmaster. Not an easy job.

[mr_lincoln]

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@train_slide_central wrote:

Yeah it's so crazy. I ship from my home, but I have shipped turntables which are probably one of the most difficult items, and everything else imaginable. All of my packages have made it unscathed. I once had a stereo component shipped to me in a box with NO PACKING at all. I can't believe it wasn't destroyed in transit, just bouncing around in the box.

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@train_slide_central   Yep, some folks think that the carriers baby their package and handle it with tender loving care OR they go cheap with packaging material, etc. thinking they can blame it on the carrier and get away with it.  I've been in the packaging industry for many years and was shipping stuff long before Selling on eBay ... in all the thousands of shipments I have made here very few have resulted in damage on the receiving end ... however, despite packing things well boxes can be mishandled, smashed, etc and Sellers have little control over that.   To this day for some items I am still fearful that they will arrive damaged, its a risk we all take that's for sure. 

[spark-chaser1]

I know in the past that I used to just trust sellers to package carefully and not be " that guy" making requests that the item be carefully packaged. Nowadays, knowing what I've learned over the years of getting irreplaceable items in pieces, I've become more assertive in making sure that I don't have it happen again. 

I'm sure I'd probably be blocked by some for exposing the sheer arrogance of asking for my item to be treated as MY property, but there it is.

[buyselljack2016]

Yup, the clueless are out there.

Witness to:  

1) older style  crt computer monitor wrapped in a bed sheet shipped in a single wall oversized cardboard box. (no it did not fare well)

2) an 8 X 10 framed photo with glass shipped in a tyvek envelope. (no it did not fare well)

3) an eBay purchase. Seller shipped me some sort of heavy brake tools loose packed in a box with the consistency of a cereal box without even taping the "x fold" bottom of the box. (no it did not fare well) (some missing, in particular the most needed one) (seller refunded blaming the carrier for the poor service)

Yup, they are out there, and can be difficult to avoid.

Edit: nearly forgot this one. Actually turned out OK. seller shipped me heavy metal skid shoes for my snow plow. Loose packed, wrapped in a shop towel. Flat rate Priority box. We all know how flimsy they are. I did get them, but the box was torn nearly open.

[lakefor94]

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

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@train_slide_central wrote:

Yeah it's so crazy. I ship from my home, but I have shipped turntables which are probably one of the most difficult items, and everything else imaginable. All of my packages have made it unscathed. I once had a stereo component shipped to me in a box with NO PACKING at all. I can't believe it wasn't destroyed in transit, just bouncing around in the box.

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@train_slide_central   Yep, some folks think that the carriers baby their package and handle it with tender loving care OR they go cheap with packaging material, etc. thinking they can blame it on the carrier and get away with it.  I've been in the packaging industry for many years and was shipping stuff long before Selling on eBay ... in all the thousands of shipments I have made here very few have resulted in damage on the receiving end ... however, despite packing things well boxes can be mishandled, smashed, etc and Sellers have little control over that.   To this day for some items I am still fearful that they will arrive damaged, its a risk we all take that's for sure. 

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I hear ya.  I waaaaay overpack in most cases.  For my wares, I never ship in envelopes.  

Some folks probably shake their head a tad but never complain when they have to figure out what to do with the bubble wrap and all the cardboard sleeving I use at times.

Customer stating their products are damaged is the worst thing to hear.

[mr_lincoln]

@greatmidwestcoin   Thanks for that ... 

[mr_lincoln]

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@spark-chaser1 wrote:

I know in the past that I used to just trust sellers to package carefully and not be " that guy" making requests that the item be carefully packaged. Nowadays, knowing what I've learned over the years of getting irreplaceable items in pieces, I've become more assertive in making sure that I don't have it happen again. 

I'm sure I'd probably be blocked by some for exposing the sheer arrogance of asking for my item to be treated as MY property, but there it is.

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@spark-chaser1   I have had some Buyers message me asking that I pack things well and I figure they have probably had bad experiences with other Sellers.   

[spark-chaser1]

EXACTLY. At the beginning, I just assumed that sellers generally knew how to pack items, up until I started getting civil war glass medical items thrown loose into margarine boxes, daguerrotype/ tintype photos in a plain letter envelope, or having a photo FOLDED to fit an envelope... 

At that point, and it didn't take long, I stopped being shy about it. If instinct told me a seller was likely to poorly ship an item, rather than me worry about not offending them and receiving expensive " garbage"... I'd gently nudge them to take an extra minute and pack better.

I am perfectly happy to pay out the nose for shipping if the care is taken.but if I pay premium for shipping, its not to pay for the seller's Friday night beer allowance.

[mr_lincoln]

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@spark-chaser1 wrote:

EXACTLY. At the beginning, I just assumed that sellers generally knew how to pack items, up until I started getting civil war glass medical items thrown loose into margarine boxes, daguerrotype/ tintype photos in a plain letter envelope, or having a photo FOLDED to fit an envelope... 

At that point, and it didn't take long, I stopped being shy about it. If instinct told me a seller was likely to poorly ship an item, rather than me worry about not offending them and receiving expensive " garbage"... I'd gently nudge them to take an extra minute and pack better.

I am perfectly happy to pay out the nose for shipping if the care is taken.but if I pay premium for shipping, its not to pay for the seller's Friday night beer allowance.

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@spark-chaser1  My wife bought a purse recently on eBay and she noticed a message that it had been delivered ... she looked on the porch but no package.   She asked me if I had brought it in, I said no.  She went to our mailbox and low and behold a bubble mailer was in there with the purse stuffed inside it ... SHE WAS LIVID!  

Fortunately the purse was not damaged but it very easily could have been OR the mailer could have been ripped open and the purse missing or damaged.