Tired of receiving broken china.

[marnifriedman]

Is there anything I can do to get sellers to package better?  I order a lot of china and porcelain (teapots, cups/saucers, etc) and frequently order more than one item to save on shipping cost.   So many boxes have broken items!  I can almost always pinpoint one or more packaging errors.  Some of these sellers are experienced with selling delicate objects, so I am at a loss.

Scanty or loose wrapping, items that can move around within the shipping box, china surfaces taped together without padding between them, inadequate amount of filling between items, flimsy boxes, items pressing right up against the wall of the box...

I could go on.

Suggestions on how I can troubleshoot this?  It is time-consuming for me to photograph damage and dicker with the sellers.  I feel I cannot be upfront with them and say "Hey, if you had done _____ and _______ and _______, your teapot would probably not have broken" lest they get annoyed and not refund me.

[disneyshopper]

Do you check the seller's feedback first before purchasing? 

After paying your seller, you might send a message stating you have received so many broken items, that you hope this seller will package securely so the item(s) doesn't arrive broken.  That's about all you can do.

[orangehound]

I think it would be OK to politely ask a seller to pack a certain way, but it can add cost and (if so) you should offer to provide extra money for such packing.

Though I don't sell china, I have sold a lot of glassware with low profit margins.  If I took the time to pack them properly with loads of padding and 1-2" double boxing separation, there would no profit ... most of the time it is not a weight problem, but the size of the boxes mean that they get subjected to dimensional surcharges.   I found it is cheaper to absorb the cost of the occasional broken piece.

[ladyindecadence]

 I ship thousands of pieces of fine antique porcelain and glass every year with only one or two items arriving broken. Granted my shipping charges are not cheap, But I do use all new packaging material and double box most all shipments, So you get what you paid for.  As a collector myself I also purchase pieces from other ebay sellers and like you I have had the same problem with items arriving broken due to poor packaging to save a few bucks. I only buy perhaps 50 pieces a year on ebay, and usually 8-10 of them will arrive damaged.

[juststuffisell]

I don't sell a lot of china/glass, because properly packaging them is such a bother when you can't get a lot for most bits. My personal techniques involve a wrap of bubble and then a cardboard wrap, then a large amount of bubble wrap with floating peanuts. Plates ship well above, or a wrap of bubble between to Styrofoam sheets. Handled items you have to be more delicate with and use more bubble pre-cardboard and I will normally box within a box on cup, creamers etc. Tends to work well for me. Gets pricy with to do it right.

Ummm… To be honest with you. I as a seller would appreciate packing tips were my item to arrive damaged. Some might not like it, but you were the one that got the damaged item, I think by pointing out a different technique you may help them in the future. I will venture most of those shipments are insured, so the seller eventually gets paid anyway - least - mine are all insured so that if something happens to break in route, I'm gonna get paid 🙂

Cheers

[marnifriedman]

I'll give it a try.

[marnifriedman]

I read any negative or neutral feedback.  I don't buy from anyone who has a record of improperly packing.

[marnifriedman]

That sounds about the same rate of breakage that I see.  It's a shame because I'm buying "vintage" stuff that isn't currently being produced.