Bad Packaging Jobs - Shipping issues - Why???

[tippy4]

Ive probably done over 2500 transactions on ebay over 20 years...and rarely have had an issue.

[webstar1000]

Ive probably done over 2500 transactions on ebay over 20 years...and rarely have had an issue.

😳 WOW MAN!

[playdohman]

And the award for the most pathetic packing job of the week goes to.......the fucknut who packed these four books for international shipping.





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[webstar1000]

And the award for the most pathetic packing job of the week goes to.......the fucknut who packed these four books for international shipping.





Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Dude. That’s insane. What books?!? They look ruined!

[St. Troy]

And the award for the most pathetic packing job of the week goes to.......the fucknut who packed these four books for international shipping.

Kudos anyway on using a very underused word (fucknut) at least.

[Brian861]

Looks like you classic Amazon packaging job. Minus the air cushions. After all, nothing says Amazon like air cushions.

[Hunchback Jack]

Except popped air cushions.

[Hunchback Jack]

One thing I’ve recently discovered when shipping items sold on eBay is that the FedEx 2-day rate can be just a few dollars more than Media Mail - and that includes $100 of insurance. Good for more expensive items.

[Merlin1958]

I purchased, and just received the Lego Episode IV Star Destroyer. Fucking huge box and it was just wrapped totally in that brown packing tape. All four corners of the box were crushed, but it looks like the pieces may have somehow survived. Fucking thing was being shipped from overseas. What the FUCK were they thinking???? $800 item as well!!! Obviously the answer is nobody was really thinking. lol

[Hunchback Jack]

I’m glad all the pieces survived. That would be even more infuriating otherwise.

I just received a box from Amazon, today, containing two trade hardcovers. No packaging, padding or wrapping whatsoever. Two hard covers, with dust jackets, stacked on top of each other, in a box.

Miraculously, they survived relatively unscathed. There are some marks on the page block of both volumes, but the dust jackets are intact and there is no scratches or dinged corners. But, seriously?

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

When I first started using Amazon only a year or so after they'd gotten big, books came securely packaged, but the bigger they grew, the less they cared, and now you have to rely on chance that any books you order will arrive undamaged. Luckily, because we are all favored by the BIG MAN (or SPIRIT of indeterminate gender if you prefer) above, being pure of heart, mind and soul book collectors, most of them do!

[Patrick]

...late last year someone at the post office told me that media mail cannot be tracked/insured. Maybe they were mistaken? I don’t always seem to get the same story from everyone over there about things.

One of the USPS' most impressive features is their extensive line of answers to virtually every question - so many to choose from!

Truth.

[St. Troy]

I just received a box from Amazon, today, containing two trade hardcovers. No packaging, padding or wrapping whatsoever. Two hard covers, with dust jackets, stacked on top of each other, in a box.

I think many sellers, Amazon included, think books are like phone books: the words won’t fall out, so why protect? I don’t think these people are readers (let alone collectors).

[St. Troy]

This is a shipping question, not a packaging question, but I couldn't think of a better thread in which to post it.

Something is going on right now, and I wonder if any of you have seen this happen:

June 8: I ordered a book through AbeBooks.com, using media mail, with an expected delivery date of July 2 (although the e-mail also said 4 - 14 business days, which (counting from June 8 ) would've meant by June 26, but whatever), which was fine with me (I don't like paying for shipping without a compelling reason, it wasn't an expensive book ($17), and I can't read it anytime soon)
June 9: the seller confirmed the order (counting from June 9 would mean delivery by June 29)
June 11: through AbeBooks, I asked the seller if any tracking info existed (I don't mind waiting for my books, but I like seeing their progress as they make their way to me)
June 12: the seller responded, saying that they didn't yet have the tracking info, but that the book had been shipped the day after they were notified of my order, and repeated the 4 - 14 business day projection (if they considered themselves "notified" on June 9, counting from June 10 would mean delivery by June 30). Also, although this e-mail had a phone number with the area code associated with Richmond TX, it was written as if by someone not familiar with English or as if the message had been cut and pasted from three different pre-written boilerplate responses - not a problem in and of itself, but it adds potentially meaningful context.
June 13: AbeBooks sent me USPS tracking info
June 14: the seller sent me the tracking info

At this time, USPS.com showed that the label had been created, but that USPS was still awaiting the package - in Commerce City, Colorado (which is about a 16 hour drive from Richmond Texas). Perhaps that is some kind of hub.

June 23: USPS.com still shows the "awaiting package" message, so I e-mail the seller; the seller responds, repeating that they'd shipped it the day after they were notified of my order. This e-mail included the following sample of odd wording:

Note that we may temporarily increase the standard transit time and thereby extend the delivery promise, however will assure you that we will try and deliver the package soon. We are sure you will receive the item anytime soon.

I haven't contacted them since, haven't received the book (I didn't expect to; it's not late yet), and (here's the part that makes it puzzling): USPS.com still shows the "awaiting package" message.

I know from experience that, whereas FedEx and Amazon do a great job with up-to-the-minute tracking information, USPS sometimes lags by a day or two (but not by 15 days). I also suspect that, although in this case we had tracking info, if they used media mail, perhaps there's a tracking lag issue associated with that.

FWIW, the seller has a 4 (out of 5) star rating on AbeBooks, and I'm inclined to believe that they actually mailed the book when they said they did. That, combined with my aforementioned thoughts on USPS, sustains my hopes that this book is on its way and will arrive eventually.

...but still, seems odd, no?

Again, very little ($17) is at stake here, but I wondered if anyone had similar experiences, and if so, if they resolved ok.

[M_O_O_N]

...Again, very little ($17) is at stake here, but I wondered if anyone had similar experiences, and if so, if they resolved ok.

Yep. Last February to be exact.

Ordered a used $5 book (The Way of Words) that came out of Texas. Bookstore used a third party, fourth rate shipper. Book ended going from Texas to Commerce City, Colorado back to Illinois, then Seattle where I believe USPS finally took possession of it. Over a month to get it but hey! free shipping.

[St. Troy]

Good to know, thanks.

[M_O_O_N]

Good to know, thanks.

The whole time I was envsioning an old guy driving a 1970's open bed pick-up truck with boxes in it.

[St. Troy]

The whole time I was envsioning an old guy driving a 1970's open bed pick-up truck with boxes in it.

The kind of guy who says “you can’t get there from here,” ironically failing to get here from there.

[bdwyer19]

This is a shipping question, not a packaging question, but I couldn't think of a better thread in which to post it.

Something is going on right now, and I wonder if any of you have seen this happen:

June 8: I ordered a book through AbeBooks.com, using media mail, with an expected delivery date of July 2 (although the e-mail also said 4 - 14 business days, which (counting from June 8 ) would've meant by June 26, but whatever), which was fine with me (I don't like paying for shipping without a compelling reason, it wasn't an expensive book ($17), and I can't read it anytime soon)
June 9: the seller confirmed the order (counting from June 9 would mean delivery by June 29)
June 11: through AbeBooks, I asked the seller if any tracking info existed (I don't mind waiting for my books, but I like seeing their progress as they make their way to me)
June 12: the seller responded, saying that they didn't yet have the tracking info, but that the book had been shipped the day after they were notified of my order, and repeated the 4 - 14 business day projection (if they considered themselves "notified" on June 9, counting from June 10 would mean delivery by June 30). Also, although this e-mail had a phone number with the area code associated with Richmond TX, it was written as if by someone not familiar with English or as if the message had been cut and pasted from three different pre-written boilerplate responses - not a problem in and of itself, but it adds potentially meaningful context.
June 13: AbeBooks sent me USPS tracking info
June 14: the seller sent me the tracking info

At this time, USPS.com showed that the label had been created, but that USPS was still awaiting the package - in Commerce City, Colorado (which is about a 16 hour drive from Richmond Texas). Perhaps that is some kind of hub.

June 23: USPS.com still shows the "awaiting package" message, so I e-mail the seller; the seller responds, repeating that they'd shipped it the day after they were notified of my order. This e-mail included the following sample of odd wording:

Note that we may temporarily increase the standard transit time and thereby extend the delivery promise, however will assure you that we will try and deliver the package soon. We are sure you will receive the item anytime soon.

I haven't contacted them since, haven't received the book (I didn't expect to; it's not late yet), and (here's the part that makes it puzzling): USPS.com still shows the "awaiting package" message.

I know from experience that, whereas FedEx and Amazon do a great job with up-to-the-minute tracking information, USPS sometimes lags by a day or two (but not by 15 days). I also suspect that, although in this case we had tracking info, if they used media mail, perhaps there's a tracking lag issue associated with that.

FWIW, the seller has a 4 (out of 5) star rating on AbeBooks, and I'm inclined to believe that they actually mailed the book when they said they did. That, combined with my aforementioned thoughts on USPS, sustains my hopes that this book is on its way and will arrive eventually.

...but still, seems odd, no?

Again, very little ($17) is at stake here, but I wondered if anyone had similar experiences, and if so, if they resolved ok.

I had a package a couple weeks ago through Mercari. Tracking showed that the shipping label was printed, but that’s it. A week and a half later, the package arrived. Then I got an update that the package was delivered.

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

I've had the same experience. Even my very expensive Harlan Ellison Under Glass lettered edition was held up for over a month before it got here. It was stuck in Chicago, and I've had other books stuck in New York for up to two weeks, but they've always gotten here intact.

[GenericEric]

I paid $743 for the gift edition of IT off ebay and this is how it arrived today. I'm almost afraid to open it and see what it looks like...

[firemonkey66]

Oh my friggen god, I would be bullshit if it's damaged. Is it just the book with butcher paper wrapped around it? Or is there some sort of structure inside?

[playdohman]

I paid $743 for the gift edition of IT off ebay and this is how it arrived today. I'm almost afraid to open it and see what it looks like...

The stamp “Opened For Inspection by USPS” is usually a death sentence for books. They inspected for media mail due to the weight probably and then did a very shitty job repacking. Although it does not look like it may have been packed too well to start with.

[GenericEric]

I'm happy to report that it looks to be completely undamaged and in new condition. It was securely wrapped in bubble wrap a few times over and he did put pieces of cardboard on the front and back of the book for extra security so it definitely could have been worse. Brown paper type packaging always makes me extremely nervous.

[Brian861]

I'm happy to report that it looks to be completely undamaged and in new condition. It was securely wrapped in bubble wrap a few times over and he did put pieces of cardboard on the front and back of the book for extra security so it definitely could have been worse. Brown paper type packaging always makes me extremely nervous.

Glad to hear all is well. That's a nice edition.