If you had USPS insurance, they will pay out if you made a claim. If the seller didn't get the Insurance and or you didn't request it yourself since you knew the item maybe rare, your tecorese would be Paypal or your cc if you paid the seller that way. I always send my sellers what I expect to see in packing when I pay fory items. I always get burned when I forget to give instructions to sellers. Only once did I get a complaint and I stopped doing business with that seller.
I just had a similar experience, but things worked out OK. I bought a really NICE Marx 666 on the "bay". It looked great and was only $20, including shipping. When it arrived, I saw a hole in the side of the box and it was punched from the inside.. Just a small, perfectly round hole.. I knew right away that it was going to be bad. The seller had "tried" to do a good job on packing, but he failed to put the bubble wrap around the engine. It was on top of it, with egg crate foam under it, but nothing protecting the easily broken bell. For those who aren't familiar with the Marx 666, the engine shell is diecast, as is the boiler front, which has the bell cast right on top of it. So, a broken bell, means it's time for a new boiler front, unless you don't mind leaving the bell off or gluing it on. The best deal I've found for a boiler front with the bell intact, is $15, INCLUDING SHIPPING. So to repair this train, due to bad packaging, is going to almost double the cost of it. The seller asked what I wanted him to do and I was nice, since I did think he tried to pack it well, I asked that he split the cost of the boiler front with me. I got $7.50 from him, but I would have been happier with the train arriving in one piece, or a refund of $15, since I got a broken engine. Overall though, it's a nice train. It runs decent and it smokes better than any of my other 3 trains.
I've sold quite abit even before Eblah. I once had an MTH scale Big Boy packed into a telescope box with one layer of bubble wrap around it!
Needless to say, it arrived in numerous pieces and the guy said it was packed great Lol.
I offer free shipping because everyone is worried about cost shipping across the line.
Usually 2x the price but that's the norm for us in the "Great White North"
Al
This item was sold with no box, and though I'd never buy a locomotive this way, I thought a passenger car would survive shipping. It did. Contacted seller after purchase and specified to safely pack the item, I'd pay more if required for that. He assured me I had nothing to be concerned about, he'd make sure it was well packed.
Here's how he did:
Box arrived opened on the ends due to insufficient tape to securely close the box.
Below is a coupler sticking out of the end. I can't believe it wasn't broken off. How'd this happen? Partly because of above picture but see below.
He made a box to ship it, but didn't put any type on his 'box slide' to secure it. So, it just kept compressing the car during handling. Look at the bar code below: there's no tape to the left or all around the box. NICE.
I'd say look at this half ### bubble wrap job, but it arrived in one piece. Not sure how...Luck is better than being good sometimes.
Notice no where in this post I said anything about who the shipping company was. When you ship something this screwed up, it doesn't matter what company it was, you can expect damage due to inadequate effort on packaging.
Lesson learned, last item I'll buy without a box. I've already notified the seller about this situation. Since there was no damage, I'm grateful for that. However, this just shows you common sense isn't so common anymore.
Attachments
Images (5)
There's a certain forum sponzor who sellz a lot on eBay and elsewhere. I've had nothing but problems with every purchase ever from them, but gave one more shot. They sent me a postwar F3 set packed in a single piece of bubble wrap together, sides rubbing the whole time. Not even a piece between them or something to keep them from damaging one another. I'm asking for some money back, but we'll see..
quote:There's a certain forum sponzor who sellz a lot on eBay and elsewhere. I've had nothing but problems with every purchase ever from them, but gave one more shot. They sent me a postwar F3 set packed in a single piece of bubble wrap together, sides rubbing the whole time. Not even a piece between them or something to keep them from damaging one another. I'm asking for some money back, but we'll see..
1 - You've had multiple problems, yet you continue to make purchases from the seller. Not something I'd do.
2 - If the F3's weren't damaged, then you have no reason to get a price adjustment. If the F3's were damaged, then they are no longer as described / pictured in the listing. Were I in your place, I'd return them. The seller has to pay the shipping both ways.
I certainly have received merchandise that was poorly packed. A few times I was amazed that the items made it through unscathed. But they did, so I didn't see where there were grounds to complain.
TWO Main Reasons:
Laziness and being cheap.
Throw in carelessness and ignorance, and you have your answer! 
CAREFUL packing requires sufficient time, use of proper materials, knowledge and adequate insurance coverage for items shipped.
Anything less is courting trouble! 
Originally Posted by C W Burfle:
....A few times I was amazed that the items made it through unscathed. But they did, so I didn't see where there were grounds to complain.
Agreed, in my situation, it made it, so I didn't ask for the price to be adjusted. No damage. I did politely let him know his packing was half ### with the above pictures of how it arrived...
It won't do a thing for the next guy either....
I received two packages late today[Sat] and both were packed exceptionally well. One from Diecast Direct and a more complicated and valuable package from River Leaf Models[Andre Garcia].
All is well
.
My all-time favorite was the MTH 4-12-2 that arrived in the purple shelf box - no outer carton, no paper wrapping. The seller had wrapped the box in clear packing tape, slapped a label on it, and sent it. Unbelievably, the engine was in perfect condition and the box had only minor dents. The seller was a bozo. I looked up his record on eBay and he was some doofus in L.A. whose main eBay business was skateboard parts. I sometimes wonder how he wound up with that engine - did it "fall off a truck" or what? No way of knowing, and no way of identifying where it came from.
This is really a Serious Problem with a lot of Sellers. My suggestion is TRIPLE pack those expensive Diesels and Steamers, Accessories, Cars,etc. Making clear to use the box, the Outer Carton, and Then a Third Carton, all filled with bubble wrap, peanuts, etc. I try very hard to Pack Smart....I also Insure heavily, and Buyer, beware that a UPS OR A FED EX Delivery person will do a next day inspection for concealed damages....Yes, keep the package available For next day inspection.....thanks for reading....Leaoin Larry
Years ago I bought a like new Lionel 435 power station. This was in the days when they were worth money. The packing was not too good and when I received it the base was bent over the roof. I am not sure any packing would have helped. It seemed like UPS dropped a piano on it. I save all the packing materials I receive and use them when I ship something and I use the Post Office whenever possible.
