I’m going to rant… Let’s talk about shipping items in the mail, UPS, or FedEx. In particular about PACKING items properly in their shipping boxes. Lately I’ve had a few instances of bad luck with people shipping me things I’ve bought and them being delivered destroyed. If you buy things enough, I’m sure you’ve experienced the same. Some newer items the past year have been from Amazon and they have been thrown in an oversized box with a little strip off useless bubble wrap, or nothing at all. I realize that there is little we can do about Amazon and their packing procedures, but when it comes to individual sellers on things like eBay or Etsy – WE CAN DO BETTER!
Especially when it comes to glass items! So this past week I had some Hazel Atlas glasses from the 1950s come to my house. As soon as I pulled the box out of the mailbox I heard the “death rattle”! Broken glass! Ugh… these Marceline Stoyke designed drinking glasses from the 1950s don’t grow on trees, and because someone thought that a way too small, used Amazon box, and a few wraps of paper around the glasses were enough to ship them states away! This one is gone forever.
And then earlier this year the same with late 1960s era Acorn gumball machine and it’s glass globe! The box was on my porch and I could hear the “death rattle” when I picked it up. This lady mailed it to me from Seattle (which is literally across the country from me) in JUST A BOX! No bubble wrap, no packing peanuts, no newspaper… nothing! Just stuck a heavy 20lb machine with a glass globe in a thin paper box and mailed it 2,500 miles away! Insane!
Please, if you are a seller and are shipping parcels it is imperative that you pack things properly! Buy bubble wrap, packing peanuts, shredded paper, double box, just do SOMETHING to cushion any blows to the box (and there will be blows) and to tightly secure the item inside so it does not rattle around with each toss! It doesn’t matter what service you use to ship it – it is going to get tossed, smashed, whacked, etc! And they don’t care if you write “Fragile” on it, either!
So please pack things PROPERLY so we can get our stuff and not deal with insurance and refunds… and more importantly save things that are very difficult or expensive to replace! Rant over!
