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The CRPF "Bad Packing" awards

Started by Dan, March 01, 2009, 04:54:43 PM

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LarryInMichigan

#90
I was pretty excited when I won the bid on this phone last week: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270663060080 which i mentioned in another thread on this forum.  The seller waited almost a week to ship the phone, and ignored my packing instructions.  When lifted the box on my doorstep, I immediately heard the horrifying sounds of shaking and bells ringing.  When i opened the box, I found that the handset had been left sitting in the cradle with nothing between it and the phone body.  The handset was largely destroyed, and the side of the shell was bashed in.  I just sent a message to the seller with links to these pictures.





[i mg width=700 height=557]htt p://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss74/LarryinMichigan/SmashedHandset.jpg[/i mg]  ( bad link )
[i mg width=700 height=525]htt p://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss74/LarryinMichigan/SmashedSide.jpg[/i mg]  ( bad link )


Larry

NorthernMan

I would assume a full refund including shipping is coming your way. It was probably packed up b4 you sent your packing instructions and they were too lazy to do a repack. Some of these sellers don't even do their own packing and so the instructions are not passed on.

I purchased a 317 wood wallphone once and the cathedral top did not fit the box so they just put some extra tape on the part sticking out . The receiver bounced around inside and broke the shelf and itself. Whats wrong with these people. Most of the time they are new to Ebay but your seller is a seasoned veteran. Good thing it wasn't a super rare phone. Better luck next time.

Dave Zemens

That's really a shame.  A few years back when I dabbled in some basic restoration and selling of the phones on eBay the very first thing I learned, and always adhered to, was how to carefully package the phone for shipment.

You guessed it, the first rule of packing was never to remove the handset from the receiver if at all possible, or heavily pad it if not possible to remove it.  It's so simple and so effective.
Dave Zemens
1955 Design | Rochester, Michigan
Website Design & Development
Custom WordPress Themes & Plugins

LarryInMichigan

The box was not sealed before my instructions because it included an invoice indicating that I had already paid, which I did within a few minutes after the auction ended.  What is really annoying is that the seller charged my $15 for shipping but used a medium flat-rate Priority Mail box with no insurance, which costs $10.70.

Anyway, I am waiting for a reply.  I did not ask for any specific compensation yet, but I certainly want a complete refund because I cannot use not display a phone with a demolished handset.  It is really a shame because the bakelite is in otherwise very good condition.

I feel like crying :(


Larry

LarryInMichigan

For what it is worth, here is the text of the instructions which I included with the payment:

QuotePlease pack the phone very carefully with plenty of padding so that is will not move around, no weight will rest on it, and the handset will not bump or come into contact with the base during shipment.  The handset should be wrapped separately.  These bakelite phones are quite brittle and crack and chip very easily.

Thank You

Did I leave something ambiguous?


Larry

Dennis Markham

Larry, I'm sorry to hear about yet another poor packing job.  Sometimes I think many of those sellers with thousands of feedback are really less caring and more of a "production-line" seller.  Taking a look at his/her feedback score, 17 Negatives in the past 6 months.  I know that for the amount of sales, that may be a normal number.  I figure every 257.5 people leave a negative comment.  That's too much.  Good luck getting satisfaction from the seller.  You may be better off dealing with eBay/PayPal.  The bottom line is a nice old phone is now damaged, which is the shame.

Adam

Yes, what a shame.  I'm sorry, welcome to the club (of those of us who have received broken phones in shipment from eBay).

I am a bit more emphatic in my packing instructions.  I send this to every seller when I win an auction:

IMPORTANT!  PLEASE READ!  When you box up this phone for shipment, please DO NOT pack the phone up with its receiver sitting on the phone's cradle.  The receiver will knock into the body of the phone during shipment and it is GUARANTEED that the phone will be received broken into several pieces.  PLEASE wrap the receiver of the phone separately.
Adam Forrest
Los Angeles Telephone - A proud part of the global C*Net System
C*Net 1-383-4820

LarryInMichigan

I guess I need to be less polite in my instructions.  They actually have worked for the majority of the phones that I had shipped.

Larry

Dan

#98
I am very polite in my instructions too, but I make sure they respond to me before they ship. As in ---In case you didn't get my instructions the first time, I wish to............... I sometimes have to send this two times, but I have only had one cracked so far.


Sad news and I'm sure you will get your money back. :(
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

LarryInMichigan

The seller replied to my message an offered a refund if I ship the phone back to them.  I am a bit nervous about putting another $11 or so into this in the hope of getting a refund, so I am thinking of asking for a partial refund of $20 or so.  I can probably glue the pieces back together and have a usable phone which looks acceptably good when viewed from the right sides.  Do you think that this would be a good idea, or will it likely make the seller suspicious or less willing to cooperate?

Larry

Dave Zemens

I think that requiring you to ship the phone back, at your considerable expense, is ridiculous.  The seller can see the photos.  All they are doing is throwing road blocks in front of you to thwart your efforts to hold them accountable.

I'd just keep the phone and toss whatever appropriate negative feedback you can give them their way.  What goes around comes around, as they say.

Dave Zemens
1955 Design | Rochester, Michigan
Website Design & Development
Custom WordPress Themes & Plugins

Dennis Markham

I wouldn't send it back either.  I've had sellers give me a partial or total refund and tell me to keep it.  Since they cannot retaliate with negative feedback any longer, you can always do that if he refuses to compensate you in some way.  I'm thinking he probably doesn't care if he gets another red mark.

LarryInMichigan

I just asked for a $21 partial refund.  I figured that shipping both ways costs about that much, so it would be in the seller's interest to cut their losses that way.

If they agree, I will have my most ambitious bakelite gluing project yet.


Larry

Tom B

Larry
Just think of the skill set you will acquire if you keep the phone and fix it up brilliantly. Got to be worth the outlay - what do you think? If life sends you a bag of lemons make some lemonade, add yeast and sugar and hey presto - booze!!  ;D
Tom

gpo706

Larry I had a 711 blanked model turn up with the case in pieces, I got a partial refund, kept the bits used it as a donor, I know its not bakelite like yours, but you get my drift.

From what I can see you could buy a replacement handset, but the body doesn't look too clever, I'm sure with a lot of work you could get it straightened out though, on ebay UK tonight there is a No. 164 handset starting at 12 quid, no caps though.
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"