Spamfree wrote:
"Jeff Volp" wrote:
"John Popelish" wrote:

I have spent thousands of dollars to buy from eBay and have gotten
only two negative comments. Both in retaliation after I gave a
negative for poor shipping.

And you're the fellow who suggested stuffing the transistors into a
flat-rate envelope to save 2 bucks on shipping?

I do agree that it is the responsibility of the seller to get the item to
you safely. That takes packaging appropriate for the item. And sometimes
even mandatory insurance for expensive fragile items.


Shipping is "not" rocket science, though some still can't seem to master it.
Not "all" shipping is created equal. When I sell, I check "all" options
available to me for shipping. I let the buyer know what their options are as
well as prices and ask for any preference. The customer can choose to pay
for the carrier of their choice (among those offered). I find the Post
Office "usually" but not always cheapest. As to packing, it does benefit the
seller in reputation and aggravation - to package the items properly. In the
end, so long as the buyer knows what to expect and "gets it", all should be
happy.

Though it sounds silly to insure a $1 item - here is a "possible"
answer....... If it arrives broken or it is lost - then a refund has to be
made by "someone"! The seller "may" be counting their time and packing
materials in the cost (which can add up) and wish not to lose out in the
event of any problems.

One method is not appropriate for all items. The pound of transistors
doesn't look very fragile to me. On the other hand, I have gotten
ferrite cores shipped in a very oversize box, with the cores laying on
the bottom and the large extra space filled with loose wadded
newspaper. Would have worked great, if someone had hammered on the
top of the box. But normal handling (the box was undamaged) had
tossed the cores against each other, like china dishes, and all I got
was a box of coarse black sand. Banding them together and shipping
them in an envelope, with no padding, would have been much better.

The item I gave a negative comment on, were solenoidal inductors,
bobbin wound, with hair-fine wire, and having sharp, stamped, PCB
pins. They were dumped into a manila envelope with no other packing,
and not one arrived without tangles of cut wire hanging off them. The
seller paid about $2 for first class shipping (no insurance), but I
had paid him $8 for the shipping, to include insurance. Then I was
lectured by him about how you don't damage someone's reputation with a
negative comment without giving them every chance to make things
right. He said he didn't insure them, because he had a lot of them,
and would send more if these arrived damaged. Of course, he didn't
tell me any of this before the damaged ones arrived.

I think the comments are there to warn other buyers about brainless,
negligent or dishonest sellers and to reward sellers who do it right
the first time.