"John Popelish" wrote in message
...
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.

Replying to this and the subsequent posts - I've seen so-called businesses
on e-bay pack worse than individuals. You just never know. I learned LONG
ago, to pack like the Samsonite commercials use to display - "rough"
handling. My "ex" mother in law sent a box of glassware to her daughter in
law one year. They were packed well and proven as such. When we went to the
UPS office, the business was transacted and they were told it was
"glass"........ The UPS lady picked the box up and gave it a heave ho to a
pile. My "ex" mother in law was ****ed. BUT, the package "did" survive the
journey. Again, it isn't rocket science, but many have yet to master it.
Some "may" not want to "buy" a lot of supplies if they don't sell
"regularly". No big deal, go to most any store and you can acquire boxes and
foam for free that their store displays came out of. I have an appliance
store near by, I can get most any size box I need. Then too, if you GET
packages - SAVE the bubble wrap/peanuts/etc. It doesn't have to cost a mint!
It doesn't have to be confusing. It doesn't have to cause problems for the
buyer or seller.

What kills me, is when "I" get an item which is shipped in a box 6 or more
times the size of the item....... Talk about overkill!