Ebay Sellers Terrible Packing Requires Doctor To Open

Packaging that damages the contents is inexcusable whether it's too much, too little, or just plain inappropriate.

The worst package I have received had a stiffener that was smaller that the purchase it was supposed to protect, and the envelope it was in was made of a very light-weight paper. When I received it the edges of a sheetlet were creased. The sheetlet was part of a small lot and not the part I was interested in. I was still satisfied with the purchase price so I didn't want to return it.

Nevertheless, I thought the seller would want to know what happened so he/she could use a better packing method for future sales. I thought my message was polite but the seller felt criticized and blocked me from any future purchases. Oh well, I wasn't likely to buy from him again anyway!

The key issue is making sure that the USPS or Canada doesn't strip off the mailing label. Because of ebay Top Rated Seller requirements I use small padded envelopes (#000) to mail most stamps. A standard approval card and sleeve will fit in the enclosure. I use a piece of corrugated cardboard as a stiffener and to make the mailing thick enough to qualify as a First Class Parcel for tracking purposes. Also, the thickness discourages attempts to pass the envelope through mail sorting equipment that could strip the label or mangle the envelope. Little or no tape is required on the inside. The flap and perimeter must be taped to insure that the label stays on and the contents stay sealed. It is not difficult to unseal the flap or cut the end off of a bubble wrap envelope.

For international mailings I still use a 705 card with a front layer of comic book cardboard wrapped in the invoice. Adding an APS recruiting card provides some additional protection. Smaller #6 envelopes are less likely to be damaged than larger envelopes and will still bend enough to make it through mail sorting equipment. If the approval card does not have a sleeve or front flap it would be possible for stamps to be creased while the envelope is bent. For some international mailings I may use Stay Flat CD mailers and pay the 21 cent surcharge.

One or two individuals have complained about too much tape. I have found ways to minimize or eliminate tape on the inside of the envelope. My experience is that if less tape was used outside, losses would start occurring. Currently, the loss rate is about 0.1 percent of mailings. Part of that may be due to always using a printed address on an envelope or shipping label.

Clark

Here are a couple recent "extra care" packing jobs:

From an auction house, a full NH pane that was shipped only in a mylar sleeve and placed in a thin paper mailer, like the Priority envelopes. No backing, no receipt, nothing, just what you see. Miracle it didn't get bent or dinged.





From ebay, stamp was placed in a black back dealer card only, you can see the stamp through the envelope. Another miracle, no damage.

Now that is risky packing could have been so easily bent or crushed in the post. I hope you complained.

This problem has happened to me many times. So many times, that I thought about buying stock in companies that sell tape. :)

Unfortunately, I've found out that complaining just gets me labeled as a complainer. It generally results in patronizing responses as if I have no experience or knowledge and they just know better, it just seems people don't care as long as they make a sale. So, I "complain" by not purchasing from them again. Remember when "the customer is always right"?...

Thats the best way don't buy from that seller again and tell or your stamp friends to avoid that seller to.

Sellers who do pack well generally get repeat buyers, feedback like mine below as an example tells a good story of what you can expect if you were to order from me. Unfortunately auction houses don't have a feedback system on their websites.
Excellent ebayer as always. Just as described, good packaging. A+++++
Arrived in record time, fantastic seller, thoroughly recommended!
fast post/delivery,super item,great communications,A1 seller,great items
arrived today,lovely item,great communication,fast posting,A1

The reality is that ebay sellers, at least in my experience, are much more responsive. Auction houses (and not just for stamps) seem to be seller centric and ebay is buyer centric in regards to service and attention. You would think for auctions, to keep consigners happy and get the best for them, they would embrace buyers a little better, can't have one without the other.
Keep up the good work on ebay, I sell myself and make a special point to package and handle items like I would have them done for me.

I gave up buying from auction houses for the very reason that they are more concerned with getting $$$ than keeping their customers happy, especially when it comes to posting the lots securely to the buyer. When it comes to stampless covers in auction houses I see them on at inflated prices the kind that you can get cheaply from ebay. And a lot of dealer rejects end up in auction houses. Notice that auction houses do not always show photos of everything, especially collections of stampless letters or collections of stamps. Many won't take paypal so if you bid online and get the lot, you maybe unhappy with what you actually receive. At that point you have no hope of getting your money back. At least with ebay buyers have paypal protection all the way.

I've long fretted about this problem. Some sellers package the items so tightly that anyone would think they thought the stamps were living things that would use any and every available means they could to escape. Unfortunately, the more securely an item is packaged, the harder it can be to work out where to use the scissors.

As a seller, I try very hard to package things in a way that is secure yet easy to open. I also try to keep the envelopes plain looking in order to reduce the chance that someone might think that it contains something worth stealing.

When I package an item, if using tape, I fold it back on itself at the end, that way the recipient has an easy pull tab to open with.
For receiving, I have some leftover medical scalpels (small, delicate and sharp), they work great for slicing open those armageddon bundles without fear of going too far.