Why Do Sellers Keep Doing Things Like This? Or Is It Just Me?

Received the stamps below yesterday from a seller in France. Never mind that although the lot was described as "majority" MNH there were only 3 MNH stamps. More important is the packaging. Not only did the seller allow scotch tape to be exposed to the stamps at the top and right, but the left side was left open so that the stamps could slide out (as they did), risking damage to the corners. 2 stamps had corner folds due to sliding around.

This is another issue- stamps with value should never be shipped as a "salad." When they are allowed to move about, the corners crash into the packaging and each other causing corner folds. Stamps should always be neatly squared against the bottom of the glassine/envelope/approval card.

All the seller had to do was put the stamps (neatly) into a small, exceedingly inexpensive glassine to ensure exposed tape or other issues did not affect the stamps. I hate to be so blunt, but what makes well-established handlers of stamps so stupid and lazy?

They are idiots. I have received stamps packaged inside of 12 layers of cardboard all held together with a roll of tape. It also kills me when you purchase a medium or up value stamp which they then send in a crusty yellow glassine.

I ship mine in a Safe approval card which I insert into a glassine and which is then placed inside a rigid mailer. The stamp will not be bent, it will not fall out of its holder and best of all it is easy as can be to remove upon arrival. There is no shortage of dumb in humanity.

The least common thing on the planet is common sense

I imagine they do this sort of thing because they want to save a few pennies by using up old envelopes and other stamp "holders" they have lying around rather than having to buy new. Nothing wrong with recycling. That's a good thing (or would be in this case), but you're right that this isn't acceptable. Particularly the scotch tape which is a major 'no-no" around stamps. Your seller ought to know that. Even an ordinary paper envelope would have been preferable, but glassines are cheap and better. I imagine the only way sellers will stop doing this is if buyers return lots they've purchased and explain the problem. If I felt the damage was significant, I'd do that with a nice note.

As for the mistaken "MNH" description, that may be even worse since the sale was falsely described. That's unacceptable. I'd guess your seller thought incorrectly that any unused stamp was the same as "MNH". Since you're dealing with a foreign seller, maybe it was a translation problem? If the lot cost a good deal, I'd be inclined to raise the issue with the seller. If it was inexpensive though, probably not as you can't fight every battle.

MNH not being MNH is not a translation problem. It is an ethics problem.

e caveat emptor. All we can do is to take notes about bad vendors. I keep a list of such people.

Jack Kelley

Shrmae, I do believe http://stampsmarter,com keeps track of this sort of thing. If you contact Don with this he may just list it,

Peter

Peter- great idea. I need to backtrack and create a list.

Rodg- I feel you are correct on both counts in your comments. Your packing method= sensible, thoughtful, respectful, professional and SAFE. Also, I don't think for one second that the poor description is a translation issue. The lot title said MH/MNH (majoritie) (sic). Perhaps aside from the very rare language issue, sellers KNOW what it means to state MNH, to include receiving higher prices. If they don't know, they have no business adding the phrase to a lot description. I've seen several lots described as "New Gum" only to learn this means regummed.

Ethics issue IMHO = 100% correct.

I'm confused. Now you seem to be changing your description of at least part of the problem that upset you.

Initially, you said that "the lot was described as 'majority"'MNH". You were upset that you only received three MNH stamps. Now you say that the title didn't actually say that: "The lot title said MH/MNH (majoritie)". Those are two different things. The first says the stamps were mostly "mint never hinged," the second that the seller said that the majority of stamps were mint hinged and mint never hinged. You can't really get upset that your seller sent you stamps that were mostly not MNH since he never said they were. Those dismissing my suggestion that this might have been related to a "translation issue" might want to take note of this "translation" problem which confuses MH and MNH. On this part of the complaint, it looks like the seller made no mistake.


As for the scotch tape, OP's main complaint, that was clearly a seller's mistake. If there is a complaint, it would have to be about the use of the scotch tape, not the issue of MNH stamps, and honestly I can't really imagine anyone making a complaint about that unless a lot of the stamps were damaged. Were they? You mention two corner folds. Is that enough to send them all back?

Drew - Your argument is leaky. If the seller meant that the majority were MH/ MNH that would mean that the minority were used. There are no used. There are mint with MNH making up the minority. Translation is still not the issue. A distinct lack of ethics is the primary issue with the lesser issue being silly packaging. I find in favor of Shermae and this matter is closed. ( throat clearing) I am off to Namibia now for a First Day of Issuance Ceremony. Cheers!

Yes, some shippers over do the tape and often you open carefully with a knife. I see some sandwiched between two cardboard stiffeners with tape all around.

You know, I can understand wanting to ensure your packaging is secure, but seriously, some folks just take it way too far.

I received a bubble mailer which had been completely taped up with duct tape, then packing tape atop that. Once I got past that puzzle, the single stamp was inside four pieces of cardboard which had been....

Yes you guessed it, duct taped! Really?????? I sure hope that seller wasn't looking for any return business.

Drew, it was very clear to me that the intent was to state that the lot was mostly MNH. The total count was 23 stamps of which 20 were hinged and 3 were MNH. There were no used stamps, so the word "majoritie," being on the same side of the "/" sign as MNH, meant that this lot as represented as more than 50% MNH.

The seller was full of bull.

I've received some lots in the mail that required the skill and steady hand of a surgeon to extract the contents.

I'm always amazed when I see tape that could trap the contents though. It does make you wonder.

Bobby DLR

I believe STAMPCROW's statement "The least common thing on the planet is common sense" is most wise. People tend to think when they ship something in a box, the box will be handled with the utmost care, top always on top, never crushed or shaken. The box will arrive just as if the shipper last saw the box, and the the item will arrive just as it was when packaged.

HORROR stories from ebay in particular - from philatelic sellers to boot!

Without naming names, I successfully bid on a several "pristine" Scott National Albums holding many mint US. The 3 ring binders were in their slip cases and all fit nice and snug in what I'll call the main box.

The main box, along with an empty smaller box used as a spacer, were then placed into the shipping box. That was it. There remained an glaring and obvious need to fill the voids between the main and shipping box that the single small empty box only slightly helped with.

To boot - the slip cases were "snug" only in that they fit perfectly into the main box in all dimensions.

The problems?

First - as anyone that moves ANYTHING over any distance and time SHOULD know is that the constant rubbing between two surfaces starts to wear those surfaces. Thus explains why several of the slip case corners were worn into the paper covering. Had the shipper simply placed a single newspaper sheet between the cases things would have been fine.

Secondly - the main box was still somewhat loose in the shipping box and - duh - the box probably fell or such resulting in two of the slip cover corners ripped apart an inch or so. This was the result of the main box moving around in the shipping box.

Thirdly - someday take any 3 ring binder full of paper, philatelic or not, and place it on a table with the spline parallel to the table top and the pages facing the table top. (see photo below) Notice the small gap between the table and the page edges? Not much - maybe a half inch. Imagine, now, if you were to lift the album by it's spline a distance and dropped it back onto the table top. The album covers would stop the spline from moving too much even while the heavy pages wants to continue to fall to towards the table top. Something has to give - and it ended up being the hinges.

Imagine what it felt like to see a wonderful pristine stamp collection bound by every binder album with broken and torn hinges. Evidently the shipping box did fall on the one side that would do the most damage. Pictures attached.

Although the dealer/seller refunded enough for me to repurchase new binders (the new Scott binders are now finally all metal hinged!) all of the hassle, time and disappointment would not have occurred had the shipper simply placed a small handful of foam peanuts into each slip case and a few more between the main and shipping box.

Anyway - I've transferred the original pages into the new binders but the fear and distrust remains - that COMMON SENSE does not exist for many without a bit of effort....

I dont know what MNH means, I'm that green (MInt never handled?). But when I pay for something I fully expect to get what I paid for. If you are able to leave a review then I would certainly do so. That is the only way to warn others about the practice of the sellers.