Should Auction Houses Be More Aware Of The Climate Of Where They Are Shipping To?

Let me expand. I don't think ALL auction houses should pay attention to where they are shipping to but some should. I have a local stamp auction
company here in Minnesota and I won some lots in an auction the week before last. Auction ended Wednesday, payment was made Thursday and lot shipped Friday so by all means a quick turnaround.

My problem is that I forgot that we were leaving for 9 days for the Easter break and the kids School spring break. My lots were shipped in a Fed Ex cardboard envelope with really no protection from moisture/water.

Now living in Minnesota th8is time of the year we are either under 3 feet of snow, going through monsoon season or 60 degrees and sunny, you never know what you'll get. Anyways I returned home today and luckily one of my neighbors told me they stuck the envelope between my doors so nobody would steal them.

Although it helped a few of the items are ruined. In hindsight I should have notified the auction house to hold delivery but in the same turn don't you think an Auction house in Minnesota shipping to an address 14 miles from your business should be aware of the possibility of snow or rain this time of the year? Had they placed them in a zip-lock bag or wrapped them in some kind of cellophane all would most probably be fine.

I'll post some images soon.

I know what you mean. Sandafayre lots are in plastic, even carton lots. The theory I believe is condensation issues if shipped by air. It is a practice that should be standard for all lots. Siegel ships small lots via Fedex in tyvek envelopes. I just received a carton from Kelleher with three albums inside and the cheap cardboard was worn open along an entire side at the top after one days travel. Luckily I was home to sign and receive but if I was not there is a good chance my carton would have ended up on the porch exposed to the elements and my German Shepherds that LOVE to eat boxes and shred the contents. Plastic would not help that but it should be done at a minimum. I cannot see a rare book seller shipping a $500 book in a cardboard flat and hoping for the best. It is not expensive to bag these items. I believe that it is more a time issue.

Sorry to hear about the delivery problem. No fun.
I always get a bit nervous when I have some stamps in-flight to me.

I don't, however, know how an auction house can be expected to take special initiatives unless a buyer contacts them in a timely manner to communicate special requirements... It seems like a lot to put on the auction house.

I live in MN too but in an apartment building so I've had no problem. sick of the snow this year

Not sure it's a special initiative. A simple ounce of prevention especially living in this state. One of the mylar bags with the lick & stick seal which would cost the auction house an extra $1 tops per shipped lot, I'd happily pay for the protection.

Here is one of the casualties. Rhodesia Admiral which got wet. There is an ink bleed at the top center and an ink stain in the letter H of Rhodesia. I'll stick it in one of my desert magic drying books for a few days to dry it out but the damage is done.

And it's not just auction houses. Certain times of the year when I buy off ebay or from dealers I explain my experience with soaked mail and ask the seller to enclose it in double glassine or a zip-lock. They usually comply.

I've had letters get soaked (fortunately none with stamps) in the time it takes the postman to pull the mail from the pouch, sort through it, and place it in the mailbox.

Dennis

And ironically I also received this stamp in the mail pile when I returned from vacation. A fellow member from another stamp site sent me this stamp for free. It's a cheap 10¢ common stamp that I was having difficulty with finding one with decent margins. It was sent from the U.K. Granted that this was in the mailbox while the fed ex envelope sat between doors.

I think all auction houses should pay attention to weatherproofing and properly wrapping mailings.

Even smaller houses that take mail bids need 3-6 people to do mailing after the sale if they expect to get everything out in a week. There may be 0-1 regular staff to do shipping normally. That shipping help are usually hired hands of some sort, possibly family and friends. "All hands on deck"? Everyone else in the place is back to their usual tasks and the bookkeepers are busy checking billing and such. So even if poly bags were provided, the folks doing the packaging could have total to zero awareness of proper packaging. I've had a shipment mailed with the bill in the plastic bag and the lot cards outside it.

And you left for 9 days? If you put a vacation hold on your mail by filling out one card, this package would have been held at the post office.

Hy-Brasil, that wouldn't work for Fedex, though. I don't know whether Fedex would hold packages for that long.

If I'm going to be away, I usually ask the auction house to delay sending when I pay. I have a sign on my door saying "Mail/deliveries: if out, please leave with any neighbour", which works well, and avoids re-deliveries or collections from post offices. Relies on your having honest neighbours, of course.

As I mentioned earlier had I done a little forward thinking I would have told the auction house to hold off on sending for a week. That being said, I don't leave a message announcing nobody will be home for a week since it could be an invitation for a break in. You don't know if some door to door solicitor is in the neighborhood or some other unwanted visitor. The delivery was made by Fed Ex so putting the mail on hold would have no impact on Fed Ex.

I usually add a note requesting that the stamps be placed in a "baggie" to keep them nice and dry. It gets pretty wet here in New England.

Jack Kelley

Just to be clear, I don't have a sign saying "I'm on holiday"!

Quote:
A simple ounce of prevention especially living in this state.

Exactly! This may sound curmudgeonly, but let's also accept some responsibility ourselves. We each know our own weather/climate, which way our box faces, when we will be absent, etc.
So put up a proper box to protect your mail, install an auxiliary box at your door, get a PO box, cultivate a good neighbor, etc.
When one asks a seller to go the full nine yards, one needs to have gone a few yards to meet them halfway too.

The full nine yards is putting something in a plastic bag?

Maybe. For efficiency and economy, shippers generally have a set of standard packaging materials/supplies they use based on the size/fragility of the merchandise, rather than the climate of the destination. Many sellers use low-paid help in packing/shipping. Everything is packed the same.

Do you complain to the electric or water company if your bill gets wet?

My point is, assume there may be poor packing, poor handling, and poor delivery, BUT do your fair share at the receiving end so you are not contributing to the problem you are complaining about.