Joy, a Lesson, and a Sad Sad Story (PICS)

[PFP_Dad]

So two days ago I received several packages that were mistakenly sent to my old address in Fort Worth. These were purchased several weeks to a month ago and were repeatedly delivered to my old address. Long story short I got a hold of the post office and they found the packages and sent them to my correct address.

Here is what I got:

And this:

Unfortunately I also received this box:

Which contained this ABC Scroll set (gold plating):

As you can see this handle is substantially bent.

This leads to the lesson.

I contacted the Ebay seller and notified them immediately that the package had arrived damaged. They stated that since I had not purchased insurance there was nothing they could do.

I copied the following information directly from the Ebay site and sent it to the seller:

The item you sold was lost or damaged in shipping.
If you insured the package, contact the shipping company or insurance company to file a claim. If you used ShipCover on eBay, you can file a claim directly from My eBay.
Note: Even if the item was not insured, you're still responsible for the item until the buyer receives it.
Contact the buyer to work out a solution. If you file an insurance claim, the shipping company or the insurance company may need to contact the buyer to verify the claim and inspect the item and its packaging before resolving your claim.

Unfortunately the seller was not willing to work with me to come to a resolution, so it was sent to Ebay for resolution. They promptly refunded my purchase price plus shipping.

The lesson to all sellers is that with Ebay and Paypal; you are responsible for the item until it arrives. Always insure purchases and build the cost into your shipping, otherwise if a package arrives damaged, you will be liable for the full purchase price.

It's unfortunate that the seller is out money for what is clearly mishandling by USPS (the box was rubber banded close when it arrived), but ultimately only the seller has control over packaging and delivery selection options.

 

[Gingerbread]

It's beyond me that shipping services mistreat their packages like that.

 

[Weaselsrippedmyflesh]

It's beyond me that shipping services mistreat their packages like that.

The sad fact is that there were probably no hands involved in the mistreatment. Everything moves by automated systems and every once in a while something small gets crushed under something big. It sucks when it happens to you but it happens. I'll second the advice on insuring your shipments in addition to packing them well. If you bake it into your selling price it costs you no more and gives you the peace of mind that if something happens (accidental or not) you're covered.

For more expensive or larger items I always take a series of digital photos of my packing job in progress - the item before it's packed, item after wrapping, item inserted in box, wrapping on box, condition of box, etc. Costs me nothing and if the shipping company says the item was "improperly packed" I've got proof that it wasn't.

 

[AABCDS]

...
Unfortunately the seller was not willing to work with me to come to a resolution, so it was sent to Ebay for resolution. They promptly refunded my purchase price plus shipping.

The lesson to all sellers is that with Ebay and Paypal; you are responsible for the item until it arrives. Always insure purchases and build the cost into your shipping, otherwise if a package arrives damaged, you will be liable for the full purchase price.

It's unfortunate that the seller is out money for what is clearly mishandling by USPS (the box was rubber banded close when it arrived), but ultimately only the seller has control over packaging and delivery selection options.

Yeah, I don't think a lot of sellers on eBay and on the BST here realize that they are responsible for the item until it arrives. I see a lot of sellers asking for extra money to cover the insurance.

The following is part of a post I made on 8/25/2012 about the matter.

...
3. You, as the seller, are responsible for the item until it arrives in the buyer's hands. This means you either purchase shipping insurance or roll the dice with every package you send out where the buyer uses PayPal as the payment method.
...

 

[Mick]

Insurance only covers damage to a well packed item.

It is not "insurance against negligence"

If you do not pack well, you can insure for 10 times value and the claim will be denied.

So.....

Insure

AND

Pack well.

I give the example of a Georgetown scuttle I bought that arrived in an un-padded paper envelope. It was not damaged (no chips, nicks, bonks, or anything). Totally amazing that a piece of pottery shipped in a paper bag can get to me and something double boxed is destroyed. Go figure that one

 

[PFP_Dad]

The sad fact is that there were probably no hands involved in the mistreatment.

Usually I would agree but I've had packages from that post office jammed into my small apartment mailbox because they didn't feel like getting the key to open the package section. It looks like that's exactly what they did in this case.

 

[PFP_Dad]

As an update, the seller does not want the item back as it will likely break during any repair attempts. That being said, should I try to repair it and if so how? I tried a gentle bending back motion and it didn't even begin to make a difference.

 

[Tonimus]

As an update, the seller does not want the item back as it will likely break during any repair attempts. That being said, should I try to repair it and if so how? I tried a gentle bending back motion and it didn't even begin to make a difference.

Could we get more pictures with better lighting?

 

[PFP_Dad]

Could we get more pictures with better lighting?

I'll try to take a few in the morning, it appears to be bent at the neck area in person.

 

[BBrad]

From the pictures it does not appear that the damage to the razor was caused by the damage to the shipping box.

Think about it . . . the handle itself is probably the strongest and least damage-prone item in the entire assembly. For it to have been damaged in shipping, the razor case would have to be nearly flattened!

My guess is that the razor was damaged to begin with, and the seller either did not know or did not care. Did the original auction photos show anything that could indicate damage, or was it just a picture of an "old razor in a box?"

But, either way, eBay's policies clearly state that the seller is responsible for both shipping damage and item not as described. And, Turtle is 100% correct . . . you cannot insure against stupidity or incompetence.

 

[JaggerDragger]

From the pictures it does not appear that the damage to the razor was caused by the damage to the shipping box.

Think about it . . . the handle itself is probably the strongest and least damage-prone item in the entire assembly. For it to have been damaged in shipping, the razor case would have to be nearly flattened!

My guess is that the razor was damaged to begin with, and the seller either did not know or did not care. Did the original auction photos show anything that could indicate damage, or was it just a picture of an "old razor in a box?"

But, either way, eBay's policies clearly state that the seller is responsible for both shipping damage and item not as described. And, Turtle is 100% correct . . . you cannot insure against stupidity or incompetence.

I agree I dont know how the handle could be bent like that if the razor was in it's case disassembled.

OP is the razor damaged on the handle or is it the threaded portion attached to the head of the razor?

 

[PFP_Dad]

I should clarify that this one was purchased without a case and arrived assembled. The damage is in the threaded portion. Instead of a gentle )( shaped neck it is more |( now, with no visible dents/dings.

My wife is at work with the camera, but I'll take pictures tonight. The best way to describe it is as if you grabbed it by the head and handle and tried to fold it in half.

 

[chongo gordo]

Ebay is a great place to buy things, but a very risky place to sell. Even with package tracking, all the buyer needs to do is say the item never arrived and the seller takes a loss.
Want a free double ring? Buy one on Ebay and claim it never arrived.

 

[Fileroman]

Don't know what what the base metal is, but I would put the handle in a vise with some kind of protection (I've used two pieces of heavy leather) and use a torch on very low flame to heat it up carefully and slowly put pressure on it to see if it will bend back. You don't want to get it too hot or it might melt; just warm it up a little. Or, since it's basically free, send it out for repair, maybe even a re-plate.

Ron

 

[breadstick]

I am very sorry to hear this. If it were me, I would try Fileroman's idea and try to bend it back. You're really not out anything if it doesn't work. You already own a pretty busted razor.

 

[BBrad]

I should clarify that this one was purchased without a case and arrived assembled. The damage is in the threaded portion. Instead of a gentle )( shaped neck it is more |( now, with no visible dents/dings.

My wife is at work with the camera, but I'll take pictures tonight. The best way to describe it is as if you grabbed it by the head and handle and tried to fold it in half.

Ok, now we have better information!! I saw the ABC cases, and a damaged ABC razor, and did some math . . .

I have seen heads deformed from being shipped in padded envelopes and being run through package handling equipment by our very own Postal Service. Being crammed by hand into a mail box isn't likely to do that much harm, however. This one could have been damaged before the previous owner even had it . . . did the eBay pictures show anything funky?

 

[BBrad]

Don't know what what the base metal is, but I would put the handle in a vise with some kind of protection (I've used two pieces of heavy leather) and use a torch on very low flame to heat it up carefully and slowly put pressure on it to see if it will bend back. You don't want to get it too hot or it might melt; just warm it up a little. Or, since it's basically free, send it out for repair, maybe even a re-plate.

Ron

The base metal is brass (soft) and the plating is silver (won't take much torch) so I can't agree with this idea. At best the plating will be harmed, at worst the threaded post on the cap will break.

If the bend is in the top section of the handle, it could be screwed onto a piece of threaded (steel) rod, and gently heated with an industrial heat gun before trying a little tweak to straighten it.

 

[PFP_Dad]

The Ebay pictures appeared fine and the sellers responses seemed appropriate for someone who just found out it was damaged. Given the sellers previous sales record and username, I would find it unlikely that they wouldn't know this was damaged as such if it was prior to sale. I was under the impression that boxes did not go through the same roller system though as the envelopes do, is this incorrect?

I think I'll try the bending back method, as stated even if it snaps I'm not really out. I do not have access to a torch and vice though, anyone have any more homemade type tool choices? I was thinking a wash cloth and a vice grip (properly padded of course)?

 

[Shave_Rat]

The Ebay pictures appeared fine and the sellers responses seemed appropriate for someone who just found out it was damaged. Given the sellers previous sales record and username, I would find it unlikely that they wouldn't know this was damaged as such if it was prior to sale. I was under the impression that boxes did not go through the same roller system though as the envelopes do, is this incorrect?

I think I'll try the bending back method, as stated even if it snaps I'm not really out. I do not have access to a torch and vice though, anyone have any more homemade type tool choices? I was thinking a wash cloth and a vice grip (properly padded of course)?

You still definitely want to heat the part you are bending. Being plated brass, water that is under a boil but plenty hot to soak the part in may suffice even, if you let the part sit in there a few minutes to make sure it's heated through.

 

[PFP_Dad]

You still definitely want to heat the part you are bending. Being plated brass, water that is under a boil but plenty hot to soak the part in may suffice even, if you let the part sit in there a few minutes to make sure it's heated through.

I have access to a lighter, would this be a better option?