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Advice on packing shipments?
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JohnGaunt
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Post Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 8:22 pm 
 

benjoshua wrote:Whew!  :)   I think part of the reason why it is usually not a problem is that many of my blisters have obvious damage to begin with.  So what's a crinkle on top of a crease?  A bend next to a tear?  I agree, as long as no one complains, I must be doing something right.  It could be effectively argued however that all my blister shipments were before the eBay feedback system changed.  NOW, I 'll really see how good/bad my shipping is. :?

Your competition consists of two extremes:

Noble Knight Games - mummified my blisters in large paper.  Two bundles of minis + modules wrapped in twelve feet of newsprint-like paper.  Twelve feet of paper around each bundle.  Inside a box, it was as solid as a rock.  Kinda intimidating, actually.  :D

unnamed miniatures seller - loose minis put into comic-style bags put into a box.  The box had no added padding, but it did have lots of rattling and bending.   After I asked for better packing on the next lot, I received the same packing job with a small amount of bubble wrap inside the box.  Ummm . . . thanks for nothing.   :evil:
  

g026r
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Post Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 11:10 am 
 

Advice not on packaging, but on filling out customs forms:

I don't care if your insurance covers a larger amount than the items are worth and you want to make some profit if something happens, or if you just think the items are actually worth more than paid for.

Do NOT fill out the customs form with a value greater than the actual price paid.  Otherwise you'll have very irate buyers when they get hit with customs fees for an amount that's more than they expected.  :evil:


"Reader, Carthegena was of the mind, that unto thoſe Three Things, which the Ancients held Impoſſible, there ſhould be added this Fourth ; To find a Book Printed without Errata's."
  

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JohnGaunt
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Post Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 7:28 pm 
 

g026r wrote:Advice not on packaging, but on filling out customs forms:

I don't care if your insurance covers a larger amount than the items are worth and you want to make some profit if something happens, or if you just think the items are actually worth more than paid for.

Do NOT fill out the customs form with a value greater than the actual price paid.  Otherwise you'll have very irate buyers when they get hit with customs fees for an amount that's more than they expected.  :evil:

Did I do that?   :cry:
  

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Blackmoor
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Post Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 12:57 am 
 

g026r wrote:Advice not on packaging, but on filling out customs forms:

I don't care if your insurance covers a larger amount than the items are worth and you want to make some profit if something happens, or if you just think the items are actually worth more than paid for.

Do NOT fill out the customs form with a value greater than the actual price paid.  Otherwise you'll have very irate buyers when they get hit with customs fees for an amount that's more than they expected.  :evil:


This happened to me when I first started buying off Ebay, I won a set of three 1st ed hardcovers for $10 or so; the dude put a value of $100 on the package and I ended up paying around $12.00 tax and duty.

Very irratating


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Mars
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Post Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:52 am 
 

I have had this happen a few times too and it is very annoying.  The one recourse you do have is that you can print up your Ebay auction and send it in to the Customs Centre and get a refund on the customs charge - but it is a hassle.

Its even more annoying when it happens on a UPS shipment and the brokerage fees get insane.  This happened with my order from Fantasy Games Unlimited.  I think I ended up paying $60 in brokerage fees.
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g026r
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Post Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 6:21 pm 
 

JohnGaunt wrote:Did I do that?   :cry:


Nope.  Not a problem with your shipment. :D

Mars wrote:I have had this happen a few times too and it is very annoying. The one recourse you do have is that you can print up your Ebay auction and send it in to the Customs Centre and get a refund on the customs charge - but it is a hassle.


That's the plan.

The thing is, I may still have gotten hit with customs fees had the real value been listed ($40 -- I find that between $26 and $60 it seems to depend on whether the Customs agent is having a bad day or not), but he marked it as $90 which is a guarantee that somebody's going to smack duty and taxes onto it.


"Reader, Carthegena was of the mind, that unto thoſe Three Things, which the Ancients held Impoſſible, there ſhould be added this Fourth ; To find a Book Printed without Errata's."
  

dragonstrove
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Post Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:41 pm 
 

Two of my big no nos on items that I see arrive at my shop.

Sender uses basic manila envelope (non padded), but leaves on the metal clasp and said clasp digs into the cover of module during the whole length of shipping trip.

I can understand that getting overlooked, but then the worse one.  Sender wraps box set (D&D etc) in plain brown paper and then mails it thinking that the box will be fine!  

Argh, I have a pile of parts boxes from that crap shoot.

Michael
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mbassoc2003
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Post Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 10:40 pm 
 

dragonstrove wrote:Sender wraps box set (D&D etc) in plain brown paper and then mails it thinking that the box will be fine!

Sender then finds a chargeback through his PayPal account and a request that he pony up the money to have the box mailed back to him.


Packing and mailing stuff is really simple. Pack it in exactly the way you would like to receive something you bought off of eBay. When you buy your new plasma screen TV, keep the box it came in. It is reall excellent cardboard. Buy the jiffy bags that have pulped newsprint in, not the ones with the airbubbles. You shouldn't be worrying about weight because you're allowing for it in your shipping and handling. And if you're shipping international, use those USPS envelopes and boxes. Put lots of cardboard in with the envelope, and with a box, lots of newspaper. It rains in most countries, and some postment leave the package in a puddle, so make sure the product is safely wrapped in a comic bag or something similar (even seran wrap) before it goes into the package.

Just my 2c


This week I've been mostly eating . . . The white ones with the little red flecks in them.
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