Featured Look What Happened . . . !!!

Yesterday, I received an email from an eb buyer with a photo attached. I thought, "oh no, what bad thing happened?". The person purchased a stack of 8 glass plates and 2 sherbets. I decided to ship the sherbets in a separate box because they were going a long way and it just seemed like the smart thing to do.

Well, the photo and the person's message showed that somewhere along the way, the box with the plates must have sat in water. The entire bottom portion of the box was mushy and soggy. It looks like maybe the tape held, but to what, is anyone's guess. AND, everything in the box was unbroken. So glad the sherbets weren't in it, they would have been toast.

Here's the photo:



Have any of you had any weird(er) things happen to your fragile packages where the contents went unharmed?

 

I recently sold a large set of handpainted porcelain plates to a woman who turned out to be very lovely and understanding. The box shipped Priority from New England to Florida, but for some unknown reason, it then went to New York, and then back to Florida. It took almost two weeks for the box to finally arrive at her door and guess what? The box was smashed but the plates were unbroken. She and I were truly amazed!

 

Hi Pam,
I sent a box with six lead crystal champagne flutes. The person I sent them to immediately called and said her box arrived with tire tracks on the box and the box was squashed almost in half. She was afraid to open the box. I was upset since I really wanted to keep the flutes but she offered so much for them I gave in. She opened the box and ( a stunning noise of drums) the six flutes were in perfect shape. You never know.
greg

 

NewEngland, I would be less surprised about glass plates because basically they are really strong. But porcelain? That's truly a miracle.

Greg, you take the cake. Tire tracks sounds like the flutes should be shards. They must have all drifted to one end of the box. The poor things were frightened and got out of the way!

Sometimes I've seen the post office do a ninja tape job on a destroyed box and still deliver it. Perhaps hoping the contents were still good. I thought that's what happened to my box, but I couldn't really see it in the photo.

 

I've also heard (from a retired postal employee) that Fragile or any other kind of stickers on the box MEANS NOTHING to the shipper. How sad!

 

I was told that as well. But mostly I've heard that from the curmudgeon types of PO employees. My experience with the USPS has been very very good. But they do expect you to pack so that your items can sustain what, a 3 or 4 ft. fall. I try to do that, but the puddle isn't something I can plan for.

 

I was told to pack for an 8' fall onto concrete.

Looks like you did a wonderful job packing if everything was in tact. Well done.

 

Hats off to everyone's packing skills!
Ola, looks like yours sat outside in a puddle for a while.
Patd

 

Ah, just reminded of somewhat similar.

I sold some unused vintage fabric. A nice large pristine piece of it.

Got a buyer's message in my in box. Same reaction. "Oh no. What happened..."

Turns out USPS had left the package outside, I guess buyer was in a condo or something and they had mailboxes away from the house and didn't notice it the box on top of the mailbox. Well, overnight it rained like crazy.

She found it in the morning, box soaked. But luckily I had put the fabric in a bag in the box, and it was perfectly fine! So the message was thanking me.

I always ship fabrics, vintage clothing in some kind of light bag inside the box.

I've never seen anything like the photo above, though. A miracle everything was intact. Yes, looks like we have to plan for puddles as well, lol!

 

The fact they survived is a testament to your packing skills. Well done.

 

Thanks to all who complimented my packing skills! I used to worry about that a lot. But I have a friend who once stated "all you can do is kiss it up to God and hope for the best." That's when I stopped worrying. Well, I don't worry as much.

 

A few years ago I was out of town during a time of melting snow. For some unknown reason the postal carrier delivered my pile of held mail in an open plastic container and put it right under eaves along my driveway, on the side of the house nowhere near my mailbox. So melting snow dripped into the container and all over my mail, which included a cardboard mailer containing an antique photo. The cardboard was soaked! But somehow the photo was not damaged. It was in a double layer of cardboard that shouldn't have protected it... but it did.

A little different from what you asked but I wanted to mention it.

 

Well done on the packing job.
When I ship linens, I put them in a clear recycle bag, taped shut or knotted before it goes into the mailer or box.

Of late I have also started to put other items in baggies (if small) or the clear recycle bags because of the possibility of snow or rain and the pkg sitting outside.

I have been selling for a long time, but I think I worry more now than I used to about damage.
My resolution for the New Year was to worry less. I am not living up to it at all.

 

I bought six dinner plates once. They were well packed. Yet somehow, ONE was smashed in pieces.

The one in the MIDDLE of the well separated and wrapped pile.