What Did You Buy Today?

[extropic]

@francist

Poo Poo. You live in Canada where the people are much more civilized.

 

[GrifterGuru]

Many people irrationally think the carriers will handle their package equivalently to how they handle it.

After seeing for myself just what happens, I have always maintained an "over protect the contents and pack tight to avoid movement" mentality. That, and two layers of brown parcel tape, covered with a black bin liner, covered with double layer of bubble-wrap, another black bin liner, finished off with yet more brown tape. Never had a parcel lose any contents yet. Just waiting for that day to arrive.....

 

[SouthernChap]

This is why, when I pack things to ship, I pack with a mindset of "these idiots are going to throw this sh*t about, throw it around and stack heavier sh*t on top because they have a "no f!"£s given" attitude.

I must admit though, I was impressed by LMS! they not only packaged the parts well, it was shipped internationally without even the slightest hint of a dink in the box and it was not a lightweight parcel either!

Ah...a person with experience of ParcelForce!

 

[GrifterGuru]

Ah...a person with experience of ParcelForce!

I like the cut of your jib.

Not just Parcel Farce sadly, but also experience from doing a brief agency job during the period I switched employers waaaaaaaaaaay back in my mid-teens. I had a week between jobs and decided to earn some extra cash rather than sit on my ass.

Did a weeks stint at a parcel transfer hub. Holy hell I was shocked at what I witnessed. Deffo influenced how I packed parcels after that.

Talking of experience, check this (<< link) out. I'm the second of the two names mentioned.

 

[Mauzinette]

This is how my arbor press was delivered Half of the parts had made their escape during the transit.

 

[wachuko]

I believe the only acceptable evidence of mishandling in transit is either tire tracks visible on the package or a puncture wound from a fork truck fork. Inadequate packaging is the cause of the damage. Just ask the carrier. And no, I've never worked for a carrier.

Many people irrationally think the carriers will handle their package equivalently to how they handle it.

Send the photos to Grizzly and ask the same question. If there's anything missing or damaged, they should make you whole. That's failure to package appropriately, which unfortunately seems to be standard these days.

I don't know, I'm inclined to say that's failure to handle the parcel properly regardless of how it's been packaged.

I received a similarly-sized box just a day or two ago and shipped from across the country (Ontario to BC). There was nary a mark on the box, all eight corners were crisp as the day it was packed, and not even a scuffed label. Granted this was a light item -- in this case an aluminum layout square measuring 14" x 24" -- but still, it was clear to me that the 16" x 24" x 12" box had been carried, not kicked nor tossed, to my doorstep.

Lucky? Maybe, but still I think it points to the fact that everyone along the way had some regard for what was in the box and how they did their part in the handling of it.

The bigger problem, I suggest, is that there's nobody accountable other than the original shipper who will, unless they start packaging everything in wooden casks and barrels again, ultimately have to replace the item at their cost. And so shipping costs increase to cover the breakages and they're passed along of course to the consumer.

It's a sad state, it really is.

This is why, when I pack things to ship, I pack with a mindset of "these idiots are going to throw this sh*t about, throw it around and stack heavier sh*t on top because they have a "no f!"£s given" attitude.

I must admit though, I was impressed by LMS! they not only packaged the parts well, it was shipped internationally without even the slightest hint of a dink in the box and it was not a lightweight parcel either!

@wachuko
I hope you're lucky and all is there, in good shape.

Recently I received a similar package from an eBay seller.
The purchase was 6 each 1" diameter x 10" long brass rod.
They bundled them into 3 pairs of 2, but the 3 bundles were free to wander independently.
There was zero dunnage of any description to immobilize the bundles (relative to each other and/or the box).
The opposite corner of the box was slathered with a bunch of USPS logo tape, which I assume was repair (USPS courtesy) that happened early in the process. Amazingly, everything was still there and not significantly beaten up.
View attachment 481360

As I thought, there were parts missing, and the ones left, suffered damage. This was the only items left in the box from the tapper attachment. So missing a lot of parts.




Missing: B, I, F...



The vertical attachment for the 9x20 might still be fine, but I need to test it. Just from the looks of it, it got hit several times as I can see nicks and some damage to the dial wheel... But again, on this one, not sure if it was compromised until I test it...



I opened a ticket with Grizzly. Shared photos as well... and followed up with a call. They are sending the order again and asking shipping department to reinforce the boxes...

Customer Service was great and a pleasure to work with. I know that we do not want to have to call... but when we do, I am happy to be able to talk to a friendly person on the other end.

 

[extropic]

What? you mean to say that some crumpled sheets of kraft paper didn't protect heavy/sharp/precision machined features from damaging each other in transit?

Too bad you had to be the first buyer ever for the tapper attachment from Grizzly. Surely you are the first, or else those friendly people would have packaged it adequately.

Gross incompetence abounds and, IMO, "Sorry about that" doesn't assuage it. I wonder what portion of "inflation" results from this kind of easily preventable waste? Be sure that customers end up paying for it.

Stupid packaging seems to be a pet peeve of mine. Sorry about that.

 

[GrifterGuru]

Stupid packaging seems to be a pet peeve of mine. Sorry about that.

You are not alone and there is zero reason to apologise for expecting something to be properly packaged and protected.

"Fail to prepare, Prepare to fail"

 

[dkemppai]

I think the shipping carriers have ZERO incentive to take care of packages. The party shipping the items should care. But it boils down to dollars.
If the carriers smash things up, people learn to box them better. That means bigger boxes and more expensive shipping for the same item. They make more $$$.

The big companies shipping items probably figure some percentage loss. That's a cost, but it's not enough to outweigh the cost of better packaging for everything. So they ship with less packaging. They just cover the loss, and up customer support to make the customers happy. They're still money ahead.

 

[wachuko]

You are not alone and there is zero reason to apologise for expecting something to be properly packaged and protected.

"Fail to prepare, Prepare to fail"

What? you mean to say that some crumpled sheets of kraft paper didn't protect heavy/sharp/precision machined features from damaging each other in transit?

Too bad you had to be the first buyer ever for the tapper attachment from Grizzly. Surely you are the first, or else those friendly people would have packaged it adequately.

Gross incompetence abounds and, IMO, "Sorry about that" doesn't assuage it. I wonder what portion of "inflation" results from this kind of easily preventable waste? Be sure that customers end up paying for it.

Stupid packaging seems to be a pet peeve of mine. Sorry about that.

More important things in my life right now... father-in-law is in his last hours of his journey on this earth... We have him at home and making sure he goes peacefully.

Getting a friendly voice on the phone letting me know that they will take care of it and ship a new order... without any fuss... I will take that today with a smile on my face.

I think the shipping carriers have ZERO incentive to take care of packages. The party shipping the items should care. But it boils down to dollars.
If the carriers smash things up, people learn to box them better. That means bigger boxes and more expensive shipping for the same item. They make more $$$.

The big companies shipping items probably figure some percentage loss. That's a cost, but it's not enough to outweigh the cost of better packaging for everything. So they ship with less packaging. They just cover the loss, and up customer support to make the customers happy. They're still money ahead.

If it was packaged correctly, it might have had a chance. But I agree, in this case, UPS could have done better on the handling. You are looking at 55lbs just the taper attachment alone.