I just don't get the way they send things you order online.

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Gerald

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Sep 8, 2011
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I think I had a thread about this before, but it's probably gone.

What I don't get is why the packaging of things you order online is always so bad. Whether it's from big companies or smaller sellers the problem I have is always the same:

Whenever I buy something that is made of cardboard, like a cardboard cd or dvd-sleeve or book, they put it in a bubble enveloppe. However, whether it's within my own country or from abroad, it always arrives with the corners dented.
Every slipcase or cardboard packaging (like dvd boxsets) arrives with the corners damaged as a rule.

Just ordered a German blu-ray of 'Four Flies on Grey Velvet' (a rare Argento film), which is pricey (close to 40 euro) and again the corners are dented. This is from a small seller, so probably he might become difficult about replacing it.

But even while these are obviously only sleeves and covers and you can still use the product, I just don't get why this doesn't improve. A lot of people are collectors and you want things to be undamaged and in good condition - especially when it's just new.

Do a lot of people not care about the things they order always arrive dented and that's why the stores don't improve their packaging?
I don't know if this is better in the US or elsewhere, but where I live (The Netherlands, Europe), I ALWAYS keep running into this problem and it just doesn't improve.
 
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Spideyman

Spideyman

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Amazon, a large shipping company in the USA has a habit of "throwing" a book in a cardboard box and shipping it. Not a great idea when it goes through snow, rain, etc. They use to place the book on a sheet of cardboard, the size of the packing box, and wrap the book and cardboard sheet. That insured a dry and undamaged book. Not recently!! I do complain if the book arrived damaged.
 
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Gerald

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But when you put something in a cardboard box it becomes a parcel, right? We have 'letter mail' here and 'parcel mail', I think they put stuff in bubble enveloppes, because then it remains 'letter mail', but the stuff damages and they don't warn the customer about that.

I think something made of cardboard within a cardboard packaging wouldn't damage, as long as weather conditions aren't extreme and they seldom are here.
 
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80sFan

80sFan

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My problem here is Amazon Prime (supposed to be free 2-day shipping on PRIME items). Used to love it. Lately though, seems things are taking much longer than 2 days to arrive. I should be happy it's free shipping, but where I live, it's rural anyway, so usually tack at least one extra day on.
I placed an order this past Wednesday,all small items, specified "Prime" and they aren't being delivered until Monday. This has happened before. Not renewing Prime when my membership is up.
 
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80sFan

80sFan

Just one more chapter...
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Tery said:
I've had Amazon Prime for 3 years. I get my stuff in 2 days with one or two exceptions (I also live in a rural area). But I'm within 100 miles of their fulfillment center, so...

I also enjoy the movies and tv -- we have a Fire TV in the den and I have a Fire stick on the small TV in my room.
Click to expand...

Just found this...
this HTML class. Value is US News, Breaking News and Headlines - Wall Street Journal
(Not sure if link worked)
 
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Gerald

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The idea I get is that it's about costs, at least here. When you send something by letterpost it means that it has to fit into a letterbox. Making it a parcel usually means it'll become bigger, heavier and can't fit through a letterbox anymore - and sending a parcel is more expensive - but really not that much. But still they nearly always go for the option of sending it by letterpost - basically it saves just a little bit money, but the chance it damages is much higher.

Where I order my comics/graphic novels they do it right. I pay 5 euro for costs for sending, but the comics are put in a plastic bag inside a big sturdy cardboard box which is filled with soft material around the books. And they always arrive perfectly.
Where I had ordered this blu-ray I paid 3 euro for sending costs and it arrives dented in a bubble enveloppe.

I just don't get most online shops (here at least) risk the damage of letterpost when it's only a couple of euros more to make a parcel!
But I will also ask the post office if they understand why it's done this way.
 
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GNTLGNT

GNTLGNT

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...could be this answers the question...
maxresdefault.jpg
 
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Gerald

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mal said:
On your next order, call the senders and get all offended and demand that your order is to be shipped badly and treated roughly, and that it better get delivered with bent corners. It'll arrive in mint condition!
Click to expand...

You think?

Actually in general I've never been a person for conflict. If there is an argument or dispute of any kind rather than wasting energy on getting angry, I try to find solutions - although there are quite a number of problems that don't seem to have solutions.

I hear sometimes that the only way to get things done from companies and such is to raise your voice and become impatient. Does this actually work? To me it seems counterproductive so I seldom try it.
But on the other hand I suppose if you get angry, it might be harder for them to ignore your problem. The thing is that I never feel my complaints are ever ignored, there just never come any satisfying solutions in a number of matters.
 
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Gerald

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Sep 8, 2011
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What's also strange is that some companies package well on one occasion and bad on the next. You would say, if you know how to do it well, why not always that way? It just makes little sense to me. Basically you never know how you're gonna get it from one order to the next.

I would order less online, but the thing is that actual, real shops where you buy books, music and films are close to disappearing completely here. A lot of the big brand-shops have closed here in recent years. (Very rare books and films you would have never found in regular shops anyway, of course.)

I hope real stores never disappear completely, but there's less and less of them.
I also find it much easier to go to a real store to replace something damaged than having to send it back and probably have it arrived damaged all over again, perhaps even worse this time - that's why the only 'solution' seems to just accept that it's damaged.
 
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mal

mal

content
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Gerald said:
You think?

Actually in general I've never been a person for conflict. If there is an argument or dispute of any kind rather than wasting energy on getting angry, I try to find solutions - although there are quite a number of problems that don't seem to have solutions.

I hear sometimes that the only way to get things done from companies and such is to raise your voice and become impatient. Does this actually work? To me it seems counterproductive so I seldom try it.
But on the other hand I suppose if you get angry, it might be harder for them to ignore your problem. The thing is that I never feel my complaints are ever ignored, there just never come any satisfying solutions in a number of matters.
Click to expand...
Hi Gerald, There is not much in life that I would become angry about, especially related to the marketplace. I suppose I was being a bit flippant in my response but the old adage, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" exists for a reason as there is a certain amount of truth in it. It's sad but true. People are very easily offended and entitled nowadays, ignore my flippancy and do not fall into that trap.:chuncky:
 
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Dana Jean

Dana Jean

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mal said:
Hi Gerald, There is not much in life that I would become angry about, especially related to the marketplace. I suppose I was being a bit flippant in my response but the old adage, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" exists for a reason as there is a certain amount of truth in it. It's sad but true. People are very easily offended and entitled nowadays, ignore my flippancy and do not fall into that trap.:chuncky:
Click to expand...
The squeaky wheel gets the grease but it also gets spit in their Red Robin Avo-Cobb-o salad.
 
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