My packaging store story is another reason not to rest easy when using professional pack-ship places.
I was having a mahogany Herzog cylinder phonograph cabinet shipped, which was taken to a store to be packed. This is one of the models with the interleaving shelves and rounded front (710). When it arrived, I knew right away there would be trouble. The moment I saw it come off the truck, I could see that it had been dropped, and the top of the carton was accordioned badly, indicating that it had taken a long drop on its head. This was supposed to have been "triple boxed", with extra cardboard at the bottom to offer some protection to the bun feet. The only "triple" in the packing that the "shipping carton" had been pieced together from three sections of recycled boxes, all of them soft as could be, and without a rigid or double wall panel in the bunch. The packing inside was relatively loose, and there was no inner box, let alone two. To add insult to injury, there was a gaping hole in the side of the shabby carton, with peanuts and clear tape oozing from it and, you guessed it, the side of the cabinet got gouged. If it had been packed as represented, it would have at least had a chance to escape that damage. Of course, the primary instruction to put additional protection at the bottom was completely ignored. They had thrown three left over box flaps on top before sealing it, and that was it. I was able to get a refund from the seller on the packing & shipping, for which I had been charged $380.00. But I have to be content to live with the shipping damage or refinish it. The seller was also helpful in coaching me on the materials used in the refinish job that had been done on it prior to shipping, and when life settles down enough to free up the time, I plan on redoing the whole cabinet. What should have been a joyful moment was made a miserable disappointment. My only other experiences with using a professional pack-ship company were an antique lamp with shade shipped separately (different shipper, same shoddy materials; badly damaged shade), and a relatively small but heavy brass National cash register (model 317), which had been packed with crumpled NEWSPAPER. The only thoughtfulness in that packing job was that they had (fortunately) removed the two glass panels that form the top compartment and taped them to the inner curve where the front panel meets the upper part (with tape that left gooey adhesive embedded in the fine brasswork. It arrived with a bent over upper side panel (the part that goes up alongside the glass). Fortunately, I was able to straighten the metal without cracking it, and consider myself to have been extremely lucky to do so. The premium above and beyond the actual cost of shipping for this service was $60.00. I'm sure that there must be reputable pack-ship companies out there but unless you KNOW that a particular company is being used and have seen that they use quality materials consistently, I believe that you're taking your chances much the same as dealing with any unknown party. Andy Baron On Feb 15, 2007, at 1:52 PM, Rich wrote: > OK, Here is my opinion on the "packaging store" it is real simple, > a basic waste of mony. I have yet to > see a decent job come out of one of those places. How do you > expect a low buck clerk to have any idea > on how to pack a phono? It does provide a small layer of insurance > that the final carrier will pay up if its > trashed though. > > OK kiddies, story time. This is about the shipping store. > I purchased a video tape machine recently. It was a professional > grade S-VHS machine, a JVC BR- > S822DXU. The original cost of this machine in the 2000 time frame > was $15,000.00 or so. I paid a lot > less. Now I was charged $30.00 to "professionally" package the > machine. It fits into a 19" rack and > weighs about 54 pounds and is almost 24" deep and 7" high. This is > what showed up on the door step. > One large previously used box containing the VCR wrapped in 2 > complete turns of bubble wrap and the > remainder of the box loosely filled with plastic peanuts. By some > miracle, after picking peanuts out of > the machine it was un damaged other than one of the rack mounting > handles was bent about 45 > degrees when compared to the other side. The box had been dropped > repeatedly as there were no > corners that were not crushed and all sides were now soft. For > that I paid $30.00 > > > On Thu, 15 Feb 2007 12:17:40 -0800, Albert wrote: > >> I'm with Mario: If I sell a phonograph I take it to a packaging >> store and >> they take care of everything. Sure it costs more but I think most >> buyers >> would prefer that as well. I have shipped many wood horn machines >> and have >> never lost one yet. Union is great but they do not offer >> packaging services >> at the show, so if you fly in, you better know somebody who will >> bring it >> back for you. > > > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
