Topic: Opinions please - is this a crack?

[Cathy B]

Hey folks, speaking of cracks, what do you think? Is this a crack? I'm just not sure....

http://tinypic.com/r/miuyh/7

Hopeless packaging strikes again, mutter, grumble... There were two sheets of glass in the one box with the box only slightly bigger than the glass, no padding at the ends at all and only separated by a layer of bubble wrap.

[TxSilver]

Such pretty glass art. How sad.  :spls:

[Cathy B]

It's a reproduction of course, but still, extremely disappointing.

Sorry about hijacking your thread, Wayne!

[Wayne]

Oh 'eck Cathy, what a shame.  :cry:  It's surprising just how many sellers pack glass so badly.  I buy perhaps 20 - 30 items of glass a week from ebay as part of my business, and I would probably class around 5 of those "well packed" - meaning, could survive anything Royal Mail can throw at them.  I think a lot of sellers just make a token effort, and then say "I can't be held responsible for damage in transit".  You have to assume it's going to be dropped from waist height, or knocked about a lot in the van when out for delivery.  If it can't survive that, it's not well packed!

Hope you manage to get a refund!  I'm still waiting for mine. 

[Nemmie]

That is sad to see. I must admit when I first started on ebay my packing skills and materials were not up to scratch but I soon learnt from one painful experience and now my feedback is full of praise for my packing which must be a good thing!

[rosieposie]

Oh, what a waste!!  Such a beautiful piece of work....ruined! I hate getting broken glass.

This is my own guideline:
When you have packed your glass, if you can't with confidence drop it on the pavement yourself, you haven't packed it well enough....it is as simple as that.  
Furthermore, once paid for, the item belongs to the buyer, and it is the sellers 'duty of care' to pack it properly to withstand the postal service.....if the breakage happens in transit, it is the sellers fault, not the Post Office's!!
I always ask for good packaging and a strong cardboard box on the Paypal payment slip, that way I have proof that I requested appropriate packaging, and if the item arrives smashed, I claim from the seller!! Ooo-er Rosie!
 
I always say I am prepared to cover the extra cost of packing and prefer next day delivery for very delicate items.  I will even travel miles to collect rather than trust the sellers packing!!

[Wayne]

Just wanted to say...refund received!  Thanks again everyone!  :kissy:

[rosieposie]

 :rah: :smg: Yay!! :smg: :rah:

Wayne, that is GOOD NEWS!!  I am so pleased for you.  :kissy:

[meegs]

Glad to hear you have your refund Wayne.

For my 2 cents worth regarding packing glass, especially if its taking a long haul flight "cargo class" please do not use those awful air-filled cells that come in strips, they always arrived deflated. The last item I purchased from that worldwide on-line auction site - a bowl - was well bubble-wrapped and then packed with some newspaper on the bottom and sides but those awful cells on top of the item. There was no apparent damaged to the box externally but the item inside was shattered into thousands of pieces. No pieces of glass had breached the bubble-wrap so I think some of those air-cells do not take kindly to unpressurised cargo holds and a form of osmosis occurs. As I'm sure a seller would not deliberately pack with deflated air-cells!

Cheers
Meegs

[glassobsessed]

A friend had a similar problem with those 'air pockets', they probably just pop at low pressure (the air pressure will be higher inside the pocket than in the unpressurised cargo hold of the aircraft). They are probably fine for domestic use but not for international post. I never use them anymore for anything but some are much stronger than others.

John