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Audiogon members poor packing and shipping damage

Need to get this off my chest and hope it will help other members avoid shipping damage claims. I recently purchased a preamp and a pair of Magnepan 3.7 speakers off Audiogon. I am going to keep this general and leave out the member names. Both items arrived damaged and IMHO the root cause is largely very poor and careless packing.

The 3.7's had the ends of the box secured with one narrow piece of strapping tape on each end which came off during shipping and the ends of the box flapping wide open along with the outer box loose where it should have been taped. With the preamp the seller did not bother to remove the tubes or install the protective screws on the bottom that protect the internals from shipping damage.

In both instances I have taken on trying to get the problems resolved, so far at my expense, and I am just aggravated at having to do this.

I would never think of letting any piece of audio equipment leave my house so poorly packed. I routinely take hours to carefully pack and also to document the entire process with digital pics so if there are any issues with shipping I have good documentation. If you read my feedback it reflects the extra effort I take. No one will ever be able to say there was shipping damage due to my poor packing job and no box I pack is going to arrive open.

I don't know how other Audiogon members feel about this or how many other members have experienced this problem but I just want to point out that sellers have an obligation to the buyers to pack the items correctly. As we all know shipping damage claims are a super pain for all involved and especially the buyer. Right now I've got one claim going with a major shipping company and it will be weeks if I am lucky to get a resolution and my money back and also get the 3.7's back from the factory.

Just a ton of inconvenience and aggravation when I should have been able to unpack, set up, and enjoy.
etmerritt33
loomisjohnson
1,941 posts
 
in fairness, weird stuff does happen in shipping--i.e. meticulously packaged gear from reputable sellers which arrives mysteriously broken. been on the wrong side of that myself. however, it never ceases to amaze me how many dimwits will simply throw an expensive piece in a box without any cushion or padding, or (my irrational pet peeve) without bothering to wipe off the dust and jelly stains. in a more advanced culture, say singapore or qatar, these people would be horsewhipped or beheaded.
sabai
2,027 posts
 
Loomisjohnson,
I had two mishaps recently. In one case some very expensive speakers were shipped without one of the large foam cushions. Luckily, the triple boxing I arranged saved the day -- by a fraction.

In the second case, the packaging was simply inadequate -- a small unpadded thin cardboard box inside a thin plastic post office envelope. This was inviting damage -- and the damage was done. The seller called me nuts today and has refused to take any responsibility. He says it took me a month to report this so my report has no validity. Well, it's true. It took me a month -- because, as I explained to the seller, I live in a remote area and I have to make travel arrangements for pick-ups. Having had bronchitis for the past two weeks did not help matters.

I finally picked the unit up and immediately reported to the seller why it took so long. Of course, since damage was being reported, he said the long wait made my claim invalid. This conveniently allowed him to avoid the issues -- the cracked AC adapter -- the back of the unit being taken off and replaced front-to-back -- the DOA unit. I call this seller "the seller from hell" in my negative feedback -- which is being looked over by Audiogon. We'll see if they post it.
whart's avatar
whart
3,036 posts
 
Yep, it's all in the packing. My Allnic arrived from Korea, well packed and no problems, sooner than a microwave oven we ordered at the same time through Amazon. The microwave box was bashed, and the oven was bashed. It wasn't in a shipping package, it was just the manufacturer's box. The UPS guy- maybe he assumed I wouldn't notice the bashed in box, but he was not happy when he had to show up a couple days later to retrieve.
Maybe, as buyers, we have to converse with the seller about how they are packing- it shouldn't be our responsibility, but it could save some grief.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,215 posts
 
I think some of these problems should just be looked at as part of the discount inherent in buying used equipment. If you're not buying from professionals, then you shouldn't expect professional level service. At best you should expect well intentioned, talented amateur level quality.

It's important to remember that even for simple tasks repetition leads to increased competence. If someone has never shipped a tube amplifier and they don't have the original packaging, then what are the real chances of them doing it right the first time? At best I say it's a hit or miss proposition. Now if it's the third of fourth time they are shipping one I would imagine they've worked out the kinks.

As a practical matter as part of negotiation include details of your expectations about shipping.

Question -- as a buyer do you pay more for items that include the original packaging? Also, for expensive items, doesn't it make sense for both the seller and the buyer to obtain the manufacturer's packaging even if it adds a few hundred dollars to the price of the transaction?
polk432
1,142 posts
 
If you know how to pack, you can use original packing and still add to the inside then double box it or box it better than the original dealer did. If someone ships something to me packed with a careless attitude, I'll put in a claim, send it back and buy another one from someone else. It's simply being responsible on the sellers part.
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