Do ebay sellers have no common sense?

[Zeppy]

OK...second record purchase in a row where a seller thinks bubble wrap will protect a record and you don't need to put it an actual box. One of those things where you just look at the packaging and you know there's no way it could have survived.

Clue to idiots: If you can squish it with your hands, it will not survive the mail!!!

[bbphonoguy]

Sorry to hear about your record. Hopefully it's not going to be too hard to replace?

[Zeppy]

Well, in both cases the sellers were quick to refund. The first one was a Victor with the scribing angel on etched on the back. The most recent one was President Coolige welcoming Lindbergh in Washington DC. Didn't pay much for it, and the seller said he'd refund...but still....seriously people...use a real box. If you can bend the package, it probably won't survive the US Postal Service.

[bbphonoguy]

Actually, both those records sound like ones that I'd hate to lose.

[Zeppy]

Actually, both those records sound like ones that I'd hate to lose.

Well, I would much rather have had the records in both instances(particularly since I got them relatively cheap)...but there are more out there. At least it wasn't a Teddy Roosevelt speech....That would kill me.

Now I'm left with the dilema....what do I do with the records?

[phonogfp]

Now I'm left with the dilema....what do I do with the records?

I had the same problem several years ago. An seller sent me a rare Faultless Concert disc "packaged" between two pieces of cardboard with packing tape holding it all together. Snapped in half, naturally. This was pre-eBay, and the guy was a record dealer, so I was dumbfounded. I sent him a rather irate note - not so much regarding my transaction, but just how many records had he sent to oblivion this way? I received my money back with an apologetic note that he had been ill and a friend had done much of packing for him. Oh Lordy! The end of a beautiful friendship...

Anyway, I couldn't bring myself to throw away such a rare label, so I taped it together and put it in a cardboard sleeve I made for it. At least the label information hasn't been lost... Small consolation, though.

George P.

[OrthoSean]

Well, if they're broken, throw them out. I bought a giant collection and it broke my heart (bad pun?) to see a rare Jacques Urlus Grammophon Monarch pressing in pieces (it would have been an easy $200 disc). I looked at it, sadly shook my head and walkedover to the trash can and tossed it. I would have been much more upset had I been the one who broke it, but still...out it went. The Coolidge disc turns up pretty often. When buying records on eBay, I'd really suggest sticking with record sellers, you get good packaging and don't have to hold your breath when you approach your package on the doorstep. I have bought (rarely) from non-record people and as soon as I have won, I send a very pleasant note explaining how to properly pack a record for shipping safely. Most of these sellers really appreciate the info, some, well...some people just don't listen no matter what you say, or they feel insulted...

Sean

[Victor78]

I think maybe we have all been through this? When I started with the phonographs and records, I didn't know who any of the sellers were, and bought records because It was something I heard and liked. I lost a few like others have, and it's frustrating when they arrive broke because I was looking forward to it, otherwise I wouldn't have bid on it in the first place. Once you figure out who the good sellers are, your confidence comes back, but I will only stick with sellers that I have purchased from before because I know they pack well for shipping. One lady swore, and even had in her listings, she shipped records all over the world. That may have been true, but I wonder how many of them made it in once piece

[estott]

I bought a Red Seal album (the 1930 Rudolf Friml) and it arrived in a tight fitting cardboard box with no packing at all- one of the outside discs was shattered, obviously while in the box. I wrote back to the seller and said there had been breakage, she said "Sorry, you didn't pay for insurance". I had to explain to her that it would have still broken, insured or not, because she packed it poorly.

Still, I have to say I've had decent luck overall buying records on Ebay, even from people who are clueless.

[larryh]

I bought a Red Seal album (the 1930 Rudolf Friml) and it arrived in a tight fitting cardboard box with no packing at all- one of the outside discs was shattered, obviously while in the box. I wrote back to the seller and said there had been breakage, she said "Sorry, you didn't pay for insurance". I had to explain to her that it would have still broken, insured or not, because she packed it poorly.

Still, I have to say I've had decent luck overall buying records on Ebay, even from people who are clueless.

Ebay policy as of early last fall requires the Seller to guarantee the delivery to the buyers door as advertised. You are not to be required to buy insurance, they have to provide it or self insure and return your money either way. That is what I choose to do unless its a really expensive item. You may want to point this out to the seller or if no results report them to ebay for policy violations.

I agree that many sellers haven't a clue as to how to pack a record. I have usually included a note explaining the pitfalls of shipping and how to avoid them. It usually works. I think some people think that the post office is more careful than they are. I found that out the hard way too.