Ebay Packing Jobs

[Doc Shipley]

Vintage Computer Festival wrote:
> 
> This is kind of a "you get what you pay for" scenario.  If you'd paid what
> you consider the item to be "worth" then yes, you should be angry.  But if
> the seller didn't perceive a worth, and indeed they don't take care in
> sending you something that they don't perceive having a high worth, dare I
> say that's your fault.  You should have let them know it was worth a lot
> to you.  Sure, you may have had to pay a higher price (i.e. closer to what
> you think it's worth) but then you might also have been able to convey to
> the seller how important it was, and they might then have taken more care
> in packing.
> 
> Sorry, I'm still in philosophical mode from the collusion discussion :)

   I do totally agree with this.  I've emailed sellers *offering* to pay 
more S&H when it was obvious that their estimate wouldn't properly box 
and ship the goods.  A couple have accepted a higher S&H, but none have 
tried to gouge me.

   I also often tell a seller before I bid that compliance with *my* 
printed shipping instructions, at my expense, is a condition of my bid. 
  I've had 2, out of 10 or 12, tell me they didn't need my business. 
The others said OK, and he 3 I've won under those conditios followed my 
instructions to the letter and charged me fairly.

   I think the key is letting the seller know, in a friendly way, "This 
is important enough to put my money where my mouth is.  I'm willing to 
help, I'm willing to pay, but I'm not going to accept sloppy shipping."

>>I'm reminded of a new, unopened, in original box Apple branded AppleTalk
>>ISA card I bought... that the person promptly took the mint condition
>>box, and slapped postage on it and wrote in marker the To and From
>>addresses on the front of the box... which of course ruined the value of
>>the item.
> 
> 
> I'm always careful to tell people to please not ship anything in its
> original box, and to not apply any tape or markings to it.  With really
> important items, I also inform them that I would be happy for them to add
> on the cost of acquiring proper packaging.  I'd rather pay a few extra
> bucks than be disappointed and have something ruined.

   Again, specific communication beforehand can make all the difference.

ObClassic:
   It's funny that *original* shipping labels contemporary to the item 
are acceptable and often desirable, but new ones kill it.

ObRelatedPlug:
   I have a Tandy 1000 with docs, keyboard and tablet (sorry, no 
original disks) in its original carton and packing.  I don't remember 
which model, but it has 192KB RAM, I think, one floppy drive, and the 
original internal 300bps modem.  Make me an offer offlist.


	Doc