Ok, now I'm MAD

[megasdkirby]

Ok guys, so I recently purchased Kingdom Hearts for the GBA. This is the auction link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=130304939951

I added insurance and all, and today I received it!

Yay....right?

Well, I wish it was. The seller placed the game inside a bubble envelope, so you might guess what the condition of the game was on arrival. In fact, here are some pictures:

http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu34/littlemanboy/

Why in the world would the seller send the game in a bubble envelope? He should have known that the game would have arrived with damage.

There is no way I can keep this game as a collector's piece. It angers me the the seller would use such a cheap method of shipping, specially since of the fragility of the item. Also, he could have used a small box and still pay less than $3.50 to ship...with Delivery Confirmation.

Also, yes the game was insured. But I don't think the PO will do anything about a crushed box. The game does work, however.

To be honest, I don't know how to proceed. What can I do in this situation?

BTW, if anyone has a replacement box for the game in good condition, let me know.

[Sniderman]

I understand your anger. I really, really do. But all shippers seem to use padded envelopes nowadays. I fairly well expect it. So, if I want something to be protected in a box, I ASK TO HAVE IT SHIPPED IN A BOX. If you asked for it to be shipped in a box, you have a right to be pissed. If you just ASSUMED it would be shipped in a box, you have learned a valuable lesson and will probably make a point to request in-a-box shipping from now on.

It was insured, yes. But I agree that the post office isn't going to do anything over a squooshed box. And the seller probably won't either. Ask for a shipping box from now on if gamebox condition is that important. NEVER assume the shipper is going to box it because, 9 times out of 10, they won't.

[megasdkirby]

Gotta check on that. I usually do ask to be shipped in a box, so I gotta check past correspondence, just in case.

[Sonicwolf]

Someone shipped me a PSone with lcd screen, controller, power supply and car power supply in a paper bubble wrap bag and what do you know, it ripped open somewhere and the power adaptor and car adaptor fell out in transit.

Those paper shipping envelopes should not be allowed for anything video game related.

[megasdkirby]

I agree with Sniderman, but those sellers should use common sense and avoid bubble envelopes depending on the item.

A strong item can resist it, but game boxes can't resist it. I would have even agreed on the box being flattened before shipping, to prevent crushing.

I'm so mad, I think I'm going to eat cookies to make me happy.

[Kyle15]

Just make it simple: contact the seller and tell him you want a refund due to the damage.
Send it back, but be sure he pays for return shipping.

Anyway, sending games in envelopes is nothing new. Over 50% of the games I've won in the past year have come in them.
I literally cannot stand it, but what can you do? One can only hope their stuff won't get ruined, and lucky for me it hasn't happened yet.

Sorry to hear about the damage, btw. I hope all goes well.

[Geddon_jt]

I bought a complete boxed semi-rare turbo game a couple months ago off ebay from a BIG seller. The boxes for these games are hard enough to find, but this guy did the courtesy of sticking it in the same damn type of bubble mailer. So now what was once a 9/10 box is more like a 7/10. Sucks big time - I feel your pain.

Although, to be fair, your box fared much worse

[Policenaut]

a padded envelope works well for items that resist well within the envelope, as the jewel cases and such. But for that kind of games, where the can be damaged or crushed easily, it is better to be sent in a box.

If I were you, I'd ask for a partial refund.

[RoyVegas]

I think alot of us have been in this same boat. I know I have. I had new/sealed games shipped to me from South America only to have customs cut one of them open. I agree with the posts above though, always ask for it to be shipped in a box if you are getting a game with the original box. Sorry to hear about your bad luck

[Nico87]

Weird, I live in Norway and have bought over 100 games from eBay sellers. Most of them came in bubblewrap envelopes, and I've never experienced a crushed disc/box/whatever. Even my mint CIB Chrono Trigger arrived as described in the auction.

[nebrazca78]

I would first ask for a partial refund or if the seller will accept a return. If they decline, give them negative feedback and DSR bomb them. There's not much else you can do...

[megasdkirby]

Hey guys, I thought about it a bit, and decided that I will see if he will offer a partial refund.

However, before contacting him, I did purchase the box through another seller (BRE Games...purchased stuff from them before and everything was great). I mentioned this to him, with item number and everything, as a type of proof that I was not kidding. Also I linked him to the pictures, so he can see it first hand.

I hope that in the future he changes his shipping practices, as this will help him in future sales.

I will let you all know the outcome of this situation. Hopefully he will help.

Thanks guys!

[Cornelius]

That really does suck to have your box crushed like that. Most people aren't collectors and aren't even aware of collectors for this stuff, so it really isn't too surprising unless you asked for a box.

I'm guessing 90+% of the time if you ask that a box be used, and are willing to cover the small added expense, that a seller is going to be happy to comply. As a seller that uses almost exclusively those bubble mailers, I know I wouldn't mind going to the extra trouble if asked (and reimbursed). Of course, when appropriate I do use a box or flatten boxes (ask megasdkirby, who bought a boxed GB game from me recently). I also state that I use bubble mailers most of the time. I've probably sent 1000 things in bubble mailers and have never had a single complaint. Actually, quite often I get 'excellent packaging' or the like in my feedback, probably because I take 10 seconds to secure the disc or put foam between multiple carts.

The fact is that most buyers are not willing to spend an extra buck or two for boxed shipping, and sellers just about have to use bubble mailers to be competitive. It also doesn't help that shipping charges bear no correlation to quality of shipping, or often times reality.

[megasdkirby]

Of course, when appropriate I do use a box or flatten boxes (ask megasdkirby, who bought a boxed GB game from me recently). I also state that I use bubble mailers most of the time.

I agree as well: flattening boxes is an option is sending items in a bubble mailer. I don't mind "unflattening" the box when it arrives...it's kinda fun! And since it protects it from crushing/damage, it's ok with me.

And WOW on the link, Cornelius! $40+ for shipping! WOWZERS!!!! O_o

[jb143]

And WOW on the link, Cornelius! $40+ for shipping! WOWZERS!!!! O_o

Um...yeah...That's in violation of both Fee Circumventing policy and Excessive Shipping Charges Policy. He even admits it in the questions and answers at the bottom. I don't see that auction staying up too long.

[nebrazca78]

Boxes cost like 10 - 20 cents in quantity, bubble mailers can't be THAT much cheaper.

Anyway how does that guy get away with charging over $40 shipping for a video game? I thought the limit was supposed to be $4.

[megasdkirby]

Boxes cost like 10 - 20 cents in quantity, bubble mailers can't be THAT much cheaper.

Anyway how does that guy get away with charging over $40 shipping for a video game? I thought the limit was supposed to be $4.

My friend told me that it's possibly because it will cost a bit more to ship. But wouldn't that be like 30 cents or so?

When I sell on CTC, I try my best to ship in a small box, and even with heavy items, like SMS games, it comes out to $3.50 shipped First Class w/DC.

[jb143]

I ordered a big box of bubble mailers off ebay several years ago for dirt cheap and I still havn't used them all. They are a bit cheaper to ship in but they're also much more convinent to use if what your shipping makes sense to put in one. You just slide the item in, seal it up, slap on the adress and your done. No packaging peanuts, no tape, no bulky box. They certainly aren't for everything though...like anything that can get crushed.

[Cornelius]

Um...yeah...That's in violation of both Fee Circumventing policy and Excessive Shipping Charges Policy. He even admits it in the questions and answers at the bottom. I don't see that auction staying up too long.

This auction has been up for several days since being reported. You can charge anything you want for shipping, you just have to do 'calculated' shipping and enter whatever weight you choose. I use that method, but, of course, enter in the real weight.

Boxes cost like 10 - 20 cents in quantity, bubble mailers can't be THAT much cheaper.

I haven't actually looked for boxes, so I don't know about the 10-20 cents first-hand, but a couple issues come to mind, at least for someone like me that sells as a (very active) hobby. How much is bulk, and are the boxes self-sealing (major convenience issue right there)? I bought 400 envelopes last time, and even that caused a minor storage inconvenience. Is that 10-20 cents each shipped? I calculated those 400 envelopes to cost 4-5 cents each after shipping to my house. An envelope weighs 0.5 oz, the smallest size USPS priority boxes weigh 1.5 oz and often require additional packaging material; so a little more shipping cost there.

I'm not lucky enough to always be selling something for enough that those little things are 'small'. Instead I'm often selling SMB3 for 10 bucks shipped, which isn't bad, but I'd only pocket, well, let's see... $6.02. So, the extra, say .40 cents is a real percentage. And since I'd be the only seller using a box, it would come out of my pocket and not the buyer's. Now, if you could get all sellers to switch, then it would moreso be coming out of the buyers' pockets, and that'd be fine with me.

I guess what it comes down to is that it isn't the envelope that's the problem, but rather sellers using them improperly. Why would I stop when I've NEVER had a complaint from a customer? I and many other eBay sellers aren't dumb... if we could get more/higher bids by shipping everything in boxes, we would!

[Insaneclown]

I would return the game and ask him for a full refund. Like...why in his mind would he ship it in an envolope...like what an idiot. Someone has done that to me before and I was pissed. If he wants his buyer happy (you) he better do the right thing.