oldstuff
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posted on December 14, 2000 05:04:57 PM
OK...I just fininshed wrapping the most horrific Ebay sell yet, a punchbowl set in the original box. Why was it so bad, you ask? Well, finding a box for to put the huge set in was trouble enough, then securing it, padding it, etc. I think it must weigh about 40 pounds now...of course I undercharged shipping...to the state of Washington from Pennsylvania, no less. I have just stopped cursing, and swear on a stack of Bibles that I will never, EVER sell another punch bowl set again!!! Anyone else ever encounter a package from Hell? Something that you have sold and then wonder how in the WORLD are you gonna wrap it? Please, let me hear your horror stories so I may feel a bit better. Sigh.
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amy
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posted on December 14, 2000 05:09:47 PM
Oldstuff...A 3 1/2 foot tall wood carving of a bear. He took a BIIIGG box. I think I took a loss on the shipping...but I sold him for almost $400 and had paid only a tiny fraction of that for him so I didn't mind the loss on the shipping.
I was so afraid he would come out of the box in shippiing though! But he made it to his new home with nary a problem and last I heard his new owner just loved him!
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foubersauctionfence
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posted on December 14, 2000 05:10:17 PM
leaps down and thanks you, I was just going to list a beautiful old punch bowl set.
thank you thank you and I'm so sorry it happen to you at such a busy time of year....
kittY
leaps back to her safe fence
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kerryann
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posted on December 14, 2000 05:28:10 PM
Amy, your post totally cracked me up...
Not Kerryann on eBay
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oldstuff
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posted on December 14, 2000 05:37:06 PM
Wow...the bear sounds like a real tough one. I did sell a religious statue once...bout 3 feet tall. But, the punch bowl was much more challenging. I actually put off wrapping it for two days. Glad that I have saved a fellow AWer the agony!
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LadyGambler
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posted on December 14, 2000 05:41:52 PM
I had a very old and very fragile Noritake Child's Tea Set with lots and lots of pieces. The winning bidder turned out to be in England and wanted it shipped surface mail rather than air mail. I was happy to accommodate this lady as she paid some big bucks for the tea set, but the enormity of packing this safely for a journey by boat gave me nightmares. Each little piece needed to be individually tissued and bubble wrapped. The box needed to be fairly large with lots of padding everywhere. EGAD there were a lot of pieces! Before I put anything up for sale on Ebay, I now think about what shipping it will be like.
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rancher24
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posted on December 14, 2000 05:47:47 PM
Two words "Deer Antlers"...AGH!!!....I couldn't wait to get rid of them cause no matter where it seemed I put them in my work room, I would walk into them & stab myself!...Finally sold 'em...and realized what a nightmare they were to ship!....A HUGE box, about a 1 1/2 miles of bubble wrap, approximately 4 pounds of peanuts & a trip to the UPS counter to avoid the USPS "oversized package" charge & they were finally outta my life!....NEVER AGAIN!!
~ Rancher
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oldstuff
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posted on December 14, 2000 05:57:22 PM
Rancher: Deer Antlers! Wow...I would have never even thought of those. I don't think I would have slept for a week thinking about that job.
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rancher24
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posted on December 14, 2000 06:01:15 PM
oldstuff....I wouldn't have slept either, IF I saw it comin'...But at the time, I was pretty new & didn't even realize the nightmare that lay ahead until I was already knee-deep into it!....
Note: I NOW judge the items I will list, by the potential "package from hell" quotient!
~ Rancher
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oldstuff
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posted on December 14, 2000 06:06:08 PM
Rancher:
I too have been at it for over 3 years...a seasoned veteran I thought. Way in the beginning I sold a bike...Yuk! UPS tore the whole box open and demanded that I put more bubble wrap inside--which, of course, they just happened to sell there(not cheap, I may add). I also try to factor in the "package from Hell" theory, but I guess in my zealousness to actually have money for the holidays I overlooked this one. Next holiday season I will try to control myself, even if it means less money for gifts. It just ain't worth it!
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ultraman187
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posted on December 14, 2000 06:11:10 PM
oldstuff, you can always ship it in a fruit box covered with centipedes! LOL (: Seriously though, I had to mail the Laser Disc to France! I was lucky to find a old box that I gotten a LP from the amil so I used that. Hope it gotten to the bidder safely. He never rated me, nor emailed me.
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paulswife
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posted on December 14, 2000 06:17:19 PM
we had some corona beer signs with parrots on them. like jimmy buffet type stuff. anyway, we knew we'd make a killing on them (and did) and then we were going to pack them. we already decided they were going to go priority. good thing. ended up using four large flat priority boxes. two taped togehter to form the top and two taped together to form the bottom. taped the two sets of flats on three sides. slid the beer sign in and taped the other end shut. we couldn't wait to finish selling the 5 signs we had left. not one got bent, though.
my .02 worth
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hammerchick
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posted on December 14, 2000 06:17:32 PM
We sold a large glass bowl to a man who had very specific packing instructions. He didn't want bubblewrap used because he said he had a hard time getting those packages open. Then he said not to use styrofoam and/or peanuts for some reason or another which I have forgotten now. It took me and my partner a very long time to figure out how we were going to pack this thing. We finally ended up stuffing the box all around the bowl tightly with old pillows which isn't glamorous but we couldn't come up with anything else meeting all his specifications. To top things off we never got any feedback or heard a peep out of him afterwards. I never asked him because if it got there broken I didn't feel like refunding his money after all the trouble I went through trying to pack it to his liking.
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rancher24
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posted on December 14, 2000 06:22:23 PM
oldstuff...yeah, it happens, doesn't it!...Especially when I let the "greed" quotient overide the "package from hell" quotient...That's when I start swearing I'm ONLY gonna sell clothes & books!...LOL!
Oh, and as an "insult to injury" poetic ending to the deer antler nightmare, I sold the things for a decent profit, represented them as I was told what there were & my own research...Buyer receives them & is THRILLED because it appears that they were some super rare antler that I probably could have made mega bucks from!...oh well, at least I got 'em outta here & to the buyer in one piece!
~ Rancher
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carat01
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posted on December 14, 2000 06:27:02 PM
Ok, I've done the punch bowl also, but the worst was a 6' tall cardboard Captain Kirk that they wanted to go Priority. After that came a wrought iron table topped with tile that had to go from NY to TX, also Priority. Talk about getting creative...
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zkatt
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posted on December 14, 2000 06:33:52 PM
Full service for 12 plus many accessories of very delicate china. I used a 100+ feet of bubble wrap, shredded paper. What a mess!!!......But for $$$--I'd probaly do it again.
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CAgrrl
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posted on December 14, 2000 08:09:53 PM
My package from hell was a knitting machine. UGGGH! It still gives me nightmares thinking about it! It had hundreds of little needles that I taped down (individually) to keep them from sliding while in transit. Then the whole thing had to be wrapped in bubble wrap. The worst part was that the machine was such an odd size. I did the ol' "tape 3 boxes together" routine. I actually ended up having to send it in 2 separate packages because I didn't want the carriage to bang into the body of the machine & get damaged in transit. I will NEVER NEVER NEVER do that again. NO WAY.
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amy
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posted on December 14, 2000 08:13:00 PM
CAgrrl..that sounds almost as bad as trying to ship a stuffed porcupine (with quills extended). YUCK.
At least I will remember your experience the next time I see a knitting machine and will pass it up quickly 
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boysmommy3
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posted on December 14, 2000 08:40:07 PM
I'll never forget it. It was my first sale. I had been reading how Frankoma pottery did well. I picked up a whole set - about 46 pieces for $25.
I was so excited when it went to $80. I quoted $20 for s/h/i.
After finally shipping all of it - it took FIVE boxes. I ended up with -11 dollars.
That is when I decided breakables are not for me. I love clothing and it packs quickly and easily!!
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psyllie
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posted on December 14, 2000 09:11:08 PM
Mine was a Little Tikes kitchen. It came apart into three pieces and would require at least two boxes to ship--unfortunately one of the pieces was still HUGE. Couldn't find a box, couldn't buy a box, had to make a box out of two other enormous boxes that I had hoarded (sob). After I made the box found I had erred in my measurements and it exceeded UPS allowances by 2". Had to undo and redo. Then--buyer flaked. No sale! Relisted the stupid thing and sold it BIN--to a local buyer who came to pick it up. Now that poor lady has to struggle to get it out of the box and back together again. So all the packaging struggle was for nothing! But at least I learned to avoid oversize items in the future. NOT worth the effort for me.
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ubiedaman
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posted on December 14, 2000 09:44:34 PM
A quick suggestion here...
You know those cool little cans of insulator you can buy at Home Depot?....get a couple ( or more), put the items in bags ( plastic grocery bags will do), find a nice sized box for the item/s, and then CAREFULLY blow the insulation into empty bags to line the box.
Just remeber that this stuff will expand, so levae plenty of room! It is as light as peanuts, and secures the items in the box so they won't shift around.
Keith
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except
the ones that are someone else's fault.
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morgantown
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posted on December 14, 2000 09:57:56 PM
Yikes! I dread packing punch bowls! Unless they can be bought for a cheap, cheap, cheap, dirt cheap price - I walk away! Plus, with the shipping cost listed in the auction, some bidders have "sticker shock." I'd rather make $25 bucks profit on a small than a punch bowl any day!
I've packed perhaps 8-10 in the last few years, bi*ching all the while!
#2: Often glass or pottery items, with their ORIGINAL BOX, bring more money; however, that original box makes the packing much more difficult! Most items won't ship well in the original boxes and have to be repacked. Often the box ships separate...
Morgantown
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brigette
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posted on December 14, 2000 11:11:03 PM
I too did the huge punch bowl, stand, and 12 cups. I used 2 boxes and tons of shredded paper. It was a nightmare and the shredded paper weighs the package down. The buyer was newbie on ebay and had not purchased alot in the past from others. I know she paid me twice by accident by check. I e-mailed her and voided the extra check and returned it to her. I never heard back from her if the punch set made it safely or even a thanks for canceling and returning the extra check she sent me. I made over $100.00 on the punch set. I really did not mind packing it, but it was not fun.
Also I sold a vintage dinnerware set one time. Made over $800.00 on it and shipped it in 4 boxes. It all made it safely, but the gal never left feedback. I guess she thought her high bid was enough thanks. The set was worth more than the $800.00+ she paid for it. But hey I only paid $75.00 for the set originally.
I like the cans of foam idea, How much does one can cover and what does it cost per can on average?
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nanastuff
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posted on December 15, 2000 04:56:01 AM
Oh oldstuff! Perfect thread for this little problem lol. I have a fish; not just a fish. A huge taxidermy on a huge wooded 3 ft wide mounting. It is very nice and to my horror, it is selling. Now what to do. Everytime I walk passed it, I think why why why did I do that (list it)?? I know I will figure it out, and this is what I get for listing without thinking it out first.
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HartCottageQuilts
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posted on December 15, 2000 05:21:37 AM
A L-A-R-G-E, fragile lamp.
Two - no, THREE cookie jars. (Great bargain; my entire profit was eaten up in packing time.)
Now when I hunt for merchandise for ebay, I look at it in terms of breakability and which Priority box it'll fit in. If it's either fragile or odd-sized, I mentally halve my expected net profit and see if it's still worth my while to buy. It usually isn't!
OTOH, as a bidder this often works to advantage, since many folks see a big item and get the heebies about shippingk, but are afraid to email the seller with questions. I email, and if I get the details I need, I'm often the only bidder on the item
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Valleygirl
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posted on December 15, 2000 12:15:40 PM
Me too, 67 pieces of noritake china. Bid was $30. I estimated shipping at $30. It cost $75 to ship, so I lost money on the bargain. Never again.
Not my name on ebay.
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labbie1
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posted on December 15, 2000 01:24:20 PM
Oster Kitchen Center. Lots of peices and HUGE box! Ack! Arrived safely though!
One set of dishes. I have moved often, so I had my moving boxes. I took a dishpack and put the little corrugated slips in. I bubble wrapped each cup and placed in an individual slip. I then put a bubble wrap covered cardboard on top and bubble wrapped each dish and stacked. Another cardboard, then a set of glass slips again with the rest of the bubble wrapped cups and sealed it up and sent. It went over 1,000 miles by parcel and was in perfect condition.
After moving 25 or 26 times, you learn to pack so that the movers can't break your good stuff when they THROW it off of the back of the truck onto the ground! Ack! I NEVER let "professional" packers touch my stuff anymore! They always break it. When I pack, nothing ever breaks! Go figure! 
I like the canned insulation idea though! Custom foam inserts! Wow! Great Idea!
Edited to add that I always prepack and preweigh everything before listing now....
*************
Fill hungry tummys this Holiday Season with the NFL and Chunky Soup: http://www.chunky.com/click_cans.cfm
[ edited by labbie1 on Dec 15, 2000 01:27 PM ]
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RainyBear
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posted on December 15, 2000 01:53:31 PM
My husband wanted to buy a large bonsai tree to ship to my mother-in-law in Ohio for Christmas. When I thought about having to pack and ship that sucker, I had to veto that idea! We got her a necklace instead.
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SchoolAuction
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posted on December 15, 2000 06:21:58 PM
Early in my ebay career, I sold an old sewing machine and table. It weighed a ton and was a mjor paint to ship! Had to ship it in 2 seprate boxes because UPS will only cart up to 50 pounds. The giy who bought it complained like crazy about the shipping costs (no mark up) but eventually paid it...
I also sent an old Mac to Japan. Whoa. I packed the bejeepers out of that one. Sent it surface...stilll haven't heard if it got there ok...
A Bulls banner - winner wanted it shipped flat! The flat package was about 5 feet long!
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labbie1
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posted on December 15, 2000 06:34:24 PM
So who did you find that would take a 5 ft. long package?! WOW!
*************
Fill hungry tummys this Holiday Season with the NFL and Chunky Soup: http://www.chunky.com/click_cans.cfm
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