Stop using the triangle post office boxes to mail rolled up stuff!

Todd31

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Stop using the triangle post office boxes to mail rolled up stuff!

I know its so easy to roll up a cpo or a backdoor sheet and put it in a triangle shape express box and be done with it but please don't. Please charge me for packing materials if needed but please use a tube. I am seeing more and more of the boxes being used and I get damaged shit out of them all the time. Here is my latest...
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My last messed up piece was a rolled up backdoor sheet. Before that a freaking poster.

Please keep this post going a while so a lot of people see it. Post your horror stories or lack of. I just want to go back to the good old days before those stupid boxes.
 
Don't think I've ever had an item arrive damaged in one of those but usually when I get a rolled item in one the rest of the box is filled with packing material to help keep the box from being crushed.
 
I've had 2 items arrive damaged in one of those -- one was a translite marquee, another was sideart from a well known seller here.

I've only had a handful of items shipped in one of those and I'm batting about 500 with them.

I've had a handful of items shipped in the stout circular tubes and those have been perfect every time.

I agree with OP -- don't use those triangular boxes!
 
tubes suck too. they easily roll off the conveyor belts or the truck shelves and not handled with special care. usually theyre tossed around more because someone has to bend over and pick them up and theyre not happy about doing it.

I use long square boxes and have had the greatest success that way. hell even wood crates get damaged a lot so it can be a crapshoot

for rare or highly valuable items I double box. the cost of a larger box to double box isnt much money.
 
That sucks Todd. I think the problem is too many people bitch about shipping costs so sellers have to find the cheapest option. I know shipping sucks and paying for it sucks but I will always pay a few extra dollars if I have the option for good packaging. I don't know where yours came from but ebay sucks because people get even cheaper when shipping to maximize their profit.

I have only had one artwork package come to me in a triangle and luckily it was okay even though it was banged up but they are too easy to damage.

If I am buying some art please give me a tube option and if you are buying some remember there is a lot more than just the shipping charge involved. Tubes are not cheap and neither is shipping them.
 
tubes suck too. they easily roll off the conveyor belts or the truck shelves and not handled with special care. usually theyre tossed around more because someone has to bend over and pick them up and theyre not happy about doing it.

I use long square boxes and have had the greatest success that way. hell even wood crates get damaged a lot so it can be a crapshoot

for rare or highly valuable items I double box. the cost of a larger box to double box isnt much money.

By tubes do you mean the regular tubes or the really beefy ones that are about 1/2" thick? The latter is the one that has always come through 100% for me.
 
I know its so easy to roll up a cpo or a backdoor sheet and put it in a triangle shape express box and be done with it but please don't. Please charge me for packing materials if needed but please use a tube. I am seeing more and more of the boxes being used and I get damaged shit out of them all the time. Here is my latest...
My last messed up piece was a rolled up backdoor sheet. Before that a freaking poster.

Please keep this post going a while so a lot of people see it. Post your horror stories or lack of. I just want to go back to the good old days before those stupid boxes.

+1000000 I have had 3 things damaged in these boxes.. I would also pay more for thick tubes.
 
I always use boxes to ship items rolled and have had one problem out of probably 300-400 shipments like this in past few years.

Anthony
 
I always use boxes to ship items rolled and have had one problem out of probably 300-400 shipments like this in past few years.

Anthony

Whatever the solution is, these triangle boxes are not it. I have received the square boxes and they are packed real well from the art and parts suppliers. You guys do it enough to know how to pack a box properly. I just know I am 50/50 on these triangle boxes and that gets old. I have always had very good luck with the really thick tubes.
 
Even the square boxes aren't always safe. I re-shipped a piece of kick plate art using the same box and packaging that Darin used to ship to me. It ended up crushed and creased the art. The seller blamed me for shoddy packaging and folding the artwork when he got it...even though he took a picture of the box and clearly saw that the USPS clearly crushed the box. I refunded the seller and blame myself for not insuring it, but was more pissed that the seller actually accused me of folding the art before putting it in the box. Seriously?!?
 
I've also had a few posters messed up with the triangular boxes.. And I agree, they suck.

On the other hand, I had a really nice/expensive poster send in a poster tube that wasn't thick enough and that got creased by the Post office somehow... and ruined a $100 poster.
 
Even the square boxes aren't always safe. I re-shipped a piece of kick plate art using the same box and packaging that Darin used to ship to me. It ended up crushed and creased the art. The seller blamed me for shoddy packaging and folding the artwork when he got it...even though he took a picture of the box and clearly saw that the USPS clearly crushed the box. I refunded the seller and blame myself for not insuring it, but was more pissed that the seller actually accused me of folding the art before putting it in the box. Seriously?!?

yes that does suck, sorry that happened.

this is why I always insure no matter how well I pack it. great packing hasnt stopped damage claims, but it has helped me get 100% of claims paid in my lifetime.

whomever was talking about thick tubes, yes those are awesome but very costly. guys already nickle and dime me on shipping costs. its better for me that I use a square box and insure it. if its rare, fragile or costly I double box and insure.
 
yes that does suck, sorry that happened.

this is why I always insure no matter how well I pack it. great packing hasnt stopped damage claims, but it has helped me get 100% of claims paid in my lifetime.

whomever was talking about thick tubes, yes those are awesome but very costly. guys already nickle and dime me on shipping costs. its better for me that I use a square box and insure it. if its rare, fragile or costly I double box and insure.

That's the catch 22 Darin. People have an expectation of bulletproof packaging, but you get the stinkeye when you charge a few bucks extra to pay for that level of packaging. No way to win. I usually ship in 3 inch heavy walled tubes, but those things cost me 30 bucks for 3 dozen plus another 30 bucks shipping to get them to me adding 2 bucks to shipping cost right there. On the plus side, it's been a long time since I heard of any shipping damage. The best ones are the people that insist on first class mail shipping for a dollar then 2 days later are demanding tracking numbers and saying it's not there yet :)
 
That's the catch 22 Darin. People have an expectation of bulletproof packaging, but you get the stinkeye when you charge a few bucks extra to pay for that level of packaging. No way to win. I usually ship in 3 inch heavy walled tubes, but those things cost me 30 bucks for 3 dozen plus another 30 bucks shipping to get them to me adding 2 bucks to shipping cost right there. On the plus side, it's been a long time since I heard of any shipping damage. The best ones are the people that insist on first class mail shipping for a dollar then 2 days later are demanding tracking numbers and saying it's not there yet :)

Yes it is a catch 22

Since I sell a lot of large side art and pinball decal sets 3" isnt big enough for me. I would have to roll it too tight and risk potential damage to the art from creasing, lifting etc... So I use 4" boxes. If its rare, pricey or fragile I put it in a 4" square box and double it up in a 6" square box.

I used to own (technically still do) one of the largest UPS shipping stores in the country and when I priced (wholesale) thick 4" tubes it wasnt feasible to pass on to my customers. Especially when it called for them to be shipped to me via motor freight because the boxes they came in exceeded UPS size limits. Silly to pay for a pallet of 4" tubes off a freight truck.

Of the thousands of pieces of art Ive shipped this year Ive had 2 claims. But Xmas is coming so I know Im in for a few more regardless of how well its packed, sadly.
 
As a rule, we never use priority boxes to ship anything of value. They just don't hold up during shipment. They are thin as hell and I find fall apart before leaving the state.

For most of our toys we get our boxes from Uline, for posters and prints we use a nice thick tube.

I am always torn when member here want me to ship boards in the flat rate boxes to save money. They want everything prepped and packed cheaply and then are aghast when the item is damaged en route.
 
Meant to say 4 inch tubes :) I couldn't fit squat in a 3 inch tube either.
 
I had 10 vintage movie posters shipped to me in one of those triangular USPS boxes and they were all damaged when the box was bent in transit. They are terrible. Just pay $2 for a tube (or reuse one you have).
 
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