WTF!? How should I feel about this shipping?

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teknomedic

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This may seem like I'm calling out the seller... but honestly my goal is a learning opportunity of "how to NOT ship" marquees. I might have expected this from eBay, but I'm a bit perplexed by a fellow members shipping method.

I don't want this to turn into a "mob hate" thread... but would like some honest discussion on how to correctly ship Marquees. I did ask the seller to reply here so if he chooses to ID himself that's his choice... and if anyone else knows who this was please don't ID him in this thread (again, his choice to say sorry or oops).



So I bought some Mortal Kombat Marquees and they arrived about 10min ago.... perhaps it's because I'm super tired and just finished my 6 of 7 day 12hr shifts stretch... but I'm a bit upset by how they were shipped.

I've not dealt with shipping a lot of Marquees, but I seem to recall most people shipping them flat between cardboard and with a few "do not bends". The few times I've shipped out Marquees I've put them in larger boxes, placed flat and even with packing peanuts top and bottoms to give a smooth ride. Again... I'm asking how I should feel, but because perhaps this is the standard way of shipping these and I've just not run across it myself before now.

Here are some pics:


As you can see they were shipped folded in half into a standard USPS box! There was no padded or extra protection, just folded up and the box sealed. The box was marked fragile and was a bit damaged itself... but I can't help feel that the Marquees would have weathered the travel far better had they been flat.

They all have various creases and breaks where they were folded (hard to see in pics I know) I did try to illustrate with the MK4, but the MK3, UMK3 and MK all have similar damage... and as for the MKII... well... it's destroyed.

:( :( :( :( :(
 
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That's an absolute BS way of shipping those. In my opinion, you have every right to be upset and should be due a full refund.
 
That is the most moronic way to ship translight marquees that I have ever seen. This place never ceases to amaze me though.
 
Yeah I've been there. People think because translites are flexible they can be damn near folded and stuffed into a box with no packing to cushion the empty space, or rolled really tight.

The end result is typically what is seen here. :(

I'd request a refund. The USPS certainly won't do anything for you.
 
If he was not going to ship them flat, rolling them is a good way to ship flexible marquees. Rolling them and putting them in a square box with newspaper padding has worked well for me in the past. Folding in half or shipping loose in a box is a receipe for failure and I have been served that dish by others many times. :)
 
by the way those were shipped I'm surprised that all of them were not cracked in half. Translight marquees should never be folded. If they are in a big enough box they can sort of be rolled over or rolled but with a large enough radius so they will not crack or leave creases. In general you ship them flat either sandwiched between two pieces of thick cardboard or in a box big enough to fit them and packing material so they don't move around. I've also put the two together sandwiching the marquees between cardboard then putting that in a bigger box.
 
100% unacceptable.

I have shipped 100's of marquees. It is a PITA, but not near as bad as shipping a bezel. Those could easily have been rolled up together like a newpaper, taped so that they wouldn't unfold, and then shipped in either a sturdy tube or a heavier box.

That was just pure laziness.

Steve
MM
 
They certainly didn't have enough room to have a good sized "rolled radius" and they all are nearly (70%-80%) cut in half like the MKII... I just didn't snap good pics of all the breaks on all the marquees... but they've all got them similar to the MK4.

Part of my sheer disappointment is that the MKII through MK4 are original factory Marquees so that stings a bit more... the MK is a repo from my understanding so not quite a tragedy there.

All I keep thinking is that... "IF" this was an issue of not having enough for shipping and trying to cut corners... he could have asked for more shipping $$$ to do it properly and if I found the price too high we could have cancelled the deal.
 
Absolutely refund. They should pay for shipping if they want them back too, for that half ass fuck job of an excuse for packaging. I've shipped tons of heavy ass wood signs, and all made it safe but 1. I pack stuff like i want to see things packaged sent to me.
 
Especially since the guy was a "new poster." I never mind paying the little extra to cover paypal fees when dealing with sellers that don't have great reputations... Hope it works out for you. I'd be way pissed if it was me.
 
This is the person that had them listed on here for $100 for all 4 and than reduced it down to $60, right? If so, I was thinking of buying these. Now I am glad I didn't The way these were shipped is retarded and they never had a chance. Poor MK marquees.
 
I did notice the "new poster" side, but also took into consideration the positive feedback he had already gotten. Unfortunately none of us can earn feedback unless we do deals so I admit I took a chance to help out a newer member.

I am pretty upset, but I also want to give him the chance to make this right... as well as learn from this.
 
I just searched and found it was the same person.. Perhaps he took post number 8 in the original thread to heart...

"If you break them up I would be interisted in the MK2." Not poking fun at anyone, just found this funny and ironic.
 
I did notice the "new poster" side, but also took into consideration the positive feedback he had already gotten. Unfortunately none of us can earn feedback unless we do deals so I admit I took a chance to help out a newer member.

I am pretty upset, but I also want to give him the chance to make this right... as well as learn from this.
So. Did you actually give him a chance to make it right or did you come straight here first? While I agree that the packing was absolutely inadequate and at least a partial refund due for the damaged stuff, if you skipped the try to make it right step BEFORE calling him out publicly, then shame on you.

http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=235529
 
I don't see a problem with this.

I just shipped some HAPP joysticks to someone by melting them down and shipping them in a baby food jar. I saved a TON on shipping. Enough to get a couple dollar menu items from McD's.
 
Regarding him publicly outing him, he stated in the first post he wasn't going to out the person who shipped it and respectfully asked no one else do the same. Although it seems he didn't give him a chance to make it right, he is trying to determine what is the usual way of shipping marquees (my guess is he hasn't had many shipped).

Now, to address the actual shipping. I purchased some marquees from a member on here recently and although the packaging looked shoddy, he had placed them flat and all but one came undamaged (condition of the marquees a bit less than I hoped, but not from shipping). One marquee came in with a crack, I let the seller know and gave him two alternatives, refund my money in total (for the 1 marquee) and I will ship it back or he could refund me the total - the cost of shipping it back and I keep the damaged marquee.

Obviously not my best deal, but nothing for me to be angry about. The way these were packaged and shipped, I would ask for a refund at minimum of the total - the cost of a small flat rate box and keep the marquees, or offer him to give you a full refund and ship them back in the same fashion.
 
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