Purchasing antiques and collectibles over the Internet has certainly made the search and enjoy aspect of this hobby more fun. Unfortunately, it has opened a window where additional problems may develop. How many times have we received a beautiful collectible damaged in transit? It is almost routine to expect 1-2 damaged items per 10 shipments. Many of the items that I purchase are made of Bakelite, plastic, and could have some form of glass incorporated within the design. In almost all instances the item damaged was due to insufficient packing methods by the shipper. First of all, newspaper crumpled is a poor cushion for a delicate object. Yet, there are still Internet shippers that use this form of protection for our collectible. Secondly, our objects require a little air space between itself and the side of a box to give it some protection from the possibility of rough handling in transit. Interestingly, when I write a seller in regard to this challenge I sometimes receive a snappy response in which the seller writes, "Don't worry, I know how to pack."
Personally, I have reached the point of disappointment with damaged items in transit where I now offer the seller/shipper a few extra dollars for their effort to provide better packing and double boxing for my item. Some sellers insist that I purchase insurance if the package is going to be shipped by the US Postal Service (UPS and FedEx automatically offer a minimum amount without additional cost). Heck, if I filed every insurance claim for items received damaged by the USPS my local Post Office may become suspicious of my activity and suspect fraud.
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