Thoughts about shipping.

[Ronin]

Don't you think it's weird that you don’t have to pay extra for milk you purchase to be fresh. And that you don’t have to pay extra for a DVD or CD you buy not to be scratched etc. So why is it when I pay a company to deliver my parcel to a particular destination, is it not implied that the parcel I sent, should be in the same condition when it arrives as it was when I sent it? Well I'd generally assume so...but from my personal experiences I know it isn't true.

I dunno, its like 'OK, we'll deliver your package for you. Toss us an extra few pounds and we won’t even break it/bend it/damage it!'

I dunno, just struck me as weird, when I read it on another forum...especially when you apply it to this hobby, where a simple fold or ding can ruin a beautiful piece of artwork. I dunno, I’m just thinking out aloud.

I mean granted the postage systems of the world do a fine job in what they do, but I guess it’s a weird way of thinking about it.

[transmet]

"Insurance" is, and always will be, a form of internationally legalized gambling.
I was in the racket for a couple of years before I realized just how shady it really is.
You can't even imagine the lengths some carriers/companies will go to in order to not have to pay out legitimate claims.

Be that as it may, it's still (unfortunately) the only way to cover yourself in case something does go wrong.

[Ronin]

That's the thing...I swear the one time out of hundreds of parcels I decide not to take out Insurance, it goes missing or gets damaged...it really is sods law!

[star-phoenix]

I *always* request insurance to the seller when they send me a package and I always tell people to request it too when they have a package shipped to them. You'll be surprised as to what kind of "weird" stories I have heard and seen with damaged packages, especially that one incident where a fork lift ran over a package and left TIRE TRACKS on it!

Also,from what I have been told by a Post Office rep (not sure how accurate this is though), whenever a package is insured, they place it in the "special pile", not with the rest of the packages. since it is their butts they have to cover, they take special care for those packages, and I have even noticed it from the ones in the front. I mean, I have even seen someone literally THROW an uninsured package across the room in a pile!

[kittens]

I said depend but I almost always insure (or ask the seller to insure)

[vapalla]

I always pay for insurance, not only because I want my package covered in case of loss or damage, but I think that is makes it more likely that the sender will actually send it. I have heard numerous stories of poeple who have bought things that never arrived, then when the seller was asked about it, they replied "Not my problem, it wasn't insured." As a seller, I would want the package to have insurance, because I would want to know it arrived at its destination, and it proves that I sent it. So I think that is good for buyers, good for sellers, and if something happens to it en-route, I am hopefully financially protected too. It is buying peace of mind.

I also know that postal employees are required to handle insured packages more carefully and make sure that they aren't lost. They can get in a lot of trouble if they are held responsible for losing an insured package. At least, that's what my carrier told me once.

[Not Sir Phobos]

My honest opinion:

I think management encourages rough handling of regular postage so that the "insured" package is always preferential to the consumer.

It is pretty sick that nowadays you know your Eva cel will never make the journey if you don't buckle and pay the extortion.

[buma]

well, this sorta follows along the line that the item should be packed properly for shipping in the first place. I mean, the cels I've gotten have been packed in all sorts of ways:
I've received packages from Anime Museum that are packed so well, I couldn't even bend the packing material without great force (I tried the first time, the next time I just kept if for future use)

I've also received cels from someone else who basically put it in a stiff mylar-type envelope (with another mailing envelope over it). Not the sturdiest of mailings, but it got here a-okay.

Fingers crossed - I haven't received any rolled or un-protected cels (and hopefully, I never will too!).

So, basically, if it is packed correctly to be mailed in the first place, the need for insurance is lowered (but of course, if you are buying a $1000 cel, might as well insure it, ne?).

but of course, this is jmho...

[star-phoenix]

Someone told me that there is a way to hold a postman responsible even if the package is uninsured.

Example, I put a cel in a box and write "Do Not Bend" all over it. However, the guy intentionally folds it in half to shove into a mail box because he didn't feel like delivering it to the person's door. I was told by one rep that if it a package was damaged intentionally, then the postman would be held accountable for neglegence.

[redwolf]

I agree with Buma.

From working a temp job at a package distribution center...At least during the holidays, I didn't see any separation (or the time for separating) by whether packages were insured or not. Insured or uninsured, they'll probably get thrown at least once during their trip (normally not all the way across the room, but up into giant zip code boxes, for example). Outside the distribution center might be different.

I spent most of my time in the rewrapping area where I got to see all the mangled packages and try to surgically repair them. The good thing was most of them were because of poor packaging (ex: Christmas wrapping paper is not good substitute for a box...and masking tape isn't packing tape). The worst was when people packed wine bottles poorly. They broke, of course, and got all over dozens of 'innocent' packages.

The best insurance for irreplaceable things like cels is to pack it like it's going through a war zone...because it is. And postal insurance as well, because I can definitely see how a forklift or tow vehicle could run over a package that slipped off a cart, though I'd say it's quite the rare occurence.

As for my packages, I always request insurance on moderate to expensive items. Cheap stuff, I gamble on.

[duotrouble]

With selling -- insurance is optional, not responsible for damages, tracking required

With buying -- tracking required, insurance only if amount spent is over $200 or the seller requires regardless

[klet]

With selling -- insurance is optional, not responsible for damages, tracking required

Ditto. I don't neccesarily "charge" for tracking, but I will provide it for my own piece of mind if nothing else.

With buying, I find that a lot of sellers provide that already, so I don't worry too much. Most of my cels these days come from YJ, which is automatically insured for the entire trip (except from seller to the office in Japan, since that varies on a case-by-case basis). I've only ever had shipping problems once, and that was not with something irreplaceble like cels.

Mailing insurance in general is kind of like car insurance for good drivers--you'll end up paying more for insurance over the years than you ever would to on a single order whose shipment gets botched or to get your car fixed.

Is it worth it? You decide. At least you have that option when shipping.

[duotrouble]

With selling -- insurance is optional, not responsible for damages, tracking required

Ditto. I don't neccesarily "charge" for tracking, but I will provide it for my own piece of mind if nothing else.

Yeah, it's actually already figured in with my shipping so there isn't an extra charge per se. I know I'm going to add it. I tell you I'm going to add it. I state "shipping will be $___ with delivery confirmation included".

[Lizzard]

FWIW, I picked up this trick from a friend who used to work at a post office.

She said no one pays attention to "Do Not Bend" or "Fragile" because EVERYTHING seems to be marked that way. Ditto with insured labels -- so many packages have them it ceases to have meaning (and since claiming on insurance is so difficult, it's doubly meaningless).

However, scrawl ARTWORK in big letters on both sides of the flat package and circle it, and most postal workers will notice it.

Since I started labeling my flat parcels that way, I have NEVER had one reported damaged on arrival. It's been three years now.

[kymaera]

I usually don't bother unless it's very expensive.