Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Showcase and Stories, Petroliana Sad/MAD day for me yesterday.......

Hello All,
I was the high bidder on a set of Marathon lenses on Ebay, which I was very happy to win at a great price. These would be for a glass body, so I was happy to get them as I already have the matching Ethyl on glass so I would have the set on the same bodies. I already had the regular on a Capco, so I was thinking of my plans for what to do with that one, since I would have a pair of regulars.
Well, I don't have to worry with what to do with the Capco one now as this is what I received yesterday. We'll add this to DB's list of "how not to ship gas and oil items". I had emailed the seller several times with no response on making sure the lenses were insured, which he finally responded he would take care of. I should have taken that as a bad omen. Needless to say, I was tracking the package with great anticipation, and knew it was going to be delivered yesterday. I come walking in waiting to see a large box on my desk at work, when all I spy from a distance is a flat rate USPS mailing box! I was absolutely floored and knew before even picking up the box that the outcome would not be good. Sure enough, I shake the box and all I hear are shards grinding around in the box.
Now anyone who knows me or has met me knows I'm a very level headed, easy going guy, but believe me I fired off the most angry email to the seller I have ever sent in my life. I texted Dan McGuffey a pic of the box and said, hey look at what the Marathon lenses just arrived in, and said I thought I was going to have a stroke, lol. Just unbelievable to me that the seller thought this would be enough protection to send the lenses from South Carolina to Michigan. (Heck, this probably didn't make it out of the post office from which it was sent!) His response to my email was he was sorry I was upset (?!) and that although he had never shipped lenses before, he had shipped glass items this way in the past with no problems.
I guess I learned I better double check with sellers from now on and ask them if they know how to properly ship this type of item. I just get very frustrated when these items have been around for 60 or more years and are destroyed within a few days due to improper packing, and how do I put it nicely, clueless people.

Darin

I feel your pain Darin I had the same thing happen a couple of years ago

Man you weren't kidding when you txted me. Thats sucks!
eBay protection is your friend today. Sorry Darin

Thanks guys. I didn't even open the box until this afternoon because it was so audibly obvious these were toasted. I called the post office and they said to go ahead and open it as they would have to anyways with the claim process so I took a couple of pics for the post.
So here's a question, is the post office insurance the route I should be taking or not? I would still have Ebay as a back up correct?

That's a true shame, as said before common sense isn't that common any more. That seller if any kind of person should refund your money for doing such a terrible packing job .......I would be upset as well.

those lens's never stood a chance,
sorry to hear of your misfortune..

I wouldn't even open the box.....just returned to sender

Sucks when stuff like this happens. But the claim and entire insurance retrieval process is the responsibility of the SELLER! This is the same across all shippers. The money goes to the seller after the claim is completed.

Technically, you shouldnt even have to wait for the insurance claim to get your money back, I believe the seller is suppose to refund your money and then proceed with the claim themselves.

Claims are a pain for both parties... I have 2 that are in process right now, one as a buyer and one as a seller.

That's terrible. I feel your pain. I bought 9 globes a couple years ago from a guy in AZ & even though I told him how to pack them but he took them to the FedEx store to pack & I ended up getting 3 globes & 2 singles.

Remembered those from my eBay watch list. They deserved a better fate as did you as the winning bidder. What a shame the seller was so careless with some terrific lenses. I bought a globe this year and it was a ripple body and it wasn't double boxed from the seller and barely had packing peanuts in it. How it did not break I will never know. I also had been assured from the seller it would be double boxed during my many correspondences. My globe and I were lucky and I feel bad for your sellers lack of respect for history with regard to your great buy being spoiled

I thought about that Thermoman but the gal at the front counter accepted the package as delivered so I figured after that I was stuck with it. If I were there at the time I definitely would have refused delivery.

I agree Kevin.....just a sad situation and I'm sure just about all of us that buy globes on line have had some arrive that we have no idea how they made it in one piece. On the other hand, I have had my share of broken globes, even a few I thought were packed pretty well that didn't make it. It shouldn't have to be, but buying items like this online is almost always taking a risk I guess.

File a claim w/ PayPal & return items to seller for FOOL REFUND Including Postage BOTH WAYS & let them file a ins claim for DUMB A** Packing! Insurance is to Protect the Owner of an item, lenses are not yours till received in condition bought.

Man...that sucks!

I did just find this on Ebays site, for future reference;

Important: If you refuse delivery of an item so you won't have to return it, the item isn't covered by eBay Buyer Protection.

So refusing delivery is not an option if you want buyer's protection as offered by Ebay. I understand you would still have USPS insurance if purchased, but it's better to have either option available.

Been there. I feel your pain. I have lost jukebox lid glasses, a globe lens, gumball machine globes, etc. I always offer to send a package that hopefully will increase the item's chances for survival if I have misgivings about the seller ability to package after communicating with him/her. Dave