Extra feedback rating field NEEDED called Quality of packaging to adequately protect item in transit

[dgb1951]

Hi all,

As you would or should recognise below, the 4 fields that Ebay provides us with, as buyers to rate a seller. Well I feel there should be an extra Feedback * field. I will explain my thought.

As both a hobby/private buyer and seller, the one thing that really gets my fires going is not being able to really make a difference in telling how good or bad a seller packs an item.

Many sellers have totally NO idea how to pack an item, to survive the rigors of local, national and especially International transit.

I would far more like to know, if they have a real appreciation of how to pack an item, than how quickly they ship it.

Often in attempt to get high rating in the 'How quickly did they ship' field, they cut corners in NOT really taking time to package it correctly.

Many, would be lucky to get one star, far less 5, if poor quality of packaging was accountable in their rating %.

This is especially important when it come to objects that are Very Rare, or fragile or of such an odd shape, that during transit the parcel gets knocked or jared under other freight and item get damaged.

Or like recently, I had a very heavy & rare item, shipped 1/2 way around the world. It was super heavy in one area and lighter on the rest of it.

I could tell by the way it was packed, it had been packed while standing on its flatest surface, but during transit, it had assumed the position of heavest part down; this not being the "flatest surface".

Just happened there was a small fragile switch sticking out at this point. It got broken, as I had been forced throught the packaging simply by the object weight.  This switch should have had some cardboard or like with a hole cut in middle placed over switch and held in place, before the object was then packaged.

Also as a buyer I have requested, how I want an 'odd shaped' or 'rare' item packaged, and indicated a willingness to pay extra for it to be done a specific way. If it is not packed this way and as a result been damaged or destroyed; having paid for my 'specified packaging method' then should this be rated via "How satisfied were you with the seller's communication"?

Be interested to hear other buyers and sellers views, on my thoughts of adding an extra feedback rating line, based on

"Quality of packaging to adequately protect item in transit "  

regards

David 

Ebay ID dgb1951

Australia

Rate details about this purchase

How accurate was the item description?

Very accurate

How satisfied were you with the seller's communication?

Very satisfied

How quickly did the seller ship the item?

Very quickly

How reasonable were the shipping and handling charges?

Very reasonable

[zanadoo_56]

I so agree!

I bought a poster that was wrapped in a thin piece of bubblewrap and brown paper....and it was posted as such from the UK.  Of course it was squashed.  When I complained to the seller his reply was 'I just wapped it quickly as I thought you'd want to get it asap'.  Grrrrr.

Then there was the vintage boxed game that if the seller had also packed the cavitiy space inside the box (old bubblewrap or foam pieces would have sufficed) as well as the outside, I probably wouldn't have received it with the box utterly crushed.

Broken CD and DVD boxes are also a common occurrence.

And lastly....I would like to strike a blow against sellers who overcharge for postage when the actual postal charges are low, and instead of spending the remainder of my money on decent wrapping, they use the flimsiest recycled rubbish to 'protect' my purchase and it is a matter of luck than good management that I somehow still get it in one piece.

[redders_60]

Your idea is good in theory, but often customers don't take into account the cost & time of superb packaging when marking existing stars within the current system. I always post the same day payment clears & pack extremely well, using only new tissue & bubblewrap, which costs money, but I use recycled beanies & outer box or usually double boxes to save a little. I also pack to a weight & price, and great packaging adds weight, a fact which potential customers often overlook when viewing postage prices. As I mostly sell breakables, my postage costs reflect the care & attention I put into each package, yet rarely are my packaging standards commented upon or praised in feedback.

As a horror stories re lack of packaging... My two worst were a 1930's large glass bowl chucked into a 3kg satchel with no packaging whatsoever. Tas to Vic. Of course it arrived in pieces. Such a waste! But by far the worst & more dangerous were some unboxed glass jars & bottles of face creams & liquids, once again just chucked into a 500g satchel. The funny side was the parcel guy standing on the doorstep holding a badly dripping satchel between two fingers! Everything inside was shattered & a liquified mess mingled with broken glass.

[retailtherapist_8]

I completely agree. I purchase a lot from the USA & UK. I must say they are much better at packaging in the UK than the USA. I have just received 2 shipments, inside the items were all jumbled up and boxes with items had been torn up. I am not sure if this happens in packing or through Customs.These were expensive items its very annoying. Especially when as a Seller I am fastidious with my packaging. 

[vauxbed]

Whilst there are four things subject to "Star" Ratings; thereare FIVE that can be comented upon in writen feedback, (just so long as you can be concise enough to fit in the limit of text characters, allowed by EBay system).

They are:-

Item to Description; Communication; Packaging; Posting (time); Posting (cost);

If packaging is excellent I say so; and if it is Above Excellent I will class it as "..Superexcellent Packing..".

I agree that a fifth line of stars could be inserted before Postage line. 

[annep165]

I totally agree about the quality issue.

I have been very satisfied with almost all of my Ebay dealings but there were two that were less than satisfactory.

I purchased a jigsaw roll (designed to keep jigsaw puzzle pieces together when puzzle is not completed) for my mother in a nursing home.  She has limited space and could not leave a jigsaw puzzle  uncompleted  due to lack of space.  I thought this purchase could solve this problem.

Despite paying about $30, I received one piece of felt and a cardboard roll - similar to what you have left when a roll of kitchen paper has been used.  Total value would have been under $5 (and that is being generous!) BUT the main issue was the quality.

The second purchase was an item for a baby. It was Used so I did not expect perfection, but it was quite soiled on arrival.  After being thoroughly soaked and washed, the actual article was in good condition.  However,  receiving a grubby article is another quality issue.

I hope Ebay will support this excellent suggestion.

[tstore]

@annep165 - these have got to do with the DSR rating to do with "How accurate was the item description" and not OP's point raised related to packaging.