A reminder to..... - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Sinewave · 11th Apr 2018, 4:57 pm

It's amazing just how dim people can be.

I've bubble wrapped hifi before. I wrap the unit with the lead outside of the wrap, then the plug gets wrapped with the lead and placed on top.

I've even had AVO's in the post with the buckles of the case straps and probe plugs all nicely laying over the glass scale!

Boom · 11th Apr 2018, 6:17 pm

A few days ago I ordered a Himalayan salt lamp online. It got here two days later, the packing was soaking wet with a corner tore off and when I opened it the base was smashed in half and the bulb was missing.

OK so I have claimed off the seller as it arrived here damaged but to be fair he had wrapped the lamp in several layers of bubble wrap firmly taped up so I am at a loss as to what Hermes did to get the parcel in such a mess. I certainly wouldn't use them to deliver anything for me.

camtechman · 11th Apr 2018, 7:28 pm

It's obvious that some senders have no idea how parcels are handled, especially those where the sender writes: FRAGILE HANDLE WITH CARE!....that's akin to a "Red Flag To A Bull"

Not related to vintage radios but some time back, you could get sticky labels for sending/receiving photos and they said: PHOTOS - DO NOT BEND !.

Whether is was the postman who wrote it but some arrived with this comment written below the warning label: "OH YES THEY DO" !!

Sinewave · 11th Apr 2018, 8:44 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boom

OK so I have claimed off the seller as it arrived here damaged but to be fair he had wrapped the lamp in several layers of bubble wrap firmly taped up so I am at a loss as to what Hermes did to get the parcel in such a mess. I certainly wouldn't use them to deliver anything for me.

UPS I won't use anymore. I've had packages by UPS thrown over the gate or left by the garage, with no note through the door. I found those parcels many days later, in bad weather, when going to the garage or the back garden. I'd had no idea that they were there.

JohnBHanson · 11th Apr 2018, 10:33 pm

I have been in my flat, and I have had parcels left outside in the hallway despite being in. I am 100% sure the doorbell did not ring and I was waiting in for the parcel. Only to open the door in the evening and discover it propped up by the door. What was more surprising is that when I checked the tracking code It claimed I had signed for it, and there was a scribble that was a signature - totally unreadable and not mine!

ben · 12th Apr 2018, 12:20 am

As has been said, this is a combination of unfortunate factors. First is the awkward bulky nature of the UK mains plugs. They're probably the most oversized standard in the world I'd say. Apart from doing you serious harm if you stand on one upturned - could be used in warfare maybe! - they are excellent at piercing and scratching whatever is next to them.

Then you have many people with the inability to pack stuff half decently. I have been amazed at how kit like tape machines have somehow got to me unscathed after, as in one recent case, being placed in a thin cardboard box and a plastic bag. Add a mains plug to shoddy packaging and you are asking for trouble.

Finally there's the couriers who chuck stuff around, leave it out in the rain, etc etc. In my experience they can never be bothered to knock. It's a miracle the kit gets there at all - if it doesn't get wrecked in the journey it could get rained on or stolen only inches from your door!

Good tip to get senders to dispose of the plugs. I hadn't imagined that there's a chance they'd cut it off only to sling it into the box! Takes all sorts, so better safe than sorry.

AC/HL · 12th Apr 2018, 12:20 pm

Somewhere, in an earlier thread, someone commented on how little the courier gets per parcel. That should give a clue as to why they're not treated with kid gloves, probably never were in the past either.

No-one, on here at least, should be surprised at this as it has been explored in depth in multiple threads, but the reminder is welcome nevertheless.

MrBungle · 12th Apr 2018, 3:34 pm

A bit of advice when asking for plug to be removed. Make sure you explicitly ask them to cut the plug off at the plug end, not the device end. I made the mistake of not specifying that and found that the captive lead had been cut off entirely at the unit resulting in rework required.

Random good experience: I ordered a 1L bottle of premixed ferric chloride a few months back and it turned up chucked in a jiffy bag. That survived surprisingly!

dseymo1 · 12th Apr 2018, 4:48 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrBungle

Random good experience: I ordered a 1L bottle of premixed ferric chloride a few months back and it turned up chucked in a jiffy bag. That survived surprisingly!

I had a bottle of hydrochloric acid delivered safely, which had simply had tape wound round the lid and the bottle wrapped in paper

Mains plugs have always travelled OK for me with the pins embedded in expanded polystyrene, and the plug placed outside the primary packaging of the equipment.
The manufacturers who provide slots for the plug pins in the back panel of gear have the right idea.

Refugee · 12th Apr 2018, 7:45 pm

It is also worth saving pin guards from cheap new appliances. They might help some times.

richrussell · 13th Apr 2018, 2:52 pm

When I worked at a company that built and repaired home PCs, we always said 'keep the packaging in case you want to sent it back for repair or upgrade'. Those that did arrived in perfect condition. Those chucked in any old cardboard box with a bit of bubblewrap invariably had dents or loose components inside.

However the one that just had the Parcelforce label stuck to the side of the case did in fact arrive unscathed, albeit with bits of fluff and cardboard dust in the floppy drive

Reelman · 13th Apr 2018, 5:08 pm

I’ve had many parcels delivered that were badly packed. I have a little sympathy for the sender since to pack a heavy but delicate item properly requires a fair amount of time and materials. Strong boxes are not often to be found behind the checkouts at the local supermarket!
I can certainly vouch for keeping the original packing materials; I had a huge and heavy Grundig tape recorder arrive in its original box and packing from 50 years ago - it was fine.

I do miss the wooden packing crates that were common years ago, I made and sold a pair of floor standing ‘speakers out of two old Olivetti ones.

Peter

PaulR · 16th Apr 2018, 9:58 pm

I once received a 78 rpm record packed in a jiffy bag with no other protection. Needless to say it arrived in several pieces. When I told the sender she seemed surprised.

avocollector · 29th Apr 2018, 6:06 pm

I've been lucky to date and everything with a mains plug has been wrapped well enough to survive the couriers intact - however actually finding it sometimes (I have 123 steps to my house down from the main road) can be a hoot. A fair number do actually bring items down to the front door, others leave it at various sites ranging from under the garage (which is up by the road), halfway down the steps, and at the top step by the road of course. The odd thing has even ended up in even more exotic locations - one was parked outside the door of one of my sheds which is about 40 feet away from the house and really not obvious - plus you have to walk past the house to get to the shed. To give them their due though I've only ever lost about 2 items out of several hundred.

11th Apr 2018, 4:57 pm	#21
Sinewave Octode Join Date: May 2016 Location: Oxfordshire/Bucks borders, UK. Posts: 1,604	Re: A reminder to..... It's amazing just how dim people can be. I've bubble wrapped hifi before. I wrap the unit with the lead outside of the wrap, then the plug gets wrapped with the lead and placed on top. I've even had AVO's in the post with the buckles of the case straps and probe plugs all nicely laying over the glass scale! __________________ Avometer, vintage Fluke and Marconi collector. Also interested in vintage Yaesu and KW.

11th Apr 2018, 6:17 pm	#22
Boom Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Westbury, Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 2,451	Re: A reminder to..... A few days ago I ordered a Himalayan salt lamp online. It got here two days later, the packing was soaking wet with a corner tore off and when I opened it the base was smashed in half and the bulb was missing. OK so I have claimed off the seller as it arrived here damaged but to be fair he had wrapped the lamp in several layers of bubble wrap firmly taped up so I am at a loss as to what Hermes did to get the parcel in such a mess. I certainly wouldn't use them to deliver anything for me.

11th Apr 2018, 7:28 pm	#23
camtechman Nonode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Milton Keynes, Bucks. UK. Posts: 2,552	Re: A reminder to..... It's obvious that some senders have no idea how parcels are handled, especially those where the sender writes: FRAGILE HANDLE WITH CARE!....that's akin to a "Red Flag To A Bull" Not related to vintage radios but some time back, you could get sticky labels for sending/receiving photos and they said: *PHOTOS - DO NOT BEND !. Whether is was the postman who wrote it but some arrived with this comment written below the warning label: "OH YES THEY DO" !!* __________________ When I die, please don't let my Wife sell my collection for the amount I told her I paid for it!

11th Apr 2018, 10:33 pm	#25
JohnBHanson Heptode Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Worthing, Sussex, UK. Posts: 661	Re: A reminder to..... I have been in my flat, and I have had parcels left outside in the hallway despite being in. I am 100% sure the doorbell did not ring and I was waiting in for the parcel. Only to open the door in the evening and discover it propped up by the door. What was more surprising is that when I checked the tracking code It claimed I had signed for it, and there was a scribble that was a signature - totally unreadable and not mine!

12th Apr 2018, 12:20 am	#26
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: A reminder to..... As has been said, this is a combination of unfortunate factors. First is the awkward bulky nature of the UK mains plugs. They're probably the most oversized standard in the world I'd say. Apart from doing you serious harm if you stand on one upturned - could be used in warfare maybe! - they are excellent at piercing and scratching whatever is next to them. Then you have many people with the inability to pack stuff half decently. I have been amazed at how kit like tape machines have somehow got to me unscathed after, as in one recent case, being placed in a thin cardboard box and a plastic bag. Add a mains plug to shoddy packaging and you are asking for trouble. Finally there's the couriers who chuck stuff around, leave it out in the rain, etc etc. In my experience they can never be bothered to knock. It's a miracle the kit gets there at all - if it doesn't get wrecked in the journey it could get rained on or stolen only inches from your door! Good tip to get senders to dispose of the plugs. I hadn't imagined that there's a chance they'd cut it off only to sling it into the box! Takes all sorts, so better safe than sorry. __________________ Regards, Ben.

12th Apr 2018, 12:20 pm	#27
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: A reminder to..... Somewhere, in an earlier thread, someone commented on how little the courier gets per parcel. That should give a clue as to why they're not treated with kid gloves, probably never were in the past either. No-one, on here at least, should be surprised at this as it has been explored in depth in multiple threads, but the reminder is welcome nevertheless.

12th Apr 2018, 3:34 pm	#28
MrBungle Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: London, UK. Posts: 3,687	Re: A reminder to..... A bit of advice when asking for plug to be removed. Make sure you explicitly ask them to cut the plug off at the plug end, not the device end. I made the mistake of not specifying that and found that the captive lead had been cut off entirely at the unit resulting in rework required. Random good experience: I ordered a 1L bottle of premixed ferric chloride a few months back and it turned up chucked in a jiffy bag. That survived surprisingly!

12th Apr 2018, 7:45 pm	#30
Refugee Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 5,553	Re: A reminder to..... It is also worth saving pin guards from cheap new appliances. They might help some times.

13th Apr 2018, 2:52 pm	#31
richrussell Heptode Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Selby, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 979	Re: A reminder to..... When I worked at a company that built and repaired home PCs, we always said 'keep the packaging in case you want to sent it back for repair or upgrade'. Those that did arrived in perfect condition. Those chucked in any old cardboard box with a bit of bubblewrap invariably had dents or loose components inside. However the one that just had the Parcelforce label stuck to the side of the case did in fact arrive unscathed, albeit with bits of fluff and cardboard dust in the floppy drive

13th Apr 2018, 5:08 pm	#32
Reelman Octode Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Rotherham, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,720	Re: A reminder to..... I’ve had many parcels delivered that were badly packed. I have a little sympathy for the sender since to pack a heavy but delicate item properly requires a fair amount of time and materials. Strong boxes are not often to be found behind the checkouts at the local supermarket! I can certainly vouch for keeping the original packing materials; I had a huge and heavy Grundig tape recorder arrive in its original box and packing from 50 years ago - it was fine. I do miss the wooden packing crates that were common years ago, I made and sold a pair of floor standing ‘speakers out of two old Olivetti ones. Peter

16th Apr 2018, 9:58 pm	#33
PaulR Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Southport Lancashire, UK. Posts: 3,233	Re: A reminder to..... I once received a 78 rpm record packed in a jiffy bag with no other protection. Needless to say it arrived in several pieces. When I told the sender she seemed surprised. __________________ Paul

29th Apr 2018, 6:06 pm	#34
avocollector Heptode Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Wellington, New Zealand. Posts: 653	Re: A reminder to..... I've been lucky to date and everything with a mains plug has been wrapped well enough to survive the couriers intact - however actually finding it sometimes (I have 123 steps to my house down from the main road) can be a hoot. A fair number do actually bring items down to the front door, others leave it at various sites ranging from under the garage (which is up by the road), halfway down the steps, and at the top step by the road of course. The odd thing has even ended up in even more exotic locations - one was parked outside the door of one of my sheds which is about 40 feet away from the house and really not obvious - plus you have to walk past the house to get to the shed. To give them their due though I've only ever lost about 2 items out of several hundred.