Retailer Packaging Thread

[digitalbabe]

Hi all,

New thread added to discuss retailer packaging in specific-not related to personal selling. Feel free to ask questions about different retailers.

 

[o0 Deuce 0o]

If anyone who has ordered from them in the past can say for sure their steelbook packaging is on the level that Amazon and Zavvi are, perhaps I'll reconsider.

Jiffy bags only.

 

[thewhiteknight]

First off, thanks to DB for creating this much needed thread!

This thread was requested b/c it's inevitable that we start discussing all e-tailers packaging methods throughout the many steelbook threads here on HDN. With myself (and many others) living in the U.S. and ordering from other countries (and vice-versa) it's good to know how the many different e-tailers ship there steels so we as consumers don't have to deal with scratches, dents, and dings and the headaches attached to returning such items.

We now have a thread to support such discussions without "hijacking" the main thread.

Discuss away!

 

[thewhiteknight]

The price is key, but so is good service IMO. I buy from a few sellers on here/eBay probably once/twice per month and I do so not because they're the cheapest, but because they send the items packaged well and they always arrive mint. The way I look at it is, if I skimp on the packaging and it arrives damaged then 2 things will happen 1) the buyer won't trust me again and 2) it'll cost me more money to refund the buyer for the item plus his return postage costs than it would've done to just box it up in the first place. Some items I sell for £8 and only make £4-£5 on after P&P, but on the flip side some items I make £50+ profit on. And for me, all should be treated the same regardless of value and profit.

This is someone I would shop with. Very smart business ethic!

---------- Post added at 08:35 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:31 AM ----------

As mentioned in the
SteelBook™ Price Drop/Back In Stock Alert (Retailer/Ebay) thread, DB states Target and Target.com has The Bourne Steels for $12.

Please, be careful when ordering these, as Target's packaging for steelbooks is terrible. They are usually just thrown in a loose box to flop around in. If you order more then 1 they are thrown in a bigger non-padded box to bump and flop around in. Your best bet with Target is to go to the store and pick up your steelbooks. Also be careful there too as I've heard the plastic cases they put the steelbooks in are sometimes put on to tight and dent, ding, crush the corners of the steels.

---------- Post added at 10:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:35 AM ----------

A message to Base.com customer service regarding how they package/ship Steelbooks:

Hi,

I've learned about your online site just recently, via the HiDefNinja forums. I'm located in the United States and am interested in purchasing a few Blu-ray Steelbooks from you. However, from what prior purchasers are saying you don't package your Steelbooks all that well. As anyone who collects Steelbooks knows, they are very susceptible to scratches, dings, and dents if not packaged properly. Can you please tell me (or better yet provide pictures) of what your Steelbook packaging looks like? I don't want to order a few of these just to return them because of sub par packaging.

Thank you for your time, I do hope to do business with you very soon.

Best Regards,

Terry

A reply from Base.com Customer Services:

Hi Terry,

I am very sorry we are unable to specify exactly what packaging will be used. We have 3 warehouse in 2 countries and they use various types of packaging. Most small items are sent in jiffy bags or cardboard mailers. It is only a very small percentage of items that arrive damaged.

Kind regards,
Jason
Customer Services

*Note*: Due to the large volume of e-mail we receive, PLEASE include previous e-mail messages when responding. This will allow us to read the complete dialogue in one message and will result in quicker responses.

End Conversation

I would be very cautious if/when ordering Steelbooks from them. Being in the US and not wanting to deal with returns I will not order from that at all. I'm not saying this company isn't a good, or even great company, I just don't want to have to return something to a different country b/c of poor packaging.

If you've had good luck purchasing from this company and/or any prior experience with them, by all means, let's hear your stories.

 

[CaptainCoffee]

I'm thinking this thread was created to discuss existing retailers packaging?

For everything else there is a thread in the steelbook chat/support forum HERE that might answer a lot of questions.

Just seems kind of redundant having another thread when we already have one for that purpose.

 

[digitalbabe]

Hey guys, thread cleaned up-this was meant to be a retailer packaging thread, and I've updated the thread title to make this a bit more clear. Sorry for the confusion-feel free to ask and talk about any packaging related aspects related to retailers, not personal selling (check Steelbook Trading forum stickies for related tips, how to pack a steel, resources, etc). Thanks!

 

[wjasoncul]

Just received a SteelBook from Amazon.com in a medium sized box and there was no padding in the box. All it had was the SteelBook. No air pouches or that brown paper they sometimes put in there.

 

[natlee75]

Jiffy bags only.

While many of the steelbooks that have been shipped to me in New Jersey from Zavvi have been in the padded envelopes (pretty good padding all things considered I have to say) I actually have received a few steelbooks in cardboard packaging similar to what Amazon often uses to ship movies.

I have only received one steelbook that had any sort of damage, but it was very minor so it wasn't too big a deal. I've been very happy with Zavvi thus far, and plan to order a lot more from them since the shipping doesn't cost me an arm and a leg (as a comparison I looked at the shipping cost for a journal from a UK based company and they were asking for roughly $11 to ship it).

 

[TakingYoSteelz]

I ordered the Bourne steelbooks to a friend in the US and all 4 were shoved in a non-padded bag with no padding. 2 are ok but the one on the front has arrived dinged to death. When will these retailers learn?!

 

[darczap]

I ordered the Bourne steelbooks to a friend in the US and all 4 were shoved in a non-padded bag with no padding. 2 are ok but the one on the front has arrived dinged to death. When will these retailers learn?!

Target, Best Buy, they don't care what condition the item turns up in. Amazon.com isn't much better truth be told. American retailers are leaps and bounds far behind European, Asian and Austrailian retailers when it comes to packaging steelbooks. I guess if we were pumping out steelbooks like the rest of the world, maybe retailers in the US would have an interest in making sure product arrives unscathed.