The lost art of shipping a video game

[karyann]

I even had a Sega Genesis game shipped to me in it's own game case, they just turned the artwork around and wrote the addresses on that. Those types of things are bad shipping.

How the hell could ANYONE believe this is a right thing to do? Seriously. Wow.

[burningdoom]

Game & Watches aren't cheap. They aren't super-sturdy either. If I got one in a bubble mailer, I'd be PISSED.

Well, to tell the truth, I've never seen one in person. Just in pics and video reviews. So they me a lot more fragile than they look. They just looked like smaller, with more straight-corners; versions of DS's to me.

[Warmsignal]

Personally, I think a bubble-mailer is fine. If it's still damaged after that, it's definitely the post office's fault, not the mailer's. A Game & Watch is a nice flat shape, it's not awkwardly shaped or anything. Not to sound rude, but to me that sounds like a collector being a bit too nitpicky.

I mean I've seen horror stories with shipping. I already mentioned the piece of printing paper wrapped around one game. I've also had games shipped to me in a normal letter envelope. I even had a Sega Genesis game shipped to me in it's own game case, they just turned the artwork around and wrote the addresses on that. Those types of things are bad shipping.

That's no consideration vs little consideration.

When I sell stuff, I think about if a bubble mailer is safe enough for what I'm sending. DVD hard plastic is about the only thing that can withstand a lot of semi-direct abuse, but that's about it. Anything else, needs either additional padding around it, or shipped in a box also with additional padding. If you package something correctly, you should be able to use it as a football and still the item inside will be fine. If it can't withstand that, then you're under-packaging to some degree.
 
I pray to the gaming gods that my W&HN is packed well enough to face off with my raging postal man. It should be in his hands by tomorrow morning. 

[turf]

Bubble mailers are great for dvd cases and cartridge games. Those thing are tough.

That being said, if I ever buy a high dollar NES game from eBay; it better be packed in a small box with plenty of protection.

[scott]

Coming in late. But Whenever I ship something out I always pack it like I'd like to see something arrive for me. That includes tons of packing peanuts and bubble wrap. I don't understand why some folks skimp on the packaging, especially if the item gets damaged then it's a neg on your record.

[atariboy]

Here are some pics of a package that I received with a new homebrew Atari 2600 game. It took about 2 months for me to receive this package and when I did receive it, it was empty. It was retapped closed with no product. Luckily the person sent me another to replace the lost copy and this time it was sent in a box nicely packaged. This package was sent media mail and I tried to file a claim but because it had no insurance they would'nt even look at it. Who it was sent from is crossed out to avoid embarrassment.

[Warmsignal]

Here are some pics of a package that I received with a new homebrew Atari 2600 game. It took about 2 months for me to receive this package and when I did receive it, it was empty. It was retapped closed with no product. Luckily the person sent me another to replace the lost copy and this time it was sent in a box nicely packaged. This package was sent media mail and I tried to file a claim but because it had no insurance they would'nt even look at it. Who it was sent from is crossed out to avoid embarrassment.

You can't send video games via Media Mail, that's for educational literature only and if they think someone is misusing it, they will open it and look at what's in it. They most likely confiscated the game.

[scott]

Yup, I've been burned by media mail a few times. Unfortunately sellers try to pull it all the time for cheap shipping, I'd much rather pay more for a tracking number and first class/priority every time.

[foxhack]

Here are some pics of a package that I received with a new homebrew Atari 2600 game. It took about 2 months for me to receive this package and when I did receive it, it was empty. It was retapped closed with no product. Luckily the person sent me another to replace the lost copy and this time it was sent in a box nicely packaged. This package was sent media mail and I tried to file a claim but because it had no insurance they would'nt even look at it. Who it was sent from is crossed out to avoid embarrassment.

You can't send video games via Media Mail, that's for educational literature only and if they think someone is misusing it, they will open it and look at what's in it. They most likely confiscated the game.

They can't do that.

If it had been inspected then the package would have a stamp that says "Package was inspected", then they'll bump the postage up to Priority Mail and force him to pay any postage due before handing him his package. But the USPS cannot confiscate anything unless it's an illegal item, and even then, they'll get law enforcement involved.

So either someone stole the contents, or the package was so damaged that the cart was pushed out of the envelope. Or it was destroyed by a dumb employee and he tried to hide it.

[Warmsignal]

Here are some pics of a package that I received with a new homebrew Atari 2600 game. It took about 2 months for me to receive this package and when I did receive it, it was empty. It was retapped closed with no product. Luckily the person sent me another to replace the lost copy and this time it was sent in a box nicely packaged. This package was sent media mail and I tried to file a claim but because it had no insurance they would'nt even look at it. Who it was sent from is crossed out to avoid embarrassment.

You can't send video games via Media Mail, that's for educational literature only and if they think someone is misusing it, they will open it and look at what's in it. They most likely confiscated the game.

They can't do that.

If it had been inspected then the package would have a stamp that says "Package was inspected", then they'll bump the postage up to Priority Mail and force him to pay any postage due before handing him his package. But the USPS cannot confiscate anything unless it's an illegal item, and even then, they'll get law enforcement involved.

So either someone stole the contents, or the package was so damaged that the cart was pushed out of the envelope. Or it was destroyed by a dumb employee and he tried to hide it.

Could've been stolen by the person in charge of inspecting it.

[foxhack]

Could've been stolen by the person in charge of inspecting it.

Yes, but since it doesn't have an inspected stamp on it, it was probably opened somewhere else while in transit.

Edit:
Slightly related - I ordered a bunch of Priority Mail supplies and got them today. I ordered a set of 25 flat rate padded envelopes, and you wanna know how they sent them?

They used a box that's about the size of four older Xbox systems stacked together in a 2x2 cube, to send these. The box was ALMOST EMPTY. God. And they wonder why they keep losing money.

[Warmsignal]

Well guys, my copy of Magic Knight Rayearth came today... IN A BUBBLE MAILER. You can imaging how much I paid for this online. I tell the dude to package it extra securely because I have trouble with damaged packages. What does he send it in? An oversized bubble mailer. Not only was the disc rolling around, but the hinge was freshly broken! Nice. I'm pretty disgusted with this.

Guys, avoid dealing with the eBay user "manicmike007" - http://www.ebay.com/usr/manicmike007?_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2754 - Not only does he reject best offers over $2 of asking price, but he also does not listen to packaging care requests and sends expensive fragile items out to surely get broken.

[foxhack]

For someone with so many pricey games for sale, you'd think he'd be more careful about things.

What are you gonna do? Ask for a partial refund or leave a neg?

[burningdoom]

That sucks, but I don't think it was intentional. Sega CD and Saturn cases are NOTORIOUS for easily breaking.

[argyle]

That sucks, but I don't think it was intentional. Sega CD and Saturn cases are NOTORIOUS for easily breaking.

...which is why he should have packed it very securely in a box.  Heck, I won't even ship a disk in its jewel case because I've had too many arrive to me rattling around, I always put the disks in one of those envelopes Gamestop gives me when I buy something used & put that on top of the jewel case.  Then put it tons of padding (bubble wrap, paper, etc.).  THEN to make sure it's well packaged I close the box & shake it to see if it moves around - if it does, more padding.  I don't understand people who won't package things securely.

It's not just individuals tho - I received my Conception II from Best Buy today, also in a bubble mailer.  So who wants to guess what happened to the *cardboard box* the game is in during shipping?  If you guessed "crushed flat", you win!  And I lose!  It's going back to BB tomorrow - I called GS, they have one in store that they're holding for me.  I'll pay more for it, but at least it won't be damaged.