face it boys & girls...ALL of the delivery systems have issues....no single one of them is flawless. Because of that and the cost and rarity of classic parts. it is an imperative that you purchase an appropriate level of insurance typically twice the selling value. Also, often times the buyer is paying for shipping, so stop with the "el cheapo" packing and boxing. Put some thought into it, NO LESS thought than you would expect if you were receiving that part.
I deliberately go way overboard, bubble wrap, solid Styrofoam pieces, stryo peanuts and typically MORE than ONE box. I have had very good luck with the BOX in A BOX method.
Every part is bubble wrapped, then set into a box and packed with solid styro all the way around the part the spaces are then filled in with styro peanuts and the box is then taped closed. the next step is to place that box inside of another larger box, and the first box is treated almost like a part. I forego the bubble wrap on the inner box and just use solid stryo and peanuts to fill the second box to almost a solid condition. I affix no less than 8 fragile stickers, my shipping label, with return address in two spots on the box. the outside box is then completely taped closed along every seam and every open fold.
I have not had a single part damaged in shipment and I have never had a part lost in shipment. depending on the part, that determines how it will be shipped and with which shipper.
If I spend over $100 on a classic part ( which is very easy to do)I expect that the seller will use his best judgement when packaging my part for shipment. The reason I go so far overboard is because I have learned that many sellers consider the part as yours and therefore it has little value to them because they have already been paid. I have received some very expensive parts in a plain USPS light cardboard box!!! I have received parts in pieces and smashed...I purchased a set of rallye wheels, I requested very strongly that the seller go to a tire store and ask for wheel boxes. most tire stores have them and they are for the asking... this idiot put a cardboard cutout like a pizza round on either side of the wheel and wrapped them in clingfilm!!!! when I went to the post office to pick them up...the Postman handed me 4 spent clingwrap bags with round cardboard in them and labels on them...NO WHEELS!!!
The ***** of it all was ...the seller/shipper bought the insurance, never returned a dime to me and collected the insurance on the lost parts and kept the money...so for his irresponsible inconsiderate packaging he was paid twice!!! I have begun to ask that the insurance be put into my name, since I am paying for it!!! that way if my just purchased parts fall off the truck, I am reimbursed for MY loss. Most honest reputable sellers will not have any issues with putting the insurance in your name and sending you the receipt in first class mail....it is a simple and reasonable request.
so far this has been a fail-safe method of shipping for me. with very positive results using ANY of the shippers available
