[78-L] eBay Packing Standards

[Roger Wade]

Hi David,

When I see an interesting 78 on ebay from a seller I don't know I first look at his feedback, as you did.  If he has no feedback for transactions involving 78s I just move on, no matter how much I want the record. Like you, too many bad experiences with amateurs.

Myself, I do sell 78s on ebay, not because I love ebay but because no other site has the traffic they do.  Anyone looking at my feedback will see immediately that I have scores of favorable comments about safely packing records for shipment.  There are  quite a few other sellers on ebay who handle 78s in a professional manner.  You just have to find them.  ebay is like a giant worldwide flea market.  Anyone can sell there who pays the fees.  A giant flea market can also have many professional vendors among scores of clueless amateurs.  It seems like you did your homework, read his feedback, and bought the record anyway.  You did not deserve what happened but neither should you have been totally surprised.  

Don't let this experience sour you on ebay completely.  As I said there are plenty of competent dealers in 78s on ebay.  I consider myself to be one of them, but you also have nickjay, Warren Hodgdon (warrensdiscs), Mark Berresford (mr.jelly), John Tefteller (johntefteller), and Tom Kelly (tomkellyarchives) just for starters.

Best regards,

Roger Wade
Really Old Records

http://www.reallyoldrecords.com

http://stores.ebay.com/Really-Old-Records?RefID=store

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Really-Old-Records/113492545338506?ref=search

http://www.amazon.com/shops/reallyoldrecords


On Mar 3, 2012, at 9:52 AM, marimbamoods at comcast.net wrote:

> 
> undoubtably, members of this list are familiar with eBay's 5-Star rating system. eBay feedback includes a specific rating for how fast an item is shipped, but no such rating is included for how well an item, such as a fragile 78 record, is packed. 
> 
> 
> perhaps this encourages sellers to pack items hastily, and without regard for safe packaging, in order to get them in the mail quickly, thus protecting the criterium for which they know they will be rated. it seems to me that eBay should be persuaded to ammend the 5-Star rating criteria to include not only how QUICKLY, but also how WELL, items are packed. 
> 
> 
> i mention this because i received once again yesterday several pieces of shattered shellac that formally constituted Emerson 10182, ca. 1920. by way of preparing this disc for the rigors of the USPS, this eBay seller simply placed the Emerson disc in-between 2 pieces of cardboard that were then taped together. that's it - no box, no padding, just a single layer of cardboard on each side of the disc; slap on the shipping labels, and leave the heavy lifting to Uncle Sam. 
> 
> 
> this seller has 100% positive feedback for more than 100 transactions, however when i made this purchase i noticed that he has little history with 78's. therefore, when i paid for the item i immediately sent the seller a friendly and detailed email explaining the importance of thorough packing of 78's for shipment. i included in that email the following link, detailing precisely how to properly package a 78 for shipment: