Amazon shipping music box sets without a cardboard box!

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by strat95, Nov 12, 2018.

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  1. Romerovm

    Romerovm Forum Resident

    Location:
    Birmingham, AL
    Do you mind sharing the alternative sellers?
     
  2. eelkiller

    eelkiller One of the great unwashed

    Location:
    Northern Ontario
    It is a bit ironic but people were complaining about the packaging of items by Super D and lately I have been buying box sets through one of their store fronts and the packaging has been very good, better than Amazon IMO.
     
  3. stillrockin

    stillrockin Forum Resident

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    I used What Records for the Beatles set ( and Pepper too) and they provided a superb service. Although they specialize in vinyl they seem to do cd sets as well.

    I found the Hendrix Ladyland cheapest on Base.com. I have used them several times and they have always provided excellent service.

    I know that you are not in the UK but for anyone else reading this HMV frequently compete with the Amazon price on routine items. So there are ( limited) alternatives out there, at least within Europe.
     
    Romerovm and eelkiller like this.
  4. strat95

    strat95 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    Thanks for sharing What Records and Base.com. Do they ship worldwide?
     
  5. I'd largely agree. The Super D affiliates have been packing better than Amazon if you make a large order or box set.
     
    SJP likes this.
  6. stillrockin

    stillrockin Forum Resident

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    I think that What Records will ship worldwide but it might depend on the cost of the courier on top of the cost of the product(s) whether it is worth it. In the UK they have a maximum charge no matter how many boxes or slabs of vinyl you buy. An email to them would probably get an international buyer the answer.

    Base is more of a corporate type company and I would therefore be surprised if they did not ship worldwide.
     
  7. Jimmy B.

    Jimmy B. .

    Location:
    .
    I ordered the Dylan box set More Blood, More Tracks and it was sent in a manila padded envelope, damaged; I called up and complained and got a second one the same day sent the same way, also damaged;
    when I called the third time the guy there "pulled the Andon cord" and it was shipped two days later in a cardboard thing, finally protecting it - luckily - they should have used this thing called a BOX.
    I got nothing back BTW for my hassle of having to return this large item TWICE to them.

    One time they shipped me an LP/CD set in a 18 inch by 14 inch (app.) box, with nothing to protect it from moving around in it - some person threw it some of those plastic bubble things that do nothing. It too, was damaged.

    It's really not worth ordering from them esp. with large items. If a Blu-ray or single CD there's still a chance of damage in those stupid white mailers they use, and when you spend over $100 on something, something that requires greater protection, they still could not give a...
     
    PhantomStranger, Dave and George P like this.
  8. strat95

    strat95 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    Thanks for the info. They had a great deal on the Led Zeppelin Houses Of The Holy for 50 UK pounds. They wanted 45 UK pounds for shipping! Too bad as that was a very good price. I will keep them on my radar.
     
  9. strat95

    strat95 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    Jimmy B, you are describing my experience step by step. I just received the replacement to the Hendrix box, also shipped in bubble wrap envelope for the second time and it is damaged, so it's going back too!

    Customer service (in the Caribbean) assured me it would be shipped in a box. No different than Amazon.co.uk said. Of course both times they did not follow through.

    And it is a hassle as you say to have to send these items back.

    I hesitate to order from them. There was a fantastic deal on Amazon.com for the Dylan Trouble No More Deluxe set. I hesitated to order. A friend placed the order that lives in the USA, we'll see how it ships to him.

    What is the "Andon cord" and how can I get that kind of service?
     
  10. strat95

    strat95 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    PhantomStranger, who are some of the Super D affiliates?
     
  11. TeacFan

    TeacFan Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    Arcadia, Ca.
    Just got delivery on the Love 40th Ann set boxed w/overstuffed air pillows for support of the cardboard sealed shipper.
    fwiw..delivered by two (!) Amazon.com cuties.
     
    George P likes this.
  12. strat95

    strat95 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    Well then, I'm moving to Acadia, CA!
     
  13. Jimmy B.

    Jimmy B. .

    Location:
    .
    Oh, pulling the Andon cord means them stopping the way something is packaged on the assembly line before it's shipped and correcting it. They supposedly can do that after a second foul-up with the shipping. It was the first time I ever heard the term myself.

    I'm sorry you've went through so much with them. I find them a royal pain in the *** too often to order from them anymore. I cancelled my last pre-ordered item, the 3 CD version of The White Album, as they didn't ship it til before midnight the night before and it said "delivery by 11 p.m." and I just snapped and cancelled delivery. Today I had to decide, okay, do I renew prime - ha, what a term - or do I buy elsewhere for that and one other item - I ordered elsewhere.
    I've had many times where I was "guaranteed" delivery to my door at my apartment on a certain day (this happened a lot Sunday as the main office closes and the packages go to a Hub/locker through them)
    but they didn't deliver it - in fact, Amazon would ALWAYS give the same BS about how it's in my notes to leave it by my door and they would make sure the carrier knows this and not ONCE did the carrier deliver it to me anymore.
    I had more than a few carriers LIE and say that they didn't have the "code" to my building's entrance - there IS NONE!

    It's not a big deal except when you expect it one day and have to get it the next - but the real annoyance is their so-called "word" on things, and their LYING; it's just rubbish they tell the customer.
    I wish they'd go out of business one day. They were once good, now they're awful.
    And yes it is a hassle to have to return things (I always reuse the envelope it came in, using a lot of packing tape thanks to them...I don't keep extra boxes or padded envelopes figuring to have to do that **** myself.)

    I hope your third Hendrix set arrives okay.
     
    Last edited: Nov 14, 2018
  14. strat95

    strat95 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto

    Jimmy B, thanks for sharing that. I'm really starting to rethink supporting amazon anymore.

    Sorry to hear your amazon experience has taken a nosedive. I would think as a prime member you would get a bit more attention?

    I spent over 30 minutes on the phone with an amazon agent (located in India this time). He was very nice and he is just doing the job he is told to do. He told me that I could send the item back but they can not send me another replacement. I told them this is entirely their fault for not putting it in a box to begin with. He put me on hold, likely to speak to his manager, and they are sending a third item. Notes have been added that the customer would like it shipped in a box. However, they still cannot guarantee that it will. I told them if that is the case, then their system is broken. He explained that the logistics team makes the decision on what type of packaging to use based on the type of product being shipped. He gave the example of an order for a DVD and said that would not be shipped in a box.

    I explained to him that a DVD comes in pretty much an indestructible plastic case so the bubble mailer is a reasonable choice, but the Hendrix box set is like a nice book with discs inside, very easy to be damaged, and proceeded to tell him the logistics team is making decisions strictly for profit knowing that likely a limited number of customers will return damaged goods, all for the sake of packaging and shipping items out the door more quickly and for increased profitability.

    I was very polite the whole way through. Their agents I'm sure hear a lot of crap. We ended up having a bit of a nice conversation afterwards.

    So perhaps I did not get the "Andon cord", or maybe I did?! Only time will tell. :^)
     
    George P likes this.
  15. Deepdiscount, ImportCDs, Collector's Choice, BlowitOutaHere, etc. While not a Super D company, I've heard Bullmoose packages very well.
     
    eelkiller likes this.
  16. ashlee5

    ashlee5 Senior Member

    I received the Nazareth big box from Amazon UK in the plastic mailer bag. It was damaged on the outside and inside (corner crushes) and I ended up settling for a half-price refund because returning that heavy box from Korea to UK was not reasonable.

    :wave:
     
  17. strat95

    strat95 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    PhantomStranger, thanks for the list, I will definitely check them all out.
     
  18. strat95

    strat95 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto

    To put such a large box set in a plastic mailer bag is flat out wrong. Hearing these experiences pisses me off even more and hesitate to order from amazon again. They were not willing to have you ship back the item and they pay for it? The damage after all was caused by their negligence.
     
    ashlee5 and George P like this.
  19. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I completely agree! We should start a thread compiling all of the sellers that actually do package their shipments carefully.
     
    strat95 likes this.
  20. Moving to an Amazon free world here in Australia I have found JPC.de pack well.
     
    Jimmy Agates and E.Baba like this.
  21. SJP

    SJP Forum Resident

    Location:
    Anaheim
    I'll add that the affiliates used to ship single vinyl purchases in that flimsy corrugated cardboard packaging. They still do but add a sturdy layer of regular cardboard inside which helps tremendously. Just received the David Sylvian "Dead Bees On A Cake" expanded vinyl reissue yesterday and it came through in such packaging flawlessly. They should be commended for adjusting as I'm sure they got an earful from their customers.
     
  22. strat95

    strat95 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    Nice to hear Alan57 and SJP. Been looking at JPC the last few days. May place the order on a couple Dylan box sets.
     
  23. strat95

    strat95 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    It turns out I finally got an undamaged Hendrix Electric Ladyland Deluxe set from amazon.ca. It only took 3 tries and the third that was not damaged was also just shipped in the same bubble envelope as the first 2 tries.

    Still disappointing after 2 tries and a request to ship in a box that they did not, and makes me second guess ordering from amazon even if prices tend to be better.

    Also found MusicVaultz here in Canada and they ship worldwide. Free shipping on orders over $50 (domestic I guess). They don't have a huge selection but they do seem to have recent box sets. I may give them a try to see how well they pack their products.
     
  24. KevinG

    KevinG Well-Known Member

    Location:
    The Woodlands, TX
    Amazon is getting lazy with their packaging
     
  25. strat95

    strat95 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    More shipping woes from Amazon! Really hoped that this would not happen again.

    Shown below, ordered Dylan's Bootleg Series 10 and 11 along with 1966 Live Box Set. Purchased from amazon.de and shipped to Canada. They had a great 3 for 2 deal so could not resist. However the lack of proper packaging and protection means the product is damaged.

    As you can see, the 2 bootleg series were put in a large box right at the edge with no protection. Only some paper was crumpled loosely in the rest of the box.

    Total box weight is 10 pounds.

    [​IMG]

    Live 1966 was in its own box with large bubble wrap, excellent packaging on that one, no damage.
    [​IMG]

    Any guesses where the damage happened?

    Based on the view of the open box above:
    Here is the top right corner at the bottom of the box.

    Here is the top right corner with box on its side to see the bottom of the box.
    [​IMG]

    Here is the top right corner at the bottom of the box.
    [​IMG]


    con't on next post
     
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