About how to package stuff (international traders must read)

joaocunha

New member
Greetings, everybody!

I don't know if this section is appropriated to post but I would like to relate an experience I had recently, buying a pair of speakers at the trading post here.

Before we continue: the seller is a great guy and I'm not unvouching him or anything like that. We both are trying to find a way to repair the problem.

That being said, let's move on.

I bought a pair of 12" Eminence Lady Luck Speakers in past december, which arrived early january. I was waiting for them to handcraft a 2x12 cabinet following some top notch brand specs, so I was really anxious.

The seller told me the following:

Speakers are on the way! Tracking number is: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Let me know when you get them. I tied them together at the frames so they face each other so the cones are protected from outside bumps.

With a big smile, I just sit down and wait. When the package arrived, I had a terrible surprise as it was completely crushed, as if it had been brought by feet by giant gorilla football players.

Actually, I saw this:
4.jpg


When I opened the package, I got this:
7.jpg


"A nice pair of Eminences", you say. No, not really. This is a closer look at the one at right:
3.jpg


"WTF?!", you say. Well, actually we both said that. "But the speakers were tied together at the frames!", you say now. Yes, indeed. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of it, but the nylon ties have been CUTTED off, probably by customs personnel. Besides that, all the plastic air bags burst:
5.jpg


In the meanwhile, I bought a 12" Black Shadow speaker from another forum too, so I was praying to all sort of gods out there to ease the shipping this time. Thanks to Odin, I think, it worked.

What you are about to see now is how this speaker got packaged. Please compare both ways of packaging and the obvious result.

Nice little chimps brought it here this time:
DSC00162.JPG


Box-inside-box package, with two empty UPS plastic bubble envelopes protecting the top.
DSC00164.JPG


Pieces of styrofoam fulfilling the gap between the boxes.
DSC00165.JPG


The speaker, fine and dandy.
DSC00166.JPG


So I think we learned some simple lessons here.

1- Pack your stuff in a way customs can open it, view it, review it and finally close it again, without changing the "schema" of your packaging. The easier, the better.
2- Don't expect Customs personnel to retie anything. ANYTHING.
3- Plastic air bags aren't enough. I would recommend two different boxes with a little difference of diameter, one inside another, with the gap fulfilled with styrofoam pieces.

Sorry about any grammar mistake, english is my second language. I hope everybody can learn a little and probably get afraid a little too of sending heavy stuff overseas.

Cheers,
João Cunha
http://www.joaocunha.eti.br/
 
Re: About how to package stuff (international traders must read)

For those who are wondering how this can be fixed, I'll probably do a recone here. I'm also trying to have a reimburse from my local post office.
 
Re: About how to package stuff (international traders must read)

Bummer man. Good luck with everything and thanks for the tips.:)
 
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Re: About how to package stuff (international traders must read)

My condolences on your problems, but I feel they may have been avoidable with a bit of thought invested into what the parcel was about to go through. Please allow me to elaborate...

Tip for everyone, and one of the main reasons these speakers were damaged: Do not EVER create an enclosed space that cannot be completely viewed from the outside. Customs agents are obligated by law to cut open thusly packed parcels and search the enclosure for contraband. If they cannot see into an area of the parcel not filled by solid merchandise, they have no choice but to cut it open, using brute force if necessary. In the same tone, do not ship anything "locked", as that´s asking for the lock to be broken by customs ;)

TBH my first thought as a customs agent seeing those speakers tied together would have been "How much weed do you suppose fits in that space? Let´s find out!" ;)
 
Re: About how to package stuff (international traders must read)

This is actually a good post. Sending it to the top so more people will see it.
Pack your stuff carefully (and choose your carriers wisely ;) )
 
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