How bad is this? Shipping damage

[Brian48]

Won a book that looked like a really strong 9.0-9.2 with W pages. Came in today, but it was shipped in just a plain USPS shipping envelope with two pieces of cardboard. Needless to say, the envelope got folded in the shipping process.

 

The rest of the book still looks to be 9.0 worth, but the spine is definitely damaged. How bad does this reduce the grade (assuming the it would be a 9.0 otherwise)?

 

http://www.angelfire.com/ct2/Jarhead/bats255/bats255.htm

 

Can't believe this has happened to me again. I had another high-grade book a few months ago that got messed up because of shodding packing. I wouldn't have minded if it was lower grade book, but this really sucks.

 

[joeypost]

The front cover damage looks like it breaks color (or a tear). If it is a tear, it will be hit at least 2 grades, maybe more. Back cover damage can be greatly reduced or eliminated.

[Brian48]

I can't see daylight through it, but it looks like a tear to me as well. At least a really deep crease with as I can see loose fibers. It was only minor damage, I consider just living with it, but this really sucks.

[The Kaptain]

If you bought it on Ebay, file an Ebay Buyer Protection or a Paypal claim as the item is "significantly not as described".

[gradejunky]

I ship like that in a priority envelope all the time, but I at least use whole pieces of board with bubble wrap. I then write fragile/do not bend all over it. You would be hard pressed to fold my packages like that, though, sometimes I feel that writing those warnings on my packages is just an invitation for an overworked/disgruntled postal employee to do just the opposite.

 

BC can be pressed no prob. The FC possible tear is pretty long and so grade after pressing could be about an 8.5 maybe???

[MJSsales-migration]

how thick is that cardboard??

[gradejunky]

how thick is that cardboard??

 

You asking me or the OP???

[joeypost]

how thick is that cardboard??

 

Not thick enough.

[Bomber-Bob]

Just curious what you paid for shipping. Did you have an option of a box ?

In any case, I feel your pain. It indeed sucks. This is such a preventable incident.

The front cover definitely looks like a tear. With the tear I think we are talking max 7.5 in CGC language.

[gradejunky]

how thick is that cardboard??

 

Not thick enough.

 

Indeed, and it looks like it was already used once maybe

[porky]

return it for damage due to lousy packaging or get a partial refund to reflect its current grade.

[vaillant]

Besides the thickness, it would have been enough to use that kind of cardboard rotated 90°. In such a way, some bending would have hardly damaged the book.

 

I am constantly amazed to see how people barely think when they are shipping comics, and this goes especially for valuable comics and/or higher grade copies.

I mean, it’s not a worn reader copy, c'mon, and I guess the seller is a person which knows the value of comic books, right?

 

Bah.

[burntboy]

Interesting that this gets brought up now.

 

I've purchased a number of Comic Mags in the past month and hey have virtually all been shipped like this one was. Book gets bagged and boarded and then taped between two decently thick pieces of cardboard.

 

Since we're only talking about Mags in the $10-$40 range and the shipping costs have all been quite reasonable, i figured this was pretty much SOP.

 

I have had at least two of these packages get bent a bit, but in niether case was the book damaged. It seems like kind of a -shoot to me...

 

Sorry to see this one got damaged - I'm thinking that front crease could pull the book down into the 7.0 - 8.0 range depending on just how bad it is in hand...

 

[vaillant]

There is also cardboard and cardboard, even the kind used there have varieties which are more or less stiff, and less prone to bend.

[Lost]

I absolutely hate the cardboard packing method. I wish this would stop being the standard just because the big boys do it. It's annoying to unwrap, and not that safe.

 

Comics should be shipped in a box.

[vaillant]

Shipping in a box could be the perfect solution for US inland shipping.

It generally kills pretty much any not so expensive purchase if you have to buy from abroad.

 

I do not pack that way because "the big boys do so", but just because I find it safe, light, convenient and cleaner. There is nothing unsafe about it, if you do it properly. And I do it properly and I am annoyed at the same level if I receive a shipment either boxed or cardboard packed, if it is done badly. It just depends on the care you put into it.

[thehumantorch]

Shipping in a box could be the perfect solution for US inland shipping.

It generally kills pretty much any not so expensive purchase if you have to buy from abroad.

 

I do not pack that way because "the big boys do so", but just because I find it safe, light, convenient and cleaner. There is nothing unsafe about it, if you do it properly. And I do it properly and I am annoyed at the same level if I receive a shipment either boxed or cardboard packed, if it is done badly. It just depends on the care you put into it.

 

For quality books cardboard is unsuitable. For cheaper books I often ask the seller to ship between cardboard as I know I will save more in postage than I will lose in damaged books. Postage is getting awful steep.

[The Kaptain]

Shipping in a box could be the perfect solution for US inland shipping.

It generally kills pretty much any not so expensive purchase if you have to buy from abroad.

 

I do not pack that way because "the big boys do so", but just because I find it safe, light, convenient and cleaner. There is nothing unsafe about it, if you do it properly. And I do it properly and I am annoyed at the same level if I receive a shipment either boxed or cardboard packed, if it is done badly. It just depends on the care you put into it.

 

I have never shipped internationally (except to Canada, which really doesn't count).

 

However, to say that shipping a comic in a box (assuming it is well-padded inside) is less safe than shipping it between two pieces of cardboard in an envelope, does not seem to make any logical sense to me.

 

I don't see why the safety of the shipping method would change if you ship overseas versus shipping within the US.

[vaillant]

You are not getting my point: it all depends on how the packaging is structured.

Of course, a simple combination of two pieces of cardboard within an envelope could be risky, but I generally use a multiple combination of cardboard layers, and the result is entirely unbendable, as much as a box.

 

For certain situations (i.e. just a pair of books) I also consider a well-conceived cardboard packaging more safe than books which may still be loose within a stuffed box, if you don’t do it properly.

 

I was just suggesting that "big" or "bulkier" does not necessary mean better. The important is that the package should not be bendable, and protected from any kind of bumps.

[vaillant]

However, to say that shipping a comic in a box (assuming it is well-padded inside) is less safe than shipping it between two pieces of cardboard in an envelope, does not seem to make any logical sense to me.

 

And in fact that’s NOT what I said, if you read what I have written.

 

Lost generically said that he "hates the cardboard packing method".

I just pointed out that you can pack a billion different ways using cardboard.

 

For a few books, some of them are not just less expensive, but as much as secure as a box. And they are less bound to get bumped, as when boxes are thrown they are more bound to get damaged than a slimmer pack.