Does marking packages "fragile" encourage abuse?

[Sharkey]

In the years of buying/selling on ebay, I began to notice a trend on an anecdotal basis. When I received packages that had been marked "fragile" by the sender, they seemed to have incurred a much greater amount of beating in transit than packages that I received that were not marked "fragile" by the sender. I don't know if it actually encourages abuse by frustrated employees ("Huh huh, Hey Beavis, watch me drop kick this "fragile" package across the room, huh-huh") or if it was an odd coincidence, but it happened repeatedly on enough occasion for me to believe there is a correlation.

 

Am I completely paranoid and crazy? Or have others ever noticed the same thing? Should I perform a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial?

 

For the record, although I insure the packages I send, I do not have them marked "fragile." I have had a grand total of 2 complaints of damage after more than 800 ebay transactions and countless web sales. Am I lucky or does anyone think there can be a cause-and-efffect relationship? I don't want to be slamming USPS employees because I'm sure they are honest and hard-working. But all it takes is one disgruntled staffer to trash a box and damage a prized comic.

[ericc123]

From my past expierence I'd say you're on to something. Not saying the post office is dishonest but marking something "fragile" or "do not bend" is sort of the forbidden fruit is it not?

[whetteon]

I'd love to see someone run a controlled trial and report the findings. You would mail 24 pacakges with 12 marked fragile to various forum memebers and gauge the results.

[october]

Do you think it matters who marks it? I have had the Post Office stamp "fragile" for me, and I think that might not draw as much intentional damage as a package with it written by hand.

[the blob]

mm, i know that when i get stuff marked "do not bend", our mail carrier does not try to shove it in the too small mail box. but if it isn't marked, he does his best to cram it in there.

 

of course, this is just the guy who delivers it and he does get holiday gifts, etc., so he has some incentive not to demolish our mail. maybe i'm going to give him a labor day gift now... can't say what the thousands of others in transit do.

[icefires]

A co-worker used to work for UPS, and he tells me that where he worked, packages marked "Fragile" were definitely abused more than unmarked packages. Scary.

[Hobgoblin]

I had 3 friends in college who worked for the UPS hub in Oklahoma City. They always told me stories of boxes being tossed around carelessly and hearing things shatter, regardless of what was written on the package.

 

[Aces]

Does marking packages "fragile" encourage abuse?

 

I hope not!

 

I just mailed a $150 package stamped fragile four times!

Twice by me and twice buy the PO.

 

My local guys and gals have been top notch (98% of the time).

 

I just worry when it gets to those regional distribution outlets...

[THE_BEYONDER]

I never mark packages as "fragile".

 

Why?

 

The same reason I do not ask fast food employees to not spit in my food.

[ComicSupply]

[toro]

I had 3 friends in college who worked for the UPS hub in Oklahoma City. They always told me stories of boxes being tossed around carelessly and hearing things shatter, regardless of what was written on the package.

 

 

Going back a few years when Gateway was the leader in the PC market, I had a friend who worked at UPS part time. They hated those freakin "Cow Boxes" and all they would do is throw them as hard as they could, he said you would hear many a monitor breaking.

 

I use the US postal service and most times I hand mark fragile on the box. I've heard from some postal employees that if you don't have fragile marked on it in some manner you will have a harder time collecting any insurance on a breakable item when it does break.

[Silver Surfer]

I had 3 friends in college who worked for the UPS hub in Oklahoma City. They always told me stories of boxes being tossed around carelessly and hearing things shatter, regardless of what was written on the package.

 

 

Going back a few years when Gateway was the leader in the PC market, I had a friend who worked at UPS part time. They hated those freakin "Cow Boxes" and all they would do is throw them as hard as they could, he said you would hear many a monitor breaking.

 

 

I use the US postal service and most times I hand mark fragile on the box. I've heard from some postal employees that if you don't have fragile marked on it in some manner you will have a harder time collecting any insurance on a breakable item when it does break.

 

Find that hard to believe especially if you purchased insurance. Perhaps they should have denied you coverage until your package was inspected before they take your money?

[wormboy]

I worked for UPS unloading trucks for a summer during college.

 

Packages marked 'Fragile' were stomped and kicked for fun, especially when people wrote it all over the package in bright colors. The more times it was written, the more abuse the package received.

[divad]

Never ever, mark a package "Fragile" or "Do Not Bend", for all of the above stated reasons.

[Dmac538]

I always put fragile on the boxes i send out, and only once had an item damaged once. I actually have the post office stamp the back of the box, as most people don't do this as well. The key to anything shipped is sturdiness, i wrap all CGC books in hard cardboard, then fill with packing material. If you read my feedback on Ebay, everyone is happy with my shipping.

[Sharkey]

I worked for UPS unloading trucks for a summer during college.

 

Packages marked 'Fragile' were stomped and kicked for fun, especially when people wrote it all over the package in bright colors. The more times it was written, the more abuse the package received.

 

Yow. Consider my suspicions confirmed.

[Wally's Comics]

I never mark packages as "fragile".

 

Why?

 

The same reason I do not ask fast food employees to not spit in my food.

 

 

 

but just think of all those nummy nutrients you are missing out on.

 

 

[mrwoogieman]

One more packaging tip courtesy of my current postal clerk: Only put the address on ONE side of the box. If the address is on more than one side, the parcel may not be delivered because no postage is visible on that side! Rather than risking this, force the postal employees TURN THE BOX OVER themselves to find the address and proper postage. Don't give postal employees any credit that they will turn your parcel around and look for postage on another side!

 

A tip that was relayed to me after I brought in a parcel that my wife had addressed on four different sides of the box.