is it rude to politely address packaging concerns with ebay sellers that you know are not "poster people"? ....of course not, but it is a tricky e-mail exchange. phone calls are better since you can inject humor. 3 weeks ago, from a non-poster dealer i got one of those flimsy, thin tubes (containing a rolled B style Stalag 17). my postman saw me and said, "Michael, you're not gonna want to see this." the tube was a bit crushed at one end and very wet at the same end (leak in USPS truck). I GOT LUCKY. since it was a huge tube, the poster shifted to the other side and was not affected. the inside of the tube was wet on the one end only, and the poster did NOT have any plastic bag around it. i have never received a damaged poster. i have received many damaged pieces (non-posters) from france to which a few sellers made adjustment or refunds when i took photographs. paypal never provided me with assistance until i said: either give me the credit or i will call AMERICAN EXPRESS and they will stop payment for me. (AMEX is the best, and payapl truly fears their customer support.) imagine a french dealer sending a delicate item in a pampers box with mininal newspaper insulation----it broke!! however, it is such a fine line to tell someone how to wrap. i once bought 2 tall mirrors (from an old theatre from upstate NY), and told the seller of my concern after i won, and the seller seemed unfriendly about my statement. (the packaging was superb.) but, yes, i received flimsy tubes. i once received an insert in a manila envelope without any surrounding cardboard from a big UK dealer. i got lucky. THE LADY IN THE LAKE was undamaged. as i said, i have seen many bad packages arrive, but never have i received a damaged poster. REMEMBER......GETTING A FULL REFUND FOR A DAMAGED POSTER OR A MIS-DESCRIBED ITEM still causes such disappointment to the buyer. similarly, i never received a bad complaint about my packaging. last week, i sold a poster to a big dealer.....who told me how to wrap (a flat, folded--in quarters--half-sheet). after that we exchanged a few nice emails laughing about bad packaging, because he said he has been burnt. i was not insulted.......but some might be insulted when told how to wrap. I am having an expensive hitchock unfloded half sheet sent to me today. after speaking with the seller on the phone, i have no fear!!!! in fact, he uses a professional packer, and told me he will ship it flat, although i would have no problem with a strong (PVC) tube. HOW CAN YOU DELICATELY TELL A SELLER TO WRAP WELL? michael
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