Amazon shipping is stupid

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Evadman

Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Feb 18, 2001
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The battery in my truck went bad, so I decided to look around for a replacement optima battery. Unfortunately, everywhere I looked had the wrong group size for my need, but I found that Amazon had it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00075OSC4

So on Dec 11th I ordered one. I got it on the 16th in a box that was 4 times bigger than it should have been. The box was probably 20x24 and it should have been about 14x16. The top of the battery was cracked and a big piece of the protective cover was broken off. The box looked like it had been though hell.

I emailed amazon, and within 20 minutes Amazon was shipping me a new one, and they asked me to dispose of my old one. That was slightly annoying since you can't just toss a battery, you need to bring it to a recycling center. But no big whoop, sometimes things just happen.

I got the replacement on the 22nd. Well, that's not true, I got a box on the 22nd. It was exactly the same size box (huge) but it weighed only a lb or 2. There was obviously nothing in it. One whole side of the box was torn off then put back together with what looked like a full roll of tape. My guess is that someone dropped the box and broke the battery into little pieces, then reassembled the box and put it back in the shipping stream. Probably because it doesn't count as broken if they still ship it or something.

So I email amazon again, and they state 'we usually don't ship empty boxes, sorry about that' and shipped out another. I'm really glad that my current battery is not toally dead or I would be pissed off by now.

So a few minutes ago I got the 3rd battery. the damn thing was STILL in a huge box that would fit 4 batteries, but it wasn't an amazon box. The UPS label was cut off another box (like cut around the label though the cardboard) then tapped onto this box. So it was obvious that whatever box it was originally shipped in was destroyed and this was the replacement. That wouldn't bother me if the battery wasn't broken in the same damn place as the first one I got. I just finished emailing amazon to stop shipping me the stupid battery and just cancel my order.

Cliffs: Don't order $150 batteries from Amazon. They can't package them correctly.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
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The other classic move, and it comes not only from Amazon, but from just about anywhere:
Set the item in the box, then cover it with padding material - you know, because the item couldn't possibly take damage from that one side.


I had ordered 4x 12V 18Ah SLA batteries from a 3rd party, through Amazon. They came in their original shipping boxes, all within one larger box.
The surprise came when I tried lifting one of the smaller boxes out, only to have the bottom of it tear out and send the battery falling about a foot to the floor - fortunately, it was carpeted, and it just made a lot of noise.

I think anything like a battery definitely should get packed in hard foam. Did they use any packing material at all, or were the items inside quite free to move about?
 

scott916

Platinum Member
Mar 2, 2005
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Damn, that's terrible. Amazon or an affiliated retailer that sells through Amazon?
 

Pardus

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2000
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Evadman, 3 shipments and none were correct. I defiinately wouldn't order something that big and heavy from amazon.. they need to ship it by freight, no ups. Hopefully you can find one locally.
 

brblx

Diamond Member
Mar 23, 2009
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amazon has definitely been going down hill.

it's pretty bad when they can't even send you a book that isn't beat to hell.
 

Spineshank

Diamond Member
Jun 8, 2001
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Granted its amazons fault for the packaging but how is it their fault for the damage?
 

AreaCode707

Lifer
Sep 21, 2001
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You know that if you go under your account you can provide feedback specifically on packaging, right?
 

Evadman

Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Feb 18, 2001
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I think anything like a battery definitely should get packed in hard foam. Did they use any packing material at all, or were the items inside quite free to move about?
There was some craft paper in the box, but nowhere near enough. If they were going to use craft paper, they needed about 9 times more in order to fill the box.

Some kind of foam/plastic shipping container wold have been perfect as someone mentioned. That would add cost, but it is better than 3 mistakes. Assuming the middle box actually left amazon with a battery, this cost amazon $465 in product alone not to mention my pissed-offedness. Granted I am not a 'normal' customer and understand that sh!t happens sometimes, but 3 times is just too many. I will not be buying another battery from them until they have a specific plan to ship batteries. A plastic clamshell shipper type packing material would only cost a dollar or 2 in bulk. I can have one made in a prototyping facility for about $20, just imagine what it would be if amazon used their purchasing power to do it. Or went all wal-mart and forced the OEM's to do it.

Damn, that's terrible. Amazon or an affiliated retailer that sells through Amazon?
Amazon itself.

Granted its amazons fault for the packaging but how is it their fault for the damage?
They shipped it, it is their fault. If it happens 3 times, there is something wrong with the packaging. It is also my opinion that the seller must get the product to the buyer undamaged, no mater what. That is the rule in FS/FT and it is how I pack all my things. Besides, the shipper is the one that would need to file with UPS anyway on damage. I bet dollars to donuts that amazon has a bulk deal with ups that does not allow damage claims anyway.

You know that if you go under your account you can provide feedback specifically on packaging, right?
Yep, and I did so that they can hopefully stop from breaking the next one someone buys.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
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There was some craft paper in the box, but nowhere near enough. If they were going to use craft paper, they needed about 9 times more in order to fill the box.
Wow, that's sad.
A big reason I can see for using hard foam is in the probable event that the box gets dropped.
First the outer box hits the ground, then the battery's box smashes into the other box, possibly with the effect of punching through it if it hits on a corner.
With hard foam, the two boxes are kept together better, and the forces of impact are distributed more evenly.


They shipped it, it is their fault. If it happens 3 times, there is something wrong with the packaging. It is also my opinion that the seller must get the product to the buyer undamaged, no mater what. That is the rule in FS/FT and it is how I pack all my things. Besides, the shipper is the one that would need to file with UPS anyway on damage. I bet dollars to donuts that amazon has a bulk deal with ups that does not allow damage claims anyway.
That's my take too. I once sold a bunch of solar cells, and I went to great lengths to ensure that they would survive shipping.
Each cell got wrapped with sheets of soft foam, which were then stacked in groups of 10. Each group was then encased in soft styrofoam and lightly wrapped to keep them together. Each of these bundles was then wrapped in large bubble wrap, and all of these were then padded with a good amount of packing peanuts.
The buyers reported no damage upon receipt. :)

If you're going to sell something with no way to get it to your customers intact, well, that's a pretty damned stupid way of (trying to) do business. If you know a package is going to be abused in transit, then it's the seller's responsibility to take reasonable measures to ensure that the product will survive the trip.
(Obviously you can't package it to withstand stuff like train derailments, fires, getting crushed by a full pallet, etc. But a drop by a worker moving as fast as he can tolerate? Yes, it should be able to withstand that.)
 

nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
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I've been using Amazon since they only sold books and I can't say I've ever had any major problems with their shipping :(
 

cbrsurfr

Golden Member
Jul 15, 2000
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Who buys a car battery from amazon? I'll admit I've spent probably 10K there this year, but I've never considered a car battery (and I recently bought one from a B&M). There are some things that just shouldn't be ordered online, a car battery is one of them.
 

theflyingpig

Banned
Mar 9, 2008
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Who buys a car battery from amazon? I'll admit I've spent probably 10K there this year, but I've never considered a car battery (and I recently bought one from a B&M). There are some things that just shouldn't be ordered online, a car battery is one of them.

What are some other things that shouldn't be ordered online, cbrsurfr? Please, tell me. I must know.
 
Oct 27, 2007
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Who buys a car battery from amazon? I'll admit I've spent probably 10K there this year, but I've never considered a car battery (and I recently bought one from a B&M). There are some things that just shouldn't be ordered online, a car battery is one of them.
Agreed, it's something I'd never consider buying online. You're asking for trouble with shipping. Did it cost a small fortune to ship? (I'm not excusing Amazon, obviously they screwed up here).
 

Evadman

Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Feb 18, 2001
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There are some things that just shouldn't be ordered online, a car battery is one of them.

Why? It isn't like I ordered it from batteriesRus or something, I ordered it from one of the largest retailers on the face of the earth. And how do you think batteries get to a B&M store? On the back of magical pixie fairies that will never drop it?

The only things I wouldn't buy online are things that you need to see in person to buy. Like say, a lady of the night. A battery is the same no matter the retailer.

Did it cost a small fortune to ship?

It cost $0 to ship.
 
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