[ChrisPlatt]

FWIW I have had items damaged in shipping by all major carriers.
In each case seller did not pack adequately; i.e. according to carrier's guidelines.

Chris

[wildlifephotog]

Spoke too soon. The guides for the lens to move in and out during focusing are trashed. They are very small plastic bits. the impact must have sheared them off. The lens totally jammed.
I'll probably never find another affordable one.

[heliphoto]

I'm sorry to hear that - it looks as if your lens may have read your sig...

The goal of life is not to arrive at the grave safely and well maintained; but rather to skid in at full throttle coming to a screeching halt shouting "Holy SH*T, WHAT A RIDE!"

[wildlifephotog]

I'll make some calls about finding parts.

And dream of revenge. LOL

[borno]

That's a shame, I have had better luck here with the PO. my ups guy does a great job, but stuff gets smashed pretty good sometimes before he gets it. I got a 80-200mm f2.8 from keh that was dropped so hard the metal lens cap was jammed into the filter threads and it wouldn't focus. I had a heck of a time getting the cap out and luckily was able to pull and twist and free up the focus.

[Arpe]

I had an MP3 player delivered by courier a few years ago. The package was covered in mud and actually had a boot print on it! The player inside was smashed so bad that the AAA battery was even crushed - gave new meaning to a flat battery! I got a new replacement.

[ChrisPlatt]

As an electronic technician for USPS my primary job is to service mail processing equipment.
In case you were not aware, like letter mail most parcels are now processed by machines.
With this in mind USPS and other shippers have developed guidelines to help your items arrive intact.

In addition to requirements for the shipping box itself, each carrier has these requirements:
FedEx (Express and Home) states fragile items should be double-boxed with 3 inches of cushioning around the smaller box.
UPS guidelines state items must be individually wrapped with a minimum of 2 inches of cushioning material between item and box wall.
USPS states that adequate cushioning material must be used; no specific amount is specified.

In my experience by and large commercial sellers follow these guidelines.
Private parties on the other hand either through ignorance or miserliness often do not.

In the latter case, if item is damaged in transit shipper cannot be held responsible.
And if you don't believe me, just try to collect on an insurance claim!

Chris

[BPT]

In my experience by and large commercial sellers follow these guidelines.
Private parties on the other hand either through ignorance or miserliness often do not.

I would suspect ignorance. I dont think I have ever seen packing guidelines. And the times I have packaged something at the shipping place with their packaging materials nobody has ever said "hey you need to double box that"

[navcom]

In my experience by and large commercial sellers follow these guidelines. Private parties on the other hand either through ignorance or miserliness often do not.

You are right about that. Businesses invest a lot of time determining how to best get their products to their customers, since they will be shipping product over and over again. They hire people specifically to determine packaging requirements. They understand that if the customer keeps getting a broken product, they won't be in business too long.

A private shipper is usually only concerned with cost. And as far as transactions such as Ebay, many sellers do not figure out their true pacakaging costs very well up front...it's an afterthought (unless they actually begin running a business on Ebay). So they end up doing it as cheap and easy as possible. They feel it's almost a waste of time since they are not "making any money" on the packaging. Just get it in the mail and I don't have to worry about it any more.

[heliphoto]

In my experience by and large commercial sellers follow these guidelines.
Private parties on the other hand either through ignorance or miserliness often do not.

My experience lately is the opposite, though admittedly I've only bought lenses lately from the marketplace here or from ebay sellers who sound like they're also photographers. From private sellers, I usually find lenses to be "over packaged" like an F50/1.7 in a 12X12X12 box with three pounds of bubble wrap, whereas Amazon/B&H/Adorama seem to just set the manufacturers lens box on the bottom of their box and throw some of those air filled bags at it (no air bags under the box just kinda beside it in there - like maybe I ordered some air bags too).

[jjdgti]

I agree with Heliphoto. Photo enthusiasts will package the lenses well before sending it to other members. After working for a Package Engineering consultant firm, I learn that the packaging is the most important part of a product, but at the same time the most under appreciated part of the business.
In contrast, after working in the Post Office for a summer in my college days, some carries saw the "Fragile" Label on some boxes and they started to play "trow and catch" game. Bubble wrap and now the air filled bags are a commodity in my workplace.

Memories.

[ChrisPlatt]

...working in the Post Office for a summer in my college days, some carries saw the "Fragile" Label on some boxes and they started to play "trow and catch" game.

Memories.

It's a "different game" now. At the mail processing facility where I work we are always watched.
Anyone caught doing that would be sent home immediately and suspended from work.

Chris