You got to love USPS

[Tim Babcock]

I have no idea how they did this but as usual USPS can screw up most anything. The cage was removed for shipping so it is OK but it sure did a number on the blade.

[Michael Rathberger]

Only the cage was removed? If so, makes zero sense. Usually both the blade and cage are removed, except for Steve's method, and the blade is wrapped and put inside the cage for additional protection. Whoever shipped that did it all kinds of wrong...

[Tim Babcock]

Its a forum member but no names as it just causes problems. I have a PM to him.

[Michael Rathberger]

No worries, didn't know, but it is not usps's fault entirely....

[Paul Michael]

Unless the box was clearly severely damaged from the OUTSIDE, it is 100% NOT USPS fault. EXPECT ALL BOXES to be dropped AT LEAST 5'. That is how the automated machinery works. 

@Tim Babcock, please show box pics, and packing BEOFRE opening, undoing, or this post is meaningless. I take detailed pics with EVERY package. THAT is best practice  for ANY received packages, and critical for fans.

[Michael Rathberger]

I only take pics if it looks like crappy packing. The last big item I bought off eBay was a bulb heater. It was pretty minty. I took a look at the box and thought uh oh. Out came the camera. Anyway, a leg was broken off but the bulbs arrived unscathed. I cut a deal for just the bulbs and kept it.

In this instance Tim posted, a blind man can see the fan was floating around the box. It would have had a better chance with the cage on it. I still can't get over it was removed and the blade left on with no protection. Such a simple step to put inside cage.

[Steve Stephens]

I have a special and nearly bulletproof way to pack fans including 16" cast iron models, cast iron typewriters, and cast iron cookware.  Each item gets packed indifidually in different ways that provides padding, item secured so it can't move and anything else to make sure it gets there undamaged.   In over 100 items I have not had breakage  I mostly use new boxes along with scavenged packing materials from wherever I can get them.  I almost always have used Fed Ex Ground to ship by.   Strapping a fan to a plywood or thick styrofoam backing then using filament tape to secure the fan to the "backboard" keeps the item from moving.  The vertical pieces of styrofoam in the corners of the box keep the fan on its board tight to the bottom of the box.  Then misc. packing material is gently crammed into the spaces in the box.   All box seams are carefully taped using 3M 2" wide packing tape and a few pieces of tape securely wrapped about the middle of the box.   This works for me and for the buyer.   Here is an example of an Emerson 21646 being packed.   

Possibly most damage to the item can be blamed on the packer as they should be well aware of the forces against the packed item and the NEED to pack for survival when shipping by Postal, UPS, and Fed Ex.   I have had not claims on my packing since I have been shipping fans as well as nothing broken or cracked.

Michael, is this the "Steve's Method" you mentioned?   I will add that I rarely remove the blade and cage although, sometimes, it's an advantage to remove them.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Steve Stephens
add more info

[George Durbin]

I take detailed pics of the packing and box before the fan is shipped... Any carrier this time of year just don't take care of this stuff properly... I have not had any problems in a few year no matter the carrier...

[Tim Babcock]

When I sell a fan and it has to be shipped its usually off of Etsy. I use their third party insurance and they have paid every time I put in a claim. USPS is just garbage. They are the opposite they deny almost every claim. The Government could mess up a great dream. Anything they touch turns to Bull crap.

[Steven P Dempsey]

I Managed to repair & Fix , , , , , 

[Steven P Dempsey]

so many damaged fans , , , , 

[Bill Dunlap]

Bashing the delivery service is a favorite pastime for some, but's it a reality we have to live with. Adapt or die. Anyway, I've had relatively good luck with USPS once I figured out how badly packages are abused and what to do about it. From time to time, still get some damage despite best efforts. But the reality is that there is no better alternative, especially for me as the other carriers are three time the expense for the same service and same abuse. Pack with a technique so that it could experience a severe drop and then good luck with insurance if it gets damaged. They bend over backwards to make it difficult to make a claim.

[Michael Rathberger]

It is Steve Stephens. Your packaging always reminded me of the original packaging, keep it stable so it can't move, that will give the best chance of survival. Even the little barcols followed that method with their original packaging. Next to your packing I think Chad's is really good as well. 

 

[Robert Todd]

Back when I was working, I was the shipping manager for our small company.  Sadly, each Christmas, the president brought me her presents to ship to the East Coast.  One year, after packing her wrapped gifts in a larger box, I threw it across the room.  Unfortunately, she stepped out of her office just in time to see her package sail across the room.  Horrified, she asked me what the hell I was doing.  I told her I was testing the package because that was the same way the shipper (FedEx) would treat it.  I happened to be there when they picked it up.  I watched as they took the package to the truck.....and threw it in.  I packed and shipped her Christmas presents for years and, to my knowledge, never had an item get broken.

Over the past 25 years selling on eBay, I have only had 2 items that I sent get broken and both were pot metal.  My inbound packages were not so lucky.  Last item I had get broken was when USPS dropped a package off on my porch where the neighbor's mastiff puppy got a hold of it.

[Stan Adams]

After too many of these fiascos, I only buy at meets or Fan Fair. Many times I’ll buy something & have a fellow collector hold it for me until it can be safely delivered. Last one was a Colonial I parted out. Motor housing went to Corpus, no problem shipping. Stator went to St Louis, arrived 6 weeks later, destroyed. I had put plywood on both ends bolted through the stator. Packed it in a small heavy box. With the plywood, no movement. It arrived to Stephen Chew 6 weeks later destroyed & in another box. Nope, I’m done with shipping.

[Tim Babcock]

Here is the state of the issue and again I will not say who the member is. But this is what has happened so far. A member replied to a fan I needed for parts. They posted me a PM of the picture of the fan and said it was their Grandmothers fan that sat on the top of her fridge for decades. We can to an agreement on price and on shipping it was decided that that I would pay $40 for shipping and they would return the balance through papal the method I paid.

The fan arrived poorly packaged and the blades all of the four were bent back at 90 degrees back and the cage was damaged. It was not the same fan as the one that was supposed to be sent to me. The postage was $25 marked on the postal shipping label. I contacted seller and was told they just grabbed the wrong fan and sent it and for all the issues they would send the one in the photo and keep the other fan. I replied that that would be fine and to keep the extra shipping for rectifying the issue.

I waited two weeks and nothing, no tracking no contact. I replied again if they had a tracking number. I got a PM that Family and holidays they were busy but would get it out in a couple of days. I waited another week and a half and nothing. I contacted them again and got a reply that they had no complete fans and what parts did I need they had some parts.

At this point I am discontinuing contact as its obvious that this is some sort of hope I will just give up and go away. The mod I contacted said don't let it go. So I started a dispute with my Credit Card on this purchase. I don't like doing that but I have done what I can to resolve this. The main reason I am posting this is if the seller wants to make counter charges that I am trying to scam people. I am not saying they will or are, but in case its brought up this is my side of the story and I have the correspondence to back it up.

[Paul Carmody]

I sympathize your situation.I’ve had a very similar transaction and a number of bent blades and cages  mainly.The member should make things right and do what he agreed to.If there is another fan just exchange or send the blade instead of sending a fan.This is only if the packaging was subpar.If not it’s just the nature of the beast

.PAY TIM THE DIFFERENCE IN SHIPPING  A—Hole!

I realize now if I’m to assemble a mass collection of fans ,it’s the only way.It is easy for collectors that have been in it for a long time when fans where cheap and plentiful ,or live in an area of the country that has them still available to criticize shipping or Ebay.It’s tough on us that are relatively new at this.(AND EXPENSIVE) Fan meets are in fact the best and safest way.I WILL NOT LEAVE MY CASH AT HOME NEXT YEAR FOR STANS MEET.I am coming loaded.

Tim.Your stressing out too much on not a lot of money.Sometimes it’s just not worth the worry and time.You are not the bad guy.I now know it’s just part of the experience,and it is the gamble I take.I win more than lose.A hobby should be fun and not stressful.

Edited December 5, 2023 by Paul Carmody

[Tim Babcock]

Any fan I ship I insure. Not with USPS as I have never ever collected a claim. USPS will always blame the packaging. I once sold a Michigan Cash register that was sold cast iron Nickel plated that on the bottom of the drawer was the shipping label. Most Nationals and Michigans have the label there. This one was sold to W. M. Wriggly and sent to Chicago. It was about the time he went from Soap to also chewing gum. I build a wood box inside a wood box and used spray foam to go between the two and bubble warp and bead foam packing. I paid the extra insurance and it was delivered with almost all the cast iron plates broken. The only piece left was the Michigan name front drawer cover. I put in for the insurance and they said it was not packaged well. It was not their fault it looked like it was dropped off a one story building. The Insurance I use is a secondary insurance. They have paid every claim even when I put it in only because the customer insisted. They still paid off even though I would not have. I refunded the purchase price but I saw the dirt on the fan where I think they dropped it after taking it out of the box. Then they never even sent the fan back. I did not push it. Etsy, eBay and others will almost always fall on the side of the buyer.