European Trend???

[chesspcmac]

I had some extra cash that was able to use to increase my computer collection to around 28-30 pieces. I have bought computers from ebay, newspapers and forums from the USA and many countries in Europe. One thing I have noticed that with the exception of GERMANY all the other countries in Europe dont care too much about how they ship the computers. I recently bought a Citrine from Italy for $320 (trying to avoid the heavy stupidity sucharge here on ebay America) and the guy sent the computer in the regular original Citrine box wrapped in newspaper with my name on it. I saw the post man from my windows (he couldnt see me) treating the box like a brick. Im glad that the computer arrived undamaged but I ve noticed that Europeans dont ship the computers carefully, I have many other examples but One example paints very well the whole picture. Germans and Americans seem to be more concerned that you get a working computer and have respect for the money you are paying for shipping and handling. Im sorry if Im offending my european friends but thats not my intention

Buying is a gamble regards

Mike

[Dave C]

Mike - I had a similar experience with a new Exclusive board with Senator modules in the original box from Switzerland. The guy wrapped brown paper around the original box with some tape and writes my address on it. When it arrived at my home (CA, US) the paper was ripped and the original Mephisto cardboard box was heavily damaged. Every corner of the otherwise new board was damaged because there was no packing material around the board in the box! The chessmen were not restrained at all and were sliding around in the box. With the box broken open I was sure one or more of the chessmen were lost...but I was lucky and they were still in the box. I wrote to the seller and he would not respond. I was shocked that any adult seller would ship a sensitive, expensive chess computer half way around the world wrapped and packaged like that.
Now when I buy a chess computer I always ask the seller to wrap the original box with the computer inside with bubble-wrap and place that into a larger box for safe travel to my home. So far, sellers seem willing to do so and I have had no more bad experiences like that. (knocking on wood)

common experience regards,
Dave

[Sargon1972]

I had some extra cash that was able to use to increase my computer collection to around 28-30 pieces. I have bought computers from ebay, newspapers and forums from the USA and many countries in Europe. One thing I have noticed that with the exception of GERMANY all the other countries in Europe dont care too much about how they ship the computers. I recently bought a Citrine from Italy for $320 (trying to avoid the heavy stupidity sucharge here on ebay America) and the guy sent the computer in the regular original Citrine box wrapped in newspaper with my name on it. I saw the post man from my windows (he couldnt see me) treating the box like a brick. Im glad that the computer arrived undamaged but I ve noticed that Europeans dont ship the computers carefully, I have many other examples but One example paints very well the whole picture. Germans and Americans seem to be more concerned that you get a working computer and have respect for the money you are paying for shipping and handling. Im sorry if Im offending my european friends but thats not my intention

Buying is a gamble regards

Mike

Hello Mike,

Well i am from Holland , and when i buy something i expect to that it is well packed ... sometimes in Holland i buy and get indeed sloppy sending from the sellers
But i get more packages with care packed
mine rate is +- 80% good vs 20% bad in Holland
No u not offend me at all haha,but it depends if someone who sell is a collector ore sell just 1 ore 2 and how the person is in real life , clean ore sloppy depends to i think
To mine own opinion i pack the computers i ship with care
And good protected as well ,with wood for example i make extra foam on the corners ,and in plastic foam arround the Board also to fill up the box i use little foam so no big jumps it can make inside the box ....If something is happen it can take a punch to mine opinion
And true some workers by the Post office are not gentle with what the have to deliver

Kr,Hans

[chesspcmac]

Sargon, I exactly do like you do. I ship everything that I sell well protected. I guess some people try to make some extra money by saving in the shipping.
The chances that we have to take to get these little silicon monsters!!
Here in USA is pretty good, sometimes i buy chess books from ebay and it takes me like 3 minutes to remove all the tape and bubble wrap to get to the book.

Extra protection is good regards


Mike

[Cyberchess]

Greetings!

This thread reminds me of the high shipping cost complaints I received from buyers when I auctioned off my dedicated units.
Most of my auctions were won by bidders in northern Europe, and I use enough padding for my units to withstand a plane crash.
The Fidelity VCC attachè comes to mind. In my opinion, it was preferable to have the winner gripe about my high shipping costs than to saddle the buyer with a box of confetti.

Penny Wise and Pound Foolish Regards,
John

[Steve B]

The Fidelity VCC attachè comes to mind. In my opinion, it was preferable to have the winner gripe about my high shipping costs than to saddle the buyer with a box of confetti.

you actually shipped the VCC in its original case as the shipping carton??

Mortified Regards
Steve

[Cyberchess]

The Fidelity VCC attachè comes to mind. In my opinion, it was preferable to have the winner gripe about my high shipping costs than to saddle the buyer with a box of confetti.

you actually shipped the VCC in its original case as the shipping carton??

Mortified Regards
Steve

Wouldn’t dream of it.

The VCC & attaché were safely transported in a huge carton filled with bubble wrap and air sacks.

My buyer bemoaned the high price of shipment but…

Safety First Regards,
John

[Steve B]

The Fidelity VCC attachè comes to mind. In my opinion, it was preferable to have the winner gripe about my high shipping costs than to saddle the buyer with a box of confetti.

you actually shipped the VCC in its original case as the shipping carton??

Mortified Regards
Steve

Wouldn’t dream of it.

The VCC & attaché were safely transported in a huge carton filled with bubble wrap and air sacks.

My buyer bemoaned the high price of shipment but…

Safety First Regards,
John

Well Done!
those snap locks on the VCC carry case are made very poorly and would most probably have broken in transit

Seller Of The Year Honors Regards
Steve

[Cyberchess]

Thanks Steve!

The springs on the latches seemed kind of weak, so I wrapped the entire case in bubble-wrap and taped it up like a cocoon.
The case had a bit of shelf wear, though the computer was in like-new condition and sounded like a Cylon trooper from the original Battlestar Galactica series.

Early LEDs and Voice Synthesis Regards,
John

[paulwise3]

I have a Turbo Advanced Trainer (GK2000 clone) in mint condition, and was looking for a double to do more intensive testing and playing. I got three relatively cheap:
- the first one was really very heavily used, with circle traces on every field, the white pieces had lost allmost all their silver coating. But it still worked ok.
- The second one (bought at a secondhand shop) was sent to me very tightly packed, no bubbles or whatsoever was used. When making a move the case cracked a little. And after one and a half game it went on tilt, never to start up again...
- Finally the third was ok, but it also had already some wear on the white pieces.

So in fact this model has become one of my more expensive ones...
But I like it's playing style.

Wondering if I could sell the first double to anyone regards,
Paul.