Ceramics, Pottery, Glassware, etc - which couriers will offer compensation / insurance?

Tunstallstoven

Hi all

I've got a lot of ornaments and the like I am going to be selling. I'm quite an experienced seller, but not in this kind of stuff! All the usual couriers I use (RM, My Hermes, Parcel Monkey, etc) will only send such items on a non-compensation basis. But some of them are quite expensive so that wouldn't do.

Does anyone have any suggestions please?

I see A LOT of people offering postage for such things in the usual marketplaces. So they either know something I don't (!) or are sending their items without any cover...

Would appreciate any help and suggestions.

Many thanks

mrcol1000

Regardless of the courier and how much they charge, they will all chuck the parcels around and drop heavier parcels on them. You just need to package it so that it can be dropped from a great height and have something heavy dropped on it from a great height. You then need to add even more packaging to that.

Alternatively if they are worth quite a bit you could try a traditional auction house (but check the fees they will charge you as they will be a lot more than Ebay) or you'd have to use something like a man with van who can give the item special attention but it will likely cost a fortune.

I think most people just wrap it to survive a bomb blast and hope for the best realising they won't get anything if it is damaged.

martindow

I think claims for breakage are always likely to be refused on the basis that packaging was insufficient. Unless there are tyre tracks over a squashed parcel or holes where a fork lift has gone through the parcel you would not be able to claim.


I self insure fragile items and just pack them extremely well. If you are not happy to drop your parcels from chest height onto a concrete floor they need to be better protected.

soolin

I use RM for all my china and glass (and I sell a lot) , I just pack well.

Spoonie_Turtle

My Mum has bought several framed pictures delivered by RM which were never a problem. Of course the one time she sold a framed picture and sent it via RM, it was dropped on its corner and shattered the glass, even though it was well packed - better packed than the pictures she's received through the post. The pictures the buyer sent showed the frame had come apart where it was dropped, so it wasn't just a little knock.

It blows my mind how many glass/ceramic items are advertised with ordinary postage, so it's interesting to hear that experienced people do still send things, aware of the risk and mitigating it as much as possible.

soolin

Spoonie_Turtle wrote: »

My Mum has bought several framed pictures delivered by RM which were never a problem. Of course the one time she sold a framed picture and sent it via RM, it was dropped on its corner and shattered the glass, even though it was well packed - better packed than the pictures she's received through the post. The pictures the buyer sent showed the frame had come apart where it was dropped, so it wasn't just a little knock.

It blows my mind how many glass/ceramic items are advertised with ordinary postage, so it's interesting to hear that experienced people do still send things, aware of the risk and mitigating it as much as possible.

All my glass and china goes standard 2nd class at £3.00. Anything bigger than a small parcel I tend to try and sell locally as RM price jumps quite a lot and most of the stuff I sell isn't overly expensive (usually less than £20)

custardy

Spoonie_Turtle wrote: »

My Mum has bought several framed pictures delivered by RM which were never a problem. Of course the one time she sold a framed picture and sent it via RM, it was dropped on its corner and shattered the glass, even though it was well packed - better packed than the pictures she's received through the post. The pictures the buyer sent showed the frame had come apart where it was dropped, so it wasn't just a little knock.

It blows my mind how many glass/ceramic items are advertised with ordinary postage, so it's interesting to hear that experienced people do still send things, aware of the risk and mitigating it as much as possible.

Well it wasnt well packed then.

Tunstallstoven

Many thanks for all of the helpful replies.

soolin wrote: »

All my glass and china goes standard 2nd class at £3.00. Anything bigger than a small parcel I tend to try and sell locally as RM price jumps quite a lot and most of the stuff I sell isn't overly expensive (usually less than £20)

Is there a reason why you don't use things like My Hermes and Parcel Monkey for the larger items (or in other instances where they are cheaper than RM)?

soolin

Seagull27 wrote: »

Many thanks for all of the helpful replies.



Is there a reason why you don't use things like My Hermes and Parcel Monkey for the larger items (or in other instances where they are cheaper than RM)?

It's not worth it for breakables as I'm not covered if they are even just lost. It is pointless paying £5 odd postage for a cheap but large item - and I tend to get a very good price locally anyway.

Some years ago for instance when collectable teapots were just hanging in as being worth anything at all, I sold a large decorative teapot, double boxed and with MyHermes (It might have been Collect +) costing almost as much as the item. Arrived at the buyer broken as box was virtually flat in middle with what looked like fork lift truck tyre marks across it. Obviously had to pay out the buyer so lost a cheap near worthless teapot and all of my postage costs - plus the cost of boxes and packaging.


Anyway. fingers crossed my packing is as good as I think it is as I have 2 lots of fragile china going today via RM small parcel.........

TripleH

Double corrugated cardboard box outer with the item packed in another cardboard box. Don't allow the item to move too much (if at all).

That seems to have worked for the items I've sent and received recently.

Cathharrison

Someone should start a new business, couriering specifically china and pottery that INCLUDES compensation - using a human touch instead of fork lifts and chucking boxes. .....or is that a silly idea???