prem Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Sooo...today the postman rings our doorbell with a package from Estonia that was supposed to contain an intact (although ever-so-slightly disarticulated--hey, it was cheap compared to a perfect specimen) Asaphus kowalewski...well, that's not what arrived... As far as I can tell, the box was packed well before it left, but somewhere in transit, someone decided to cut one of the plastic tie downs holding it in the inner box and inspect the specimen (maybe they thought I was trying to smuggle drugs in a trilobite?!?) and put it back in the box unsecured. As a result, it rattled around in the box, and by the time I received it, the eyes were a bunch of small bits hiding in the bottom of the box. I have contacted the seller and hope to have a resolution soon. In the meantime, my heart is heavy as I hold the remains of what was once a lovely trilobite. Perhaps if I can get my money back without having to ship it back, I can try to glue the eye stalks back together and restore the specimen to a presentable state...or something... sigh, ---Prem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Oh no the poor little fella! That is most definetley a cut zip tie.... When I sell, I always insure my packages heavily... It doesn't mean I skimp on the packaging, I don't want it to arrive broken anymore than you do. At my work the shipping department let me in on a little secret ( I don't think they meant too but they did!) They told me that when a box says "FRAGILE" or "HANDLE WITH CARE" they make a game of seeing who can kick it, or drop it, or throw it the hardest. I know...they are morons, good thing I don't work in shipping! Sorry for your loss, I'm sure the seller will make it right though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 All boxes coming from abroad are subject to customs inspection. It's possible they cut the ties to better inspect the contents. Hope you can get some resolution since it does not appear to be the shippers fault. If that's the reason it can happen again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joel77520 Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 What a waste. That happened to me one time, i was shipping a partial mammoth tusk to someone but by the time they got it, it was in 6 pieces. I used lots of bubble wrap and news paper to secure it firmly in the box but that was no use and the worst part , no insurance. ...lesson learned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prem Posted March 12, 2016 Author Share Posted March 12, 2016 I like what the Moroccans did with my small Walliserops...they drilled a hole into the bottom of the specimen and used a bolt to secure it onto the bottom of the ziploc-type container it was in...as well as a few well-placed hold-downs made of thick insulated wire, and it wasn't going anywhere. It would have taken a lot of extra effort on the part of a postal inspector to unscrew the bolt, so I guess they let that one go without much fuss. ---Prem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
engineeringstudent Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Hate postal employees for things like this. Yah, because everyone smuggles 0.02 lbs of something on the inside of a fossilized bug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Hate postal employees for things like this. . Let's make sure we are properly aware of who inspects inbound international packages and it's NOT postal employees. The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) group who is part of Homeland Security agency has the authority to inspect and open packages. The packages arrive at a US Postal processing facility and routed to US Customs for examination and determination if there is duty. There are a lot of other issues that you can get upset at a USPS employee but not this one. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Thank you, Troodon! We've no place here for unfounded prejudicial opinions. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 The two international packages of mine which customs opened had a sticker attached which notified me that they were opened by customs. One was repacked very well but had items missing that my friend had sent. The other package was not repacked well at all and opened latter in the remaining shipping to me and I lost half of the contents. The other 100 or so international packages of mine that were not opened by customs arrived without any problems. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amour 25 Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Sue them. No right, as I am sure could of used an X-ray to see no drugs or whatever was in the item. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Ditto, MarocSr. The majority of mine go through without being opened and when they do I've seen the notification label. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 (edited) Sue them. No right, as I am sure could of used an X-ray to see no drugs or whatever was in the item. I'm not sure you have enough evidence that Customs opened the box since prem did not see a label on the box. Also, I've got to believe 100% of the boxes are screened with many devices including X-ray why so few boxes get opened. A flag (country of origin) or a random box requirement may have resulted in this one being opened. There is a claims process if you do not get reimbursed by shipper Edited March 13, 2016 by Troodon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erose Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 Even for domestic airport carry-on I make sure whatever they need to unpack or unwrap is easily re-wrapped. The use of zip ties which have to be cut and then are unusable was a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joel77520 Posted March 14, 2016 Share Posted March 14, 2016 I hope i never had to run into this problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Wow! An absolute shame. and if there is any blame, blame the 'bad' people of the world. If we were all honest there would be no need to check packages. Of course, that's in a perfect world. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Past Hunter Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 I worked at a UPS hub in Raleigh NC for a while and you would be amazed how rough packages were handled. I can only imagine what something goes through internationally. It's amazing anything fragile makes it to its destination in one piece. "If you choose not to decide. You still have made a choice." - Rush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 I was getting seated on a passenger flight and looked out the window watching the cargo handlers unload packages from the previous flight. They loaded up a luggage cart and left. The boxes were still coming off the conveyer belt and just dropping off the end about five feet to the ground. No one was at the end grabbing them. I can only hope there wasn't too much damage incurred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prem Posted March 21, 2016 Author Share Posted March 21, 2016 Just an update...the dealer is looking to make things right by sending a replacement. ---Prem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 Great, the type of dealer you want to do business with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 Just an update...the dealer is looking to make things right by sending a replacement. ---Prem Outstanding! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Just an update...the dealer is looking to make things right by sending a replacement. ---Prem Great news!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steedman Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 So let me see if I've got this right.....the seller packed it well, and through no fault of his, it was damaged in transit. So you, quite rightly, want a refund, but expect to keep the specimen too, even though it's damaged? Surely the least you could do is return the specimen to the guy you expect to give you your money back?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 So let me see if I've got this right.....the seller packed it well, and through no fault of his, it was damaged in transit. So you, quite rightly, want a refund, but expect to keep the specimen too, even though it's damaged? Surely the least you could do is return the specimen to the guy you expect to give you your money back?! The specifics of any return are dependent on the seller. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 (edited) I'm still missing some things: Who could have cut the tie and broken the fossil or allowed it to be broken? It seems the seller did not do this although I can't prove it, and can't understand why he would anyway, so that leaves either the Post Office/carriers or Customs. The cut tie seems to indicate Customs, not just simple mishandling by carriers. But if Customs felt the need to cut the tie, why no sticker indicating they inspected it? I agree that they should not have to go that far if there were in fact no drugs inside the fossil - I've seen those border security shows: if they suspected drugs, they have pretty advanced means of detecting the presence of drugs before they damage a thing. Take a swab, test it, then, if results positive, break it or drill into it. Edited March 25, 2016 by Wrangellian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 This is why I insure everything I mail for double. if it breaks, you get your money back AND get to keep it, plus I get my money back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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