Shocking reply from BBTS

[TrekStar]

This situation can be aggravating, since I'll bet it left the warehouse in good condition, and UPS handlers just tossed
it around from bin to bin, I've seen this with my own eyes, I've seen UPS drivers just tossing boxes around the back
of there trucks, since there usually stressing out over the work load, especially during the holidays.

With items like yours, a fragile or handle with care label might have helped, but who knows.

[drquest]

You weren't happy with the condition and unless the seller says, sorry no returns you should be accommodated. Personally I'm not real picky, but if I bought something for probably greater than $50 (might be my limit) and the packaging looked like that I'd send it back as well. If you were to turn around and sell this in 6 months or whatever, I can assure you having a nice original box will help that sale. As stated earlier, a lot of times the packaging is almost just as important as the contents. I bought a whole mess of empty vintage 1960's GiJoe coffin boxes recently. It felt funny opening up a box that just had empty boxes in it, but I was pleased with it.

[enyawd72]

Glad you were able to get the return, and you certainly were within your rights to ask for one... but I admit I am surprised. Aren't you usually the one advocating letting it rip and freeing toys from their packaging? Don't tell me you have had a change of heart!

LOL...no, no. I've always displayed stuff both ways. Some stuff I open, some I leave in the box. Some I display with the box behind it. In this case, the box was part of the whole package.

[sprytel]

Glad you were able to get the return, and you certainly were within your rights to ask for one... but I admit I am surprised. Aren't you usually the one advocating letting it rip and freeing toys from their packaging? Don't tell me you have had a change of heart!

[Hector]

Here's my take, if you are picky about packaging, I fully understand...I'm in no way disputing that...you should be able to obtain and deserve mint packaging.

I'm personally not too fussy about that, especially with modern toys...my main objective is the figure itself.

I display my figures. The boxes are all stored in boxes in my basement.

I've sold Sideshow and Hot Toys with slightly damaged packages...and I always at least get my money back, if not more. By the time these toys are worth ten times their original price...I'd be long dead...

[Hector]

The figure itself is probably fine. I will never know because I didn't open it. Doesn't matter. The amount of damage to the box is unacceptable to me, and that's all that matters.

I'm going by your own words: "UPS damaged the box and figure"

That's why I asked about the figure...

[palitoy]

In this day and age, packaging is part of the collecting experience for many.

This is an item catering to collectors with "Collector friendly" aestethic to it, not meant to hang on pegs at Wal-Mart, so no dice, they know half of these will sadly never get cracked.

BBTS can sell that one to me and I won't care but it's definitely a legitimate problem for some. To each their own.

[ODBJBG]

Perhaps, but that honestly is what amounts to a small scuff, a bit of a bend, or if we want to get technical, a ding.

Regardless, it's not comparable to the spine of a book, which is in fact part of the product.

Packaging, no matter what collector neurosis says otherwise, is meant to opened and generally disposed of. There are some exceptions where packaging is meant to help store an item's accessories, but even then it's not part of the item.

As I said in my original post, if I paid $250 for it and it had that small scuff/bend in it like this clearly has, I'd be upset. But I also totally understand why BBTS balked at exchanging it originally. Their 20% policy (assuming it even is a policy and not something they just told him in hopes of getting him to go away) is clearly there to prevent people from trying to return everything that isn't AFA 9.5 and above mint scale.

If you're someone who insists on having every scrap of paper perfect, you need to pay for the collector upgrade.

Likewise, pretty much EVERYTHING on BBTS says it is "Standard Grade: Packaging condition is verified to be 80% mint (C8) or better." Hence, your 20%. So when you bought it, you should have read the not-so fine print. Caveat emptor.

[starsky]

glad bbts did the right thing.

[palitoy]

Nah, if the purchaser wants a pristine box, then he should return it.

Me? It goes in the recycle bin but at that price you should be happy.

[PNGwynne]

The seller bears the burden of proof, so to speak. They are working with a shipper to provide a product. The customer's expectation is to receive a proper product. The onus is not on a customer with reasonable expectations. If that item is a $250 collectible, then vendors should know that packaging is important as well. This is not 1980, and that box is not slightly scuffed.

That said, vendors should charge accordingly for shipping.

[ODBJBG]

Yeah, it's damaged. When it's your $250 then you can decide what is and what is not an acceptable level of damage. Would you buy a brand new car with 20% body damage and be happy? I mean, the engine's fine right?

No, because that's not a comparable argument. Body damage to a car is not anywhere near equivalent to a slightly bent corner on a package made of PAPER.

Like I said, you're complaining about damage but the figure isn't damaged. The packaging was, but it's not BBTS fault. Clearly the postal service beat the box up.

If the shipping box was pristine but the interior packaging was damaged, I'd see more reason to complain, because you'd know that BBTS were the culprits, but in this case they're clearly not at fault. The item was packaged well and arrived without damage to the item.

If you're someone who buys things purely for the package, you need to specify that when ordering and look into paying extra to insure you get perfect condition boxes. But again, in this instance, not much BBTS could do as they clearly packed the item well. But at least then you'd have a more reasonable grounds for return.

[PNGwynne]

^ I agree. I'll use books as another example. I buy books often, mostly in hardcover. Amazon and Barnes & Noble do not know how to competently ship books, particularly heavier hardcover ones. (Which is a shame because they've become the norm over other booksellers who did know how to ship properly.)

I take care of my books and expect to receive them in very good condition--no crushed spines, bent corners, torn jackets. Money is money and you can bet I exchange ones that have been shipped or handled improperly.

[enyawd72]

Agreed. I order from Sideshow/Hot Toys a lot...many boxes arrive with little bent corners on boxes and stuff...slight scratches, etc...but as long as the figure/statue itself is fine...I don't trip much.

Any pictures of the damaged figure itself?

The figure itself is probably fine. I will never know because I didn't open it. Doesn't matter. The amount of damage to the box is unacceptable to me, and that's all that matters.

[enyawd72]

To be fair, that's not really damaged is it? I mean, it sucks, especially on an expensive item like that... But it looks like it amounts to one corner of the box being a bit bent. I can see why they weren't in a rush to do any sort of return. If the figure itself was damaged, that'd be one thing.

I get that there's plenty of anal MOC people out there as well, but I suspect the 20% is mostly a line to cover the fact that they aren't going to guarantee mint packages all the time.

Yeah, it's damaged. When it's your $250 then you can decide what is and what is not an acceptable level of damage. Would you buy a brand new car with 20% body damage and be happy? I mean, the engine's fine right?