My first ebay disaster.

[urarachu]

Hello to all. My Hoover model 31 arrived today. When I pulled up to my house, I was shocked to see such a tall, thin box. The box was about 5 feet tall, and 11 inches wide. I could only imagine how much stress the base was under during it's voyage to my house.

I ran inside and opened it. There was absolutely no packing materials to secure it. It was just a hoover crammed into a box that was too tall. I screamed when I pulled it out. Have a look!

I hope the seller handles everything professionally. This is all really too bad...it was such a beautiful Hoover. It didn't have any scratches on the base, or handle really. It just needed to be wiped down and it would have looked great!

Corey

 

[westytoploader]

OH NO!!! That poor 31...I am in shock! I personally think the seller should be tarred and feathered for allowing that to happen to such a beautiful machine.

I hate it when I receive things that are packaged by IDIOTS for that very reason; they can take a perfectly good item and render it useless. A few years back, I bought a 1940's maroon Eureka upright that appeared to be in decent shape from the picture, but when it arrived it was a different story. The bakelite handle at the top literally snapped off and the vacuum was of course no good. I eventually received a refund, but what a waste of a decent machine.

Good luck, hopefully the seller isn't a total @$$hole and will refund your money.

--Austin

 

[skip]

Corey

Hey Corey I know the feeling, Last Year I won A gold Compact c8 with a p/n and The seller didn't wrap it or nothing just threw it in an empty box without any packing material at all. I was quite upset and so I called the seller on the phone and told him how upset I was and also emailed pics of the damage. All he told me I don't understand this is about the 26th vac I ship out and the first to get damaged. I well told him that He needed to wrap it up in bubble wrap and fill the box with peanuts. Needless to say I was able to repair it myself and Thanks to Tania for having some extra parts so I could get it right. well he did offered to pay for the parts I needed but I did let him slide but I did tell him to promise me from now on he will buy bubble wrap and peanuts and wrap the vacs correctly so they don't arrive damaged. AS I told him some buyers aren't easy going like me. But He did say he would start buying the packing materials now I don't know if He ever did because I never did buy anymore vacs from Him

Skip...

 

[hoover1060]

its happened to all of us

a couple of years ago that happened to me with a model 68. The meatstick seller took the upper handle apart, CUT the wire, and then just tossed it in the box...
The handle bail broke in shipping too...

Fear not, we'll find you another bail.

 

[hooverwheelaway]

Ugh!

That's horrible!

Same thing has happened to me as well. Vacuum cleaner in box, no packing material whatsoever. I usually tell the seller that I have no problem paying shipping and handling, but only if the machine is handled properly! Making an insurance claim (if it was insured) won't do you any good either... whatever is in the box has to be well protected.

I now usually give instructions to the seller as far as how to disassemble and ship the item... and make sure they respond to me and acknowledge my request before I pay for an it. So far, so good.

Yes, there will definitely be another handle bail! I know I threw one away a few years ago...

~Fred

 

[urarachu]

People should just logically know how to package things. I was amazed when I pulled it out of box so simply, due to improper packing.

It's so minty and pretty!

*whispers* I'm gonna bid on another for the bail!

31's on the brain,

Corey

 

[brettsomers]

that is disgusting, and as you know corey, it has happened to me too! go to ebay.com and follow the tabs to *get sellers/buyers info* and place a courteous phone call to the seller, that will let him know you mean business. be polite AND angry.

 

[eluxomarty]

Corey

That is awful! I could just slap people at times! If you get no cooperation from the seller just give them negative feedback. Sellers hate that! Good luck in your search for a handle bail. I will keep my eyes open over here for you!

 

[compactc9]

Horrible!

I would definately let the idiot know you mean buisness. I will never get why someone woudn't use packing material. If you do eventually need a new handle yoke, I can get you a white one that you would have to paint the right color.

 

[brettsomers]

of course, any replacement bail would have to accept the 31s fork-mounted switch.

 

[mixedup]

Ouch

I know that sinking feeling you got when you saw that box. I recently had a similar experience with a Sunbeam Mixmaster (same color as your ill fated vac) where the seller just threw the glass bowl in with the heavy metal body & stand along with a couple of plastic grocery bags and maybe a cup of peanuts. Well I picked up the box from the doorstep I heard broken glass. Didn't care so much about the bowl, but the shards of glass damaged the paint on the mixer & even gouged through to the metal in a couple of places. Boy was I steamed. It really doesn't take much time or expense to pack something carefully. I contacted the seller, she suggested I file a claim with UPS. Well I never expected results, and it took a couple of months, but UPS paid the claim & let me keep the mixer (what were they going to do with it?) So file a claim if it was insured, maybe you'll get your money back. Moral of this story: Now if I want to bid on something fragile of heavy I ask the seller how they plan to pack it BEFORE I bid. I have also had some Ebay sellers that were extremely thoughtful with the packing, sometimes it's a toss up.
Virginia

 

[rogera608s]

Corey
I was horrified to see what happened to your 31 Convertible....but I said to myself I have a bail in my parts box. Complete with the switch and back plate and the green bolt and nut. It is yours. Email me and we can arrange to get it to you.
Roger

 

[seamusuk]

Heres Mine

Hey Guys

A 2100 Portable shipped in a lousy thin box with just a few bits of cardboard shoved in - result one totally destroyed lid .

The Irony is the box had had scotch bubble wrap in it- pity the stupid @sshole of a seller didnt think to use any grr!!!!!!!

Seamus

 

[buffalo-joe]

You may be in luck

Corey,

I think I might have a junk 31 up in the barn that has a bail. I'm at work, but I'll check tonight when I get home. I'll post this evening whether I have it or not. Either way, I'll let you know. I'm pretty sure there is one though.

Joe

 

[vac-o-matic]

Hoover 31

Corey, I feel your pain! I bought a Lux G from ebay a few years ago, paid a decent price, the seller just threw it in a box, no packing materials, and it arrived with one back wheel and one front wheel broken. I contacted him and he requested that I mail the broken wheels back as proof, and he would try and find replacement wheels! He also stated there would be no refund! You can only imagine my repsonse to him, and gave the very first negative feedback to him, and did not sugar coat it! Since then, Tom G. was kind enough to part with an all original G from his collection since he had two. It looks like from the above postings that you're going to get plenty of help fixing it up, what a great bunch of guys! Take care, hope you're enjoying the 918!

Rick

 

[jasonl]

Take what sellers say with a grain of salt. Everything I've gotten off of ebay (besides records and the little Pyrex coffee pot) had at least one thing wrong with it. The Sunbeam C30A for example was "in the box" but it needs alot of work to get going. The Magnavox worked right off but the turntable needed cleaning (rubber wheels needed cleaning). Another turntable I bought (a Sony linear tracking) never worked right. So yeah, be prepared to repair, but nothing excuses poor packaging.

 

[jasonl]

Ebay thoughts

Also, the reason why this was on Ebay was because someone didn't want it anymore. Their trash, your treasure. The reason it's there is because it broke somewhere along the line or the owner didn't want it anymore, or it was obsolete.

 

[buffalo-joe]

Yep, I found one

I found a junk 31 upstairs this evening. The bail is in good shape. If your interested, email me at [email protected] and we can work out the details of getting it to you. Too bad this wasn't last week, I was out in North Canton this past weekend and could have dropped it off on the way. Let me know if you want it and I'll take it off of the machine this weekend.

Joe

 

[Brneyedgrl80]

Ugh...

I know that feeling all too well also. Just like mixedup, I too received a turquoise Sunbeam Mixmaster that was worthless by the time it arrived to my house.

It had been put in a box that was way too large without any packing materials what so ever. Both bowls arrived broken and the Mixmaster had snapped right in the middle where it is supposed to disconnect. It disconnected all right. Man was I steamed.

I got a refund, but still. I mean what a waste of a perfectly good mixer.

I hope you can get it repaired or at least a refund.