That Damn Toggleswitch!

[Versatronic]

For a long time I have been trying to get my hands on an old Oster mixer. The Hamilton Beach mixers show up everywhere but it's very hard to find an old Oster. The Hamilton mixers are a kind of "jadite" green color but the Osters are more of a turquoise color and fit in nicely with other turquoise appliances.

So, I finally snagged one on eBay recently and it didn't come cheap. This thing weighs a ton.

 

[Versatronic]

And I mean it is heavy

So this bimbo that ships it to me puts it in a cheapass cardboard box with some peanuts. Well, of course (and I've seen this so many times before) the weight of the mixer pulverized the peanuts and there was no protection left from the brutalization that every package going through Fed Ex is put through. Notice that the toggleswitch is snapped right off.

 

[toggleswitch]

So, I finally snagged him recently and he didn't come ch

LOVELY new toy, enjoy!

 

[toggleswitch]

The toggleswitch has a part broken off?

*OUCH*

 

[Versatronic]

And from that point on....

what happens is always the same and completely predictable. The seller claims to have packed it well. And it's always the first time ever that the seller ever shipped anything that was ever damaged.

"I feel that I did a good job in packaging it. The best that could be done what with what it weighed. Have shipped a couple of heavy things off over the years and this is the first one to arrive damaged. I wonder if you contacted Oster if they might have a replacement toggle switch for that even though it is old. Some times miracles happen."

And every time I just want to say "No, you friggin' idiot, you did not pack it well, because if you did, it wouldn't be broken, now would it??"

But, of course, you can't, because if you don't play along with the contention of the idiot that it was properly packaged, then you have no chance of them filing a claim and blaming it on the shipping company.

Does anyone else have the kind of bad luck that I do with morons shipping heavy items and packing them do poorly that the items never had a chance?

 

[Versatronic]

Yes Mr. Toggleswitch

Another in a long string of broken small appliances to arrive at more doorstep. And with the demise of flea markets, finding another will be slim to none.

 

[toggleswitch]

When only the original toggle switch will do..........

I suppose putting in an after-market line-cord-switch won't do, now will it?

 

[Versatronic]

Well

Let's just say that I could just go to the hardware store, put in a new toggleswitch, open it up and swap out the broken one. I can't, but I'm just saying, why should I have to waste my time? If I pay top dollar for something and 35 bucks for shipping, why can't the morons make sure that it's packed in a safe way? It's so unbelievably frustrating to me.

The last lamp that I bought, the sellers, God bless them, actually built two custom made wooden crates to insure that the lamp would arrive in perfect conditon, which of course it did. Perhaps you should have to pass a training course in packaging before you're allowed to sell something on eBay. Or pass an IQ test.

 

[Versatronic]

Sorry...

I just had to vent...I feel better now.

 

[foraloysius]

I feel your pain Mike, morons they are indeed.

I bought an Osterizer blender from some guy. He packed it in a box in only a newspaper. Ofcourse the blender jar was broken. Ofcourse it wasn't his fault. Yeah right! Petek was so nice to help me out with a new blender jar (and some more nice stuff!), so the blender is complete again.

Louis

 

[gansky1]

I completely understand your frustration - unfortunately, there are almost no protections for the buyer (the REASON ebay exists) in their policies, so we end up getting the short end of the stick every time in cases like this. I've had three Sunbeam Mixmasters shipped by complete morons that arrived broken. Bowls, even the bakelite mixer stands snapped in half. In a couple of cases, the seller has a shred of charachter and refunds at least the shipping costs but others just shirk the responsibility and walk away. Filing complaints with PayPal does absolutely no good because the seller has the option of demanding the item be shipped back to them (at the buyers expense, which is non-refundable) and then has the OPTION of refunding the money to the buyer. The buyer has no rights. I now have a personal policy to inform sellers that if things arrive damaged or ruined and no restitution is made by them, I will leave negative feedback without hesitation. I too am sick of being ripped off by idiots that have no common sense.

 

[sudsmaster]

If it were me, I'd complain but I'd also replace the toggle switch. These are easy to find and to replace, and it will also give one the opportunity to do an internal motor inspection/clean-up at the same time.

 

[scott55405]

I've had a fair amount of this to contend with as well; sorry that had to happen to your otherwise very nice mixer. I hope you can work out a repair. I did not realize Oster had made such a mixer.

I've never had any issues with things I've sold on Ebay arriving damaged to the buyer, and in all the vintage stuff I packed up to move to California there was not one chip, one broken dish, nada. 2500 miles in a truck enduring who knows what. So, it can be done. All you need is a little common sense.

 

[panthera]

happened to me? yup, yup

Of course it happens - and always to that one part which is prorietary and can't be bought at any local electrical store. When I order stuff shipped (especially e-bay, cause there the buyer is totally screwed if anything goes wrong) I always contact the seller personally and discuss the shipping modus in detail. I tell them there is a bonus - usually 10% of what I just paid for the stuff - if they ship it the way I want it. When I unpack it, and it is done right, I pay them the extra.
About 3/4 of the sellers say fine, their stuff always arrives clean and perfectly safe. The other 1/4? Well, I have now learned to ask before I bid whether the seller is willing to co-operate in shipping carefully or not.
You have to remember, a lot of the folks who work for Fed-Ex, etc., take personal pleasure in playing rough with the stuff. Sad, but that's the way it is.
I'm sorry about your switch, hope you can find a replacement that is nickled and not chromed.

 

[brettsomers]

dont tell anybody...

i bought this off ebay. and this is from a usually super-reliable seller. it arrived with the bakelite end hoplessly broken. i was seeing RED. the seller did the right thing and refunded the full price AND shipping. he said his grandson packed it, not him.

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[launderess]

Sorry To Hear About Your Damaged Item

Something that heavy should have been well wrapped/padded, and double boxed.

These days with anyone and their grandmother selling on eBay, it is becoming more and more common to find items poorly packaged and or damaged upon arrival.

Oh these sellers will hound one the second the auction is over for payment, including a vastly inflated shipping fee, but that is pretty much where the "buck" ends.

Have had to file several claims with PayPal and my credit card company for items that did not arrive, and or were damgaged. Have to say in PayPal's defence, they did return my money. And if they didn't my credit card company always reversed the transaction. Always pay via PayPal/credit card, it really is the only hope one has of ever resolving a poor out come.

I know times are hard for some people, but if one is not going to do the thing right, why bother at all? Just take the item to one of those "ISoldIt" franchises and let them take care of things. Granted it cuts into the profit margin, but at least they seem to have better shipping/packing. In fact one could take the item to a local FedEx or UPS store and they will do the packing/shipping as well.

The above problems would not be so bad if some of these shippers weren't charging insane shipping rates, only to find items arrive packed in any old box from the rubbish, or from the local grocery store. Packing materails seem to be newspaper or old styrofoam/peanuts that are so old they are turning to dust.

They have no shame some people.

L.

 

[petek]

I never knew Oster made those drink mixers either. Is it the camera or my monitor but it looks jadite green to me and not turquoise? BTW can't that switch be repaired with some "metal" glue, JB Weld sort of stuff, or perhaps someone who does some hobby work might know how to solder or weld it back on..

I learned my lesson about insufficient packaging when I sent something to Lawrence last year.. I thought I had packaged it well but it sustained a bit of damage. Since I started selling on Ebay though I figured I'd better do it right so invested in new boxes/peanuts etc and overstuff. Don't want people complaining. I've only received one bad item and that was the Kenmore sputnik can opener. They only used newspaper and the thing is heavy. I could hear it shaking loose inside when I picked up the parcel at the post office. I managed to repair it to some extent but far WORSE was the absolutely filthy condition it was in and I mean filthy. I emailed them about the damage and filth and they were very nice and refunded all my money with apologies. There feedback rating was 100 and they'd shipped 1000's of items saying good packaging so I figured I must have gotten the 1 off bad day but since they were nice enough to apologize and refund my money I gave them good feedback. The other items I've received have been so well packaged that with some of them I've had a frustrating time just trying to extricate the item from the box and bubble wrap..LOL

 

[lightedcontrols]

shipping

Versa,
Whenever I buy ANYTHING on Ebay, and I buy lots, I ALWAYS specifically tell the seller how to pack it. If it arrives damaged, and they didn't pack as I directed, they get automatic NEGATIVE feedback and a not real nice letter from me asking about what part of the packing instructions they didn't understand. Especially when they rip you off on the shipping price, which seems to be a regularity on Ebay nowadays. Mark

 

[maytagbear]

This is one of the reasons why I don't

eBay much anymore.

The item Pete sent me, a beautiful electric skillet, in Avocado, without teflon, did arrive slightly damaged, a handle that was broken, but a very clever, knowlegeable friend was able to fix it.

However, some people are ignorant, arrogant, or worst, both at the same time!

I do like to browse eBay, and I am not saying that I would never eBay again, but.....

Darned Toggleswitch, indeed!

Lawrence/Maytagbear