Boba Fett Mail-Away Offer?

[Jabba the Slug]

Some poor guy had his Boba arrive looking like this.

I wonder what's the deal with the shipping. If I recall, many people got their Nahdar Vebbs pretty smashed-up. And this is like x10.

[Matt_Fury]

I think we found a good topic for the next Q & A.  "Will they replace damaged Fetts?"

[Jesse James]

I'd say that's likely 99.9% a "no".

Here's the deal, sadly...  On top of these boxes seemingly being smaller/thinner material, these are also known as "pre-sorted standard" mail...  This stuff is the read-headed stepchild of the postal world.  Mail in general can be handled rough by the sorting process (largely done by machine), all the way to the office, but anything in the pre-sorted standard category is really not treated well, often. 

It's more the fault of the box than anything really.  These packages appear like they just weren't meant for rough handling, which means they should've probably had a more expensive means of shipping or a more sturdy cardboard...  probably more the latter.

If I had to guess, my box was probably crushed, and then someone attempted to put it back into its shape because my Fett was destroyed but outside the Box didn't look that bad.

The box in that JTA picture, if I had to guess, was caught in some of the machinery.  It happens to everything from letters to parcels shipped like this.

[DoctorPadawan]

I got one of the two Fetts I sent off for in the mail today and while mine's card isn't anywhere near as damaged as that poor guy at JTA, it still had a huge ding on the lower left corner, and the top part of the bubble wasn't even attached.  To top it off, when I held it up to look at it in the light, the bubble started to separate even more from the card.  Not what I'd expect from any figure, much less one whose appeal is 99% due to nostalgia among adult collectors.

Somehow, I don't think anyone needs the Force to foresee that the next Q&A is going to be riddled with "WTF happened with the Rocket Firing Fetts?"  Even though there's always a disclaimer saying that "we are not responsible for damaged or items lost in the mail", the vast number of people who received figures that were completely destroyed and/or had detached bubbles due to poor quality glue makes me think that Hasbro can't avoid this issue by using that disclaimer as an out.

And, of course, I'm sure the Sgt. Bric figures will arrive in absolutely pristine condition.  

[Jeff]

Got one over the weekend and a second today.  Both shipping boxes were beat to hell.  The first survived somehow (a bit of wear on the bubble), but the one that arrived today was severely messed up.  Similar to DocP's, the bubble was completely unattached at the top and the act of putting it upright caused the bubble to fall off the card the rest of the way.   

****** bubble glue + thin cardback stock + ****** shipping box = FAIL.     

[Crackbrick]

Got mine today.
Very happy with this one.
I'd like one to open as well.
Lucky, this one is in good shape.

cb

[Jabba the Slug]

The shipping box is a tight fit for the card in the first place. So if the box takes even the slightest beating, chances are the card is gonna be messed up like hell.

[Captain Piet]

Perhaps we can have a swap of figures that arrive in poor condition for openers and MOMC survivors for carded collectors. I need one of both.

[Crackbrick]

Perhaps we can have a swap of figures that arrive in poor condition for openers and MOMC survivors for carded collectors. I need one of both.

I would not mind doing that.
I'll see how the second one shows up, if its in decent shape I'll trade it for an open one.

cb

[morrison2951]

It's odd how so many people have commented how they've gotten their Boba's with the bubble separated from the cardback. That's really weird. I wonder how that happens.

Sounds like Hasbro unfortuantely used the same bubble glue as they did on the '97 Theater Luke.  That figure was next to impossible to locate with a bubble still totally intact. 

[GrandMoffNick]

I don't get how it's even acceptable to Hasbro?

They obviously know most of these are going to collectors and thus should be in good shape.

I guess I'm just hoping the bubble is still attached to the card.

When did you who are getting these send away for yours?

[Jesse James]

I didn't send for mine right away Nick.  Actually I probably didn't send for mine for a while after a lot of others, as I didn't get a Vintage figure till they hit Target.

[Jesse James]

I got another Boba today...  The box was crushed it seemed, but the card inside was amazingly decent.  The bubble's crushed a little on top and peeling off a little on the bottom, but otherwise it's good and this one I'm keeping to display I do believe, with my vintage figures.  I'll open the other to display with them then since it's mangled beyond recognition.

I got some emails regarding the USPS handling these and things...

The best I can tell you guys is that the company sending them out, I'm sure, are sending them out fine.  The box around the figure and the figure's packaging is cheap it seems though, and the company sending these out are using the USPS's cheapest method of shipping possible.  Presorted Standard mail is what we all call "Junk Mail".  The USPS doesn't call it that anymore, but the term still basically applies because it's handled quickly.  The condition of what's inside isn't really a consideration so much as handlign a large volume of items and getting them out quickly.

These packages are seeing a LOT of machinery sorting and less people sorting.  The machinery, I almost 100% guarantee you, is what is destroying these boxes and packaging.  Stuff like this is a real conundrum.  We want these "freebies", but we want them perfectly mint when they arrive.  At the same time, we are paying almost $7 shipping for them.  They cost though.  In the past Hasbro has said they're an expensive thing sometimes, obviously.  I think I'd take them in damaged packages over not at all, or for inflated costs, I guess is what I'm saying.

I think with Fett they could've used a sturdier box though, to protect it some more, and not impacted the cost too much.  It was more a carded thing to many people I believe.

[Jabba the Slug]

^That was Hasbro's response to the JTA Q/A, too. When they send it off it's in pristine condition, but it gets damaged when it's handled. So Hasbro dodged the blame on this one pretty well.

[Darth_Anton]

Hasbro's not wrong. The only thing they can do is ship in sturdier boxes.