Shipping Rant

BrianBay9

I just unpacked another bonsai pot shipped through the mail. It arrived intact, and I like the pot, but it was yet another thing packed in the dreaded styrafoam peanuts!!! No matter how you unpack, they scatter all over the floor. They can't be recycled. They flake into tiny snowflakes and scatter around the house. Yuk! Ick! #$##*&)&% nasty things.

For those of you who ship items, take pity on us all and use bubble wrap or newspaper. Or at least use the biodegradable peanuts. I, for one, will bless you as I unpack your treasure.

Rant over.

Brian

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muddslinger

Hi Brian,
I know how you feel; before I became a potter I had "styrophobia" too. After shipping pottery for ten years and trying everything, I no longer have this aversion. If you enjoy receiving your pots intact, I would suggest that you NOT request anything but Styrofoam peanuts. (I wrap my pots in bubble wrap and paper and double box with plenty of peanuts and I never loose a pot.) There's just nothing better. The biodegradable ones are OK and I’ll use them in a pinch, but they're heavier, they aren't as resilient and they tend to settle and compact. Plus, when you get them wet, they turn to sticky goo and if your hands are not completely dry, they'll stick all over. And if your package gets rained on, they turn to hard little pellets. The Styrofoam ones may not be recyclable, but they are most certainly reusable. If I were in your neighborhood, I’d take all you have. You might try calling around to local potters or anyone who ships fragile items, I’ll bet you can find someone to take them off your hands.
Counter rant over…
Best,
Kevin

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Hand Crafted Bonsai Pots by Kevin Thompson

RonMartin(deceased)

But the peanuts are what made your pot arrive intact. They also make the package weigh less and save you on shipping charges.
But just in case you ever order anything form me then please specify that you don't want them. I would be happy to oblige. I only ask that you don't gripe about the extra shipping cost )

Earl

I used to do package shipping for customers as part of my business. Some customers would bring in bags full and I always welcomed them. I had to buy them otherwise and this was great recycling. Doesn't solve them flying all over the house but it does get rid of them in a helpful manner. And the others are correct. The reason people still use them is because it is the only safe and very effective product. Bubble wrap and newspaper isn't going to do it for pots or other heavy breakable stuff.

Earl

Jay

Brian, You are right....but.......As it has been said, nothing meets all the shipping positives that the peanuts do. They are real light, and protect the product the best.

My wife and I used to sell pottery from a Zanesville Ohio Studio. It was shipped to us with peanuts, we just collected them in a huge plastic bag (30-40 gallon) and brought the full bags to a local potter (Actually the one I now take classes with). The arrival of the peanuts was extremely well received.

Remember, these are a problem for you, but they are not free to obtain. There is a cost involved. A small shipper who needs to protect his products will love getting gift bags of them from time to time.....

Jay

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BrianBay9

Well I suppose I have to bow to greater experience from those who ship regularly. Ron, some increase in shipping cost doesn't bother me. Have stuff arrive broken does. It's not terribly practical for your average home owner to accumulate large amounts of saved peanuts, then find a shipper who wants them. The local Boxes etc. used to take them, but they don't want to bother any more. I don't have enough space around for my trees and gear as it is.

Perhaps I'll design and patent something that works as well, and is half as annoying? Shouldn't be too hard, should it? Ha.

Brian

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There's a difference between taking your art seriously, and taking yourself too seriously.

Adam_MA

You could always save them up for a great joke on someone.. I saved them up in a huge box in my basement for a couple of years once. Then I simply shipped the box (one that hanging clothes would be shipped in from a moving company) to a friend with nothing but the peanuts and a note taped to the bottom of the box that said "Gotcha"...

To this day he still wonders who sent them to him!! I think I will start saving them again and hit him again! Only this time I will try to come up with a way to make the peanuts shoot out of the box once it's opened!


Adam

JohnB

HAAAAAAA
Now Adam... that's the best use of the peanuts I've ever heard!

I'll take them off anyone's hands if you don't want them!

Bart Thomas(deceased)

I once received a tree packed in the recycleable peanuts (we call them "ghost t*rds" around here.)

They were stuck to everything. Lot of work involving a hose to get the mess cleaned up.

Otherwise, I have no problem with them, 'ceptin the mess cited earlier.