If I’m getting a reputation for angry rantage, then I wouldn’t be surprised. Today’s subject of my ire: The Rightstuf, International. The ‘International’ part being a joke if you actually buy from them internationally. I’ve purchased stuff from them five or six times now, always large packages with a pile of stuff in them. They charge absolutely insane prices for shipping - roughly double what my usual retailer does - so I usually only bother when they’re having clearance sales.
So, what does that super-expensive shipping get you? Well, what generally happens is that they fuck around with your order for two weeks or so, then finally ship it. About ten days later you’ll get an invoice in the mail. 2-3 weeks down the track you get your box of goodies. Despite TRSI being based in Iowa or something, the box will be postmarked Malmo, Sweden. And the box will be really, really badly damaged. I don’t know what’s going on, but every box I’ve gotten from TRSI has been in an extremely poor state. The corners bashed in, the cardboard ripped… But usually they have structural integrity so I don’t really care (except for the fact I’m paying double the price for shipping that takes twice as long and apparently has handlers that play rugby with my packages).
So this morning my doorbell goes. It’s Australia post, delivering a package from TRSI. They need my signature. This is unusal - usually the only things that need signatures are the very rare deliveries of figures from Japan sent EMS. However I was able to instantly tell why. This box was on its last legs. 1 hp. Seriously wounded (but the soul still burns) etc:
Australia Post had done their best to patch the box up, but they haven’t trained very high in first aid. This box, once a proud cardboard companion cube, is no longer even square. One side had clearly been ripped clean off and they’d then pulled down the top of the box and added packing tape to it to close the gaping hole.
Now, I dislike Australia Post as much as the next guy, but they’re usually pretty good as postal services go. Except when they fold my Megami issues in half to ram them into my post box… Anyway, there was a sticker on it saying ‘recieved in this condition’ - i.e. it was damaged during its trek through the wilderness, before arriving in Kangaroosville.
Yes, that does look suspiciously like a bootprint on the white TRSI label there. So what can we conclude from this? 1) TRSI need to drop the ‘I’ from their name, they’re not fooling anyone. 2) TRSI are clearly reaming international customers with shipping charges and then using the most low-cost, nasty and hateful shipping service they can find, then pocketing the difference. 3) TRSI need to find a better shipping service. 4) Sweden is full of DVD-hating pirates.
The most noteworthy thing in this whole saga is that the DVDs themselves are all present, and all completely untouched. As such I am nominating the TRSI box for a Medal of Honor. Some people might say that if the box is damaged but the goods are fine then it doesn’t matter, and this has been the case with all my packages, but if they’re being that rough with the boxes then it’s surely only a matter of time.
I opt for option 2) and 3) on the selection, actually, since that’s the only possible way in my mind for the package to be that… mangled. Words escape me at this point. Even the Philippine Postal Service, which never really had a stellar reputation to begin with, still makes sure that the packages and contents (with the exception of cash or checks, but really who’s dumb enough to do that these days?) arrive in one piece.
I’d sure be more than angry if my copies of the Haruhi novels, Shana, Seirei or(God forbid) FMP got thrashed, since they represent a GOOD chunk of my monthly budget.
Geez. It looks clear that somewhere between you and TRSI, either some bunch of drunk jackasses at some cargo terminal decided to play rugby with shipping boxes, or the customs inspectors are paranoid about what’s inside the box.
Hello there, Myssa.
Images are 404′ing for me, but the thumbnails say it all I think. I’ve seen pretty much everything I’ve ordered from Hong Kong on eBay turn up faster and in much better condition than that.
Time to find another online retailer?
Fixed.
I rarely order from TRSI for the reasons outlined. The bulk of my stuff is purchased from DVDPacific, who are cheaper and faster. But they don’t have crazy deals when they need to clear old stock the way TRSI do.