This week I sold one of my jellyfish paintings, but also had it returned by the customer as it wasn't exactly what she was after. That is neither here nor there - these things happen (although it's a first for me!) What puzzled me was that this lady also mentioned a crease mark across the centre of the painting. Now I am pretty meticulous when I package up anything that I sell, so I was interested to find out what she meant when I collected the package from our mail depot today.
It seemed the return journey had not been without mishap - even though my customer had added extra packaging, it still arrived cobbled together like this as the postal service had ripped the outer layer.
They'd torn the bottom part too.....obviously being asked not to bend the parcel didn't prevent them from using it as a football at some point.
Is this what 'Special' Delivery means?
So if this was how it had been delivered back to me, it gave me an inkling of how it had been delivered to the customer. Nothing prepared me for this however:-
...and from the back....
...and the thick piece of mountboard that was only half of the packaging I had used.....
...nice. Do they employ elephants to compress the mail into lorries these days? I think the customer was pretty darn restrained in describing it as 'a slight fold line' - I just cannot believe this is how the Royal Mail treat items that we
pay them to deliver.
Now, as there is another buyer waiting with anticipation for this painting, I have to do something to rectify it's condition as there is no way I will let it go anywhere looking like that. So I have tried the method used when watercolour paper cockles from not being pre-stretched then painted on. The painting is thoroughly wetted on the back with clean water until the paper is pliable, placed on a flat surface, covered with a few sheets of newspaper and something heavy.
Or in this case, a lot of heavy somethings! Then it has to be left overnight to dry and flatten (hopefully).
I am amazed that I can send paintings to the USA and Europe and they get there unscathed - 30 miles up the road and it's more battered than if I'd run over it with my car. Next time, there will be a sheet of hardboard enclosed!
Oh yes, and if any of you think I should try and claim some insurance out of the postal service.....I really don't have that many months to waste on what I know will be a fruitless task!
4 comments:
That is disgusting.
Royal Mail are a joke. They are so unreliable and inconsistent.
I really hope you manage to un-crease your beautiful picture.
If it's Special Delivery you should be able to claim compensation easily. All these photos on your blog are enough evidence of their ridiculously shoddy service.
Grrrrr.
That is completely unacceptable! I feel so angry reading this, it looks as if they have gone to a special effort to fold it in half! I really would write a stiff letter or email and do try to claim some kind of compensation, I did once for a parcel I sent by simple Air Mail which got a bit damaged and I did get about 30 quid back.
I agree, you should make a complaint. That is totally unacceptable. What a horror! xo
i hope you get some lolly back off them ... you have lots of pics of the damage ...
when i ship paintings, i get pieces of corrugated card, and make a sandwich. make sure the corrugations go diff ways on each piece, much safer !
hugs
cat xxx on catch up!
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