Factory Packaging

[Kevin Nolan]

FYI, I use a UK shipping company called Rock-it Cargo, even though I live in Ireland (I believe they will ship to/from any part of the world).

I have used them to ship a CS80 form California to Ireland and a Prophet 10 from Wisconsin to Ireland (an Ebay auction).

They were recommended to me by an engineer friend who does some work for Def Lepord and Ronnie Wood (on occassion) as they live in Ireland, and they all use Rock-it.

They are expensive - but they are fantastic. The P10 crate was incredible. It was held suspended within the crate by a framework of wooden beams, padded. There was a type of 'once-off spirit level' on the crate to prove that it was not titlted during the entire journey.

As said they are expensive, but what I did with the P10 auction was ask the seller would they mind holding the instrument for another 2 months after I paid for the unit, until I could afford shipping. The seller agreed so I went for their instrument, and because the seller had excellent feedback, I was confident I could leave it with them for that lenght of time. When shipped by Rockit-Cargo, the instrument arrived perfectly.

The CS80 from California also worked perfectly on arrival, pretty amazing when you consider how fragile CS80s can be once moved.

Rock-it cargo are not the only reputable shipping company of course, but they are definitely worth the expense when shipping a very expensive or unique instrument. But if you email them for a quote, brace yourself!!


Kevin.

[MartinHines]

Shipping an OASYS in its factory box via UPS or FedEx should be fine, with the following suggestions:

1) Use extra bubble wrap inside the OASYS box wrapping around the keyboard. The keyboard is primarily supported by the two large styrofoam pieces on each end.

2) Make sure the Seller tapes the box well. This may include using fiber stranded tape in addition to normal clear packing tape.

3) Have the Seller insure the package for the full eBay sales price

4) Have the Seller use "Signature Required" so you can inspect the exterior of the box when it arrives. If the box is damaged, write down the name of the driver and tell him you will be filing a claim

5) Have the Seller create a number of "Fragile -- Handle with Care" paper stickers (taped on) in a bright color (e.g. Bold Red letters on a Yellow background).

6) Pay via PayPal using a Credit Card.

6) Take digital photos of the box when it arrives, and keep all packing materials. If the keyboard is damaged, the Seller should initiate a claim, and the shipping company will normally send a rep to view the damaged box. They want to see how the item was packed.

The most important point is the Seller is responsible for ensuring the OASYS arrives safely to you. The Seller is contracting out the delivery to a 3rd party (UPS or FedEx), but the Seller is still responsible for its safe delivery. This is why damage claims are normally initiated by the Seller.
If the keyboard arrives broken, the Buyer can ship it back to the Seller.
In many ways an eBay Seller has the same responsibility as a Internet retailer. When I purchased an OASYS 88 from Sweetwater, they were responsible for ensuring the product was delivered safely even though they contracted shipment through FedEx. An eBay Seller is no different.

I've shipped multiple 88 key keyboard across the U.S. using FedEx Ground and have never had any problems.