Beware of Amazon Shipping

I just purchased a Canon 17-40mm f/4L from Amazon because it was on sale and I needed a lightweight, daily beater lens for my 6dmk2.

Amazon shipped my lens in a flimsy, plastic bag!!!! When I opened the bag I noticed the bottom corners of the box were smashed as if this package had been tossed around carelessly. The only protection that lens had was the interior Styrofoam holding the lens in its little box.

I honestly don't understand why Amazon does this. I think they loose more money from returns due to delicate electronic merchandise arriving in non working condition due to poor packaging than spending a few cents more on cardboard boxes when it come to shipping lenses, cameras, or otger delicate electronics.

Verify that Amazon was the seller, as opposed to someone selling on their own behalf using Amazon as the means of making the sale.

Wilt wrote in post #19302845
Verify that Amazon was the seller, as opposed to someone selling on their own behalf using Amazon as the means of making the sale.

My lens was sold and shipped by Amazon, not a 3rd party vendor. I think had it been a 3rd party vendor they would have packaged it better than Amazon!

I just received a shipment from Amazon packed just like that. Thankfully it was in a very tough box. It was electronics gear.

bpalermini wrote in post #19302933
I just received a shipment from Amazon packed just like that. Thankfully it was in a very tough box. It was electronics gear.

I'm going to test it out this weekend to see if it survived Amazon's shameful shipping. If it doesn't work as expected, I will stuff it into plastic trash bag with a return label on it. Hopefully they will get the idea.

The way I see it, due to their negligent shipping they will not only be out the cost of shipping (both ways), but also the cost of the lens itself. They won't be able to sell it as new because they damaged it during shipping!! So, by "saving" maybe .25 cents on a cardboard box with some protective buble wrap, they end up losing a little over $500!!! How does this make any financial sense??? Even if they get away with doing this with several thousand customers, if only 3 custmers return the merchandise they are at a serious loss!!

Don't know why they are doing it in Florida. Maybe some local regulations.
Local Amazon where I'm is over packaging. Maybe because we are not hesitating with returns.
I would return this one as damaged package.

It’s all done via AI in the warehouse. The folks do have the ability to override the system on how something is shipped, or used to, but the system is matching dimensions and weight to the type of shipping package that would be needed.

Also once Amazon has their own truck fleet, the packaging got a little skimpier because they had more control over the life of the delivery instead of passing off to the 3 big freight handlers.

I had vinyl LPs shipped to me by Amazon like that. If packaging is being selected by AI algorithm, it may not be very 'intelligent' after all.

On the other hand, Amazon returns are easy, so I would just ship it back if I see any problem at all.

No to defend amazon. but those Canon boxes are really made to protect the gar within very well. Double boxing really isn't necessary. Often when I buy from Canon USA, things arrive just in their own box.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #19303080
No to defend amazon. but those Canon boxes are really made to protect the gar within very well. Double boxing really isn't necessary. Often when I buy from Canon USA, things arrive just in their own box.

Agreed, I was going to say that too. Many of us also eventually throw out the Canon boxes anyways, so for me, it doesn't matter that the product box gets damaged, it just gets recycled. However the contents inside have to be protected, and the foam/cardboard sleeves that Canon uses really helps.

I no longer buy anything from Amazon, lenses should be double boxed. Amazon delivered this to the local Post Office in this condition. I want the boxes in case I want to sell the lens.
I got a computer before with a hole punched in it during delivery, luckily it was through a removable drive bay cover. I had bare hard drives sent to me in envelopes and have been sent a large box with one microSD card in it.

Canonuser123 wrote in post #19303125
I no longer buy anything from Amazon, lenses should be double boxed. Amazon delivered this to the local Post Office in this condition. I want the boxes in case I want to sell the lens.
I got a computer before with a hole punched in it during delivery, luckily it was through a removable drive bay cover. I had bare hard drives sent to me in envelopes and have been sent a large box with one microSD card in it.

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forum: General Photography Talk

Wow! That's much worse than my case! I have given Amazon the benifit of the doubt for some time now, but I won't be buying electronics from them again! Too risky due to their sub-par packaging!

If the shipment is handled roughly, and it's a lens, there's a chance the lens can be 'decentered'. While the outside of the lens may appear beautiful, the jarring of such rough handling can misalign things internally. First thing I would do is check lens for being decentered.

CVGwin wrote in post #19304947
If the shipment is handled roughly, and it's a lens, there's a chance the lens can be 'decentered'. While the outside of the lens may appear beautiful, the jarring of such rough handling can misalign things internally. First thing I would do is check lens for being decentered.

How is that done?

Take a picture of a brick wall as parallel as you can get the lens front element to the wall.

Check for sections of the brick wall not in focus and where IQ/detail is lacking where it shouldn’t be.