What do you consider "acceptable" shipping damage (with photos)?

I do a lot more reading than posting on this forum, and rarely start a thread here. Looking for some feedback of others experiences regarding chips, dings, scratches, and packing issues.

Figured it was time to see what the SolarStorm buzz was about and ordered a SC01 from Fasttech three weeks ago. The light delivered this past Monday with a hole worn through the envelope and plastic packaging which removed an unusually large amount of paint and metal.

Sent FT and e-mail that day including the attached photo. Do you guys consider this an acceptable amount of damage from an over seas seller? If so, FT has not responded as of this morning. If not, what do you consider “too much damage”?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Give FastTech some time to respond. These things can happen. The shipping covers items damaged in transit so I wouldn’t worry about how much damage is acceptable.
http://support.fasttech.com/FAQ/doa-policy

i would suggest a partial refund of $2 and then be happy :)

Personally I don’t really believe any damage is acceptable. I would let a little chip in the ano or something small like that go if it wasn’t noticeable, but there is no way I would accept that light you received with the damage that is on it. But then again I am a perfectionist so it’s either right or not at all.

Fasttech will make it right…their turn around time is usually within 48 hours…

They will probably have you ship it to their Miami Fl location then ship out a new one to you (and refund up to $6.00 for shipping fees, I usually just grab one of the small “if it fit’s it ships” priority boxes…stuff whatever is in it, then mail it out…withing 2 days they will get it in Miami)

It is the shipping companies fault for the damage…but fasttech will take good care of you

Is it the tail cap thats damaged? if so, request a replacement. FT is usually good. No real excuse here, but after all it was FREE shipping. But I guess it isn’t really FREE if you get a damaged product.

But it’s not FREE shipping. Just because they don’t bill it as a separate item, doesn’t mean it isn’t paid for and covered in the total price you pay.

Shipping damage? None at all. If it cant be shipped for the price without damage, then tell me and Ill pay extra.

But yours looks like its been dragged across concrete for some distance, or something similar. Actually looks like it was tapped with a grinder (it hanst, its just pretty severe). It hasnt simply fallen or jammed in a sorting machine. Its hard to tell how it happened but that would not be acceptable IMO.

Just write them an e-mail and they will tell you to ship it to Miami office and they will resend it back another one to you.
Been there few times already, and their good with cases like these… no big deal :smiley:

what is wrong with partial refund?

He is still left with a reasonably damaged light…

why settle with partial refund when you can get brand new light?
Unless you desperately need that light at the moment, I can’t see why not resend it back to their Miami office, the shipping fee will be reimburse anyway.

That is some serious damage and looks like the whole mail bag has been dragged some distance with the torch being at the very bottom. I don’t think it’s entirely FT’s fault as even with more packaging it would’ve burst open anyway. It’s partially the fault of the courier/shipping for doing this in the first place.

However I do acknowledge the envelope alone is inadequate.

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses. This is my first overseas flashlight delivery in five years with this level of damage.

Fasttech did respond to the above posted photo via e-mail quoted -

“Sorry for this issue.

The item seems usable. we would like to send you a 15% discount via a partial
refund.

Please let us know if you have any questions.”

Seems like a replacement light or even just the tail cap would be a better option than a $2.28 refund.

Usual start to negotiations, stay firm and polite say you would like new light or tail-cap, don’t forget you are in the box seat. Oh don’t forget to keep the envelope/wrapping. The postal services are getting worse how they do things.

IME FT are good with things like this. Any situation I have had has always been resolved to my satisfaction. Can take a couple of e-mails. In fact just had a problem myself which has been solved with them adding a replacement of a faulty item to my next order.

And keep a note of the PP 45 day limit, it’s your trump card I would only use it as a last resort, though I have never even been close to using it with FT unlike a few other CS depts I could name

Thats an offer, you can counter it. Ask for a tailcap replacement. Alternatively, suggest they can pay for return shipping and provide a refund or replacement.

“Hey but I’d bet the light still works fine. So no blood, no foul… ”
But yeah, all joking aside definitely push for an undamaged light and resort to a PP dispute if need be.

W/O question that light has too much damage to keep at any price discount.

Did receive closure on this damage. FT did correct the issue by sending a brand new undamaged tail cap. Exact and perfect replacement.