I get just about all of my kits on eBay. I just can’t afford hobby store prices anymore. Personally, I buy kits as builders, not for collecting. If the box is open, torn, mulched, whatever, I don’t care as long as the parts are complete and the decals and instructions are intact (unless stated otherwise in the auction before I buy it). I do have an issue when sellers put something up as new in original shrinkwrap and yet you get a kit that is in a very dirty box, inside new shrinkwrap. Some sellers seem to think buyers are mentally deficient or something. So no, I don’t think it’s an issue if it’s not sealed. Usually those are all I can afford anyways. Just make sure the kit itself is OK. Oh, le me know your eBay ID if you have any up and I’ll check out what you have.
I’ve been stung before on evilbay by sellers advertising the kit was “still in shrinkwrap” only to open it and find parts missing and even decals cut from the sheet ! Obviously some sellers have access to shrinkwrap equipment. I can see why some people might want to keep the box looking fresh, but there are some tricksters out there. As for people who ship in the kit box alone, without a second box- chinese water torture is too good for them…last kit I recieved in this manner looked like it had been run over or sat on.
I paid a year’s model budget on a 1/72 scale Monogram Full Stack Shuttle over the 'net, and the seller was a reputable guy. Unfortunately, when he boxed the big kit up, he didn’t bother to tape the edges or corners of the cardboard box he fashioned, but just wrapped the whole thing in paper.
So that big shipping crate he made just folded in on the kit box, and it took a beating down from ‘excellent’ to ‘poor.’ Shrink would not have helped.
Other problems I seen with shrink wrap: it can hold moisture inside and grow mildew; it continues to shrink over time and warps the box and occasionally entire sprues inside resulting in warped wings and/or fuselages; old cellophane shrink (60’s or 70’s vintage) will sometimes crinkle and/or adhere permanently to the box.
As far as the shipping thing, I dont mean just wrapping the box, but just putting very stiff (thicker then the boxes) cardboard on the top and bottom, instead of a box. It saves weight and saves on shipping, but isnt as secure as a box, but close
Hey SMEAG! didja you have a lot of turkey? When I ship models and the very pretty little brass parts I manufacture (radars etc.) I do this. First a fluffy layer of tissue. Then BUBBLE wrap (YOU mean I can,t pop it!!) The small bubble wrap. then a small layer of crushed newsprint and then tape securely and ship. I usually , If shipping a model to someone ,open the original box and wrap the bags full of parts with small loosly crushed balls of tissue. I have NEVER had a customer complain about recieving a damaged kit. I always do a drop test BEFORE I wrap it to ship.YUP , you read right!!.Never have broken one in drop testing either!! Tankerbuilder
Hey Tankerbuilder, I wish you had shipped my Full Stack Shuttle. I asked the vendor to do as you say, and package up the loose parts with bubble wrap. If he had taped the outerboxes edges and corners, all of the locater pins for that big fuel tank would have made the journey.
I had to replace 10 of them with segments of paper clip. Oh well, at least I got to practice my micro-drilling skills.