Goulets 1, Us Postal Service 0

[FPRebel]

I love Goulet as much as the next guy, but I must say I agree with Chuck400b.

The EXTREME packaging does nothing except giving feel-good vibes to some customers, at a substantial cost, bot monetary and environmental. It would be more rational and less expensive to package things reasonably, like many other do, and accept a slightly higher percentage of damaged goods (if even...), which would be covered by insurance anyway.

Agree 100%

No matter how fantastic the products and other customer service, I will order once from a company that employs ABSURD and RIDICULOUSLY wasteful packaging practices. It is gimmicky, and much worse, environmentally cavalier.

[Bookman]

Agree 100%

No matter how fantastic the products and other customer service, I will order once from a company that employs ABSURD and RIDICULOUSLY wasteful packaging practices. It is gimmicky, and much worse, environmentally cavalier.

 

I've gotten ink delivered from other vendors that arrived with cracked bottles inside the shipping boxes and ink leaking everywhere. I don't want to deal with cracked bottles and ink messes and replacement orders. The Goulet packaging might be overkill, but where's the line between too much packaging and just the right amount? I'm sure the vendors who sent me the bottles that broke in transit thought just the way you do: so what if some bottles break, that's what insurance is for. It was no coincidence my ink arrived in a bloody mess. The Goulet packaging isn't gimmicky to me. They're going the extra mile to make sure I get what I paid for intact and undamaged. I appreciate the Goulet packaging.

Edited May 14, 2016 by Bookman

[graystranger]

 

I've gotten ink delivered from other vendors that arrived with cracked bottles inside the shipping boxes and ink leaking everywhere. I don't want to deal with cracked bottles and ink messes and replacement orders. The Goulet packaging might be overkill, but where's the line between too much packaging and just the right amount? I'm sure the vendors who sent me the bottles that broke in transit thought just the way you do: so what if some bottles break, that's what insurance is for. It was no coincidence my ink arrived in a bloody mess. The Goulet packaging isn't gimmicky to me. They're going the extra mile to make sure I get what I paid for intact and undamaged. I appreciate the Goulet packaging.

 

Well said. I agree with you completely. Most don't understand that the paper companies have billions of acres of trees that they harvest from to make paper. Trees specifically bred and planted for optimum paper pulp yield. Cardboard is made from paper. A lot of cardboard produced uses recycled paper in its manufacture. Thus a lot of the paper and cardboard manufactured comes from sustainable trees, at least in the US and probably in Europe. I have been in a very large plant that made cardboard for boxes, jigsaw puzzles, shape holding forms in shoes, insoles, etc. and all of their cardboard was made from recycled paper and boxes. This was about 30 years ago.

[inkstainedruth]

+1 to what Bookman said.

Several years ago I ordered some of FPN member Pharmacist's iron gall inks. One of the (plastic) bottles cracked on the shoulder in shipment, and ink leaked EVERYWHERE (including all over the counter at the post office, because it leaked through the shipping envelope). And you just KNOW it was the best color of the three -- Turkish Night. Contacted him right away and he more than made good; but it still was depressing to see the entire bottle's worth everywhere *except* in the bottle where it was supposed to be. He said it had never happened before (I'm hoping it never will to anyone else again).

Not pen related, but a while back I bought a CD from an eBay vendor and when it arrived the Priority Mail box it was in had a puncture! I don't even want to know how. When I got the box open, the jewel case was clearly damaged as well (THAT looked as if it had been stepped on by someone in the touring company of "Kinky Boots" while wearing size 13 stilettos...). Fortunately, it wasn't a particularly rare or obscure album, and I was able to get a replacement from the seller (although I could have driven to the seller's location -- and back -- in less time than it took to email me the return shipping label, mail the package back, and wait for them to find another copy in their warehouse to ship to me....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Jamerelbe]

I find it interesting that this thread turned in the direction of the fact that "Fragile" stickers etc don't get read by USPS, then somehow ends up bashing the Goulets for "overdoing it" in their packaging,when any breakages are covered by insurance. Personally - as someone who suffered permanent nerve damage to my hand, as a result of a childhood accident involving glass - I'd prefer companies like the Goulets take whatever precautions they deem necessary to ensure their parcels arrive safe and sound.

[whichwatch]

I find it interesting that this thread turned in the direction of the fact that "Fragile" stickers etc don't get read by USPS, then somehow ends up bashing the Goulets for "overdoing it" in their packaging,when any breakages are covered by insurance. Personally - as someone who suffered permanent nerve damage to my hand, as a result of a childhood accident involving glass - I'd prefer companies like the Goulets take whatever precautions they deem necessary to ensure their parcels arrive safe and sound.

 

 

I actually started this thread last August. It slept quietly for nine months, but was recently brought back to life (I call them "zombie threads") and took the turn you mentioned.

 

I was going to post again and suggest that I had never intended to start a serious discussion regarding the US Postal Service OR the Goulet's packaging. I just thought it was an amusing incident that people might enjoy reading about.

 

Perhaps it would be best if this thread were allowed to return to its previous state of slumber.

[adamselene]

Goulet packaging may be inefficient, in providing more care than necessary for the customer. I have a feeling that the extra materials used are recycled by a number of times by successive shippers. I use bubble rap all the time, and have never bought any.

 

Another example of inefficiency is the provision of two kidneys for most of us.

 

Efficiency is not always a virtue.

Edited May 15, 2016 by adamselene

[Feanaaro]

 

Well said. I agree with you completely. Most don't understand that the paper companies have billions of acres of trees that they harvest from to make paper. Trees specifically bred and planted for optimum paper pulp yield. Cardboard is made from paper. A lot of cardboard produced uses recycled paper in its manufacture. Thus a lot of the paper and cardboard manufactured comes from sustainable trees, at least in the US and probably in Europe. I have been in a very large plant that made cardboard for boxes, jigsaw puzzles, shape holding forms in shoes, insoles, etc. and all of their cardboard was made from recycled paper and boxes. This was about 30 years ago.

 

 

 

I've gotten ink delivered from other vendors that arrived with cracked bottles inside the shipping boxes and ink leaking everywhere. I don't want to deal with cracked bottles and ink messes and replacement orders. The Goulet packaging might be overkill, but where's the line between too much packaging and just the right amount? I'm sure the vendors who sent me the bottles that broke in transit thought just the way you do: so what if some bottles break, that's what insurance is for. It was no coincidence my ink arrived in a bloody mess. The Goulet packaging isn't gimmicky to me. They're going the extra mile to make sure I get what I paid for intact and undamaged. I appreciate the Goulet packaging.

 

There are many things that are convenient for us as individuals, but terrible for us collectively. This is just a small one among many.

I'm still ordering stuff from Goulet anyway, just not appreciating the overpacking, or the horrible lollipop they include for some reason.

 

For what is worth, I've also ordered ink bottles from all around the world (by chance, actually none from Goulet, if I remember correctly) and not one arrived broken or damaged in any way; so there is that, for any anecdote there are many other contrary ones.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Feanaaro

[abstract49]

I've long suspected that postal employees the world over see a fragile sticker as a challenge. Glad to see they lost this round.

 

 

 

Many (many) years ago, I had a lodge brother who worked for USPS. He told me once about handling a wrecking bar with a FRAGILE tag attached.

[Bookman]

When I pay for something online that must be shipped to me I think I'm entitled to have the seller see to it that it arrive undamaged. That isn't convenience: that's getting what I paid for. Convenience went out the window when the last place within a hundred miles of my house stopped selling bottled ink. At the grocery store, when I notice an egg is broken inside the carton, convenience has nothing to do with my wanting to make sure that all twelve eggs I pay for are unbroken. It's convenient that I'm right there and the other cartons of eggs are right there and I can make the exchange without enlarging my carbon footprint. Imagine if the exchange had to be done by airmail? Oh, the packaging I would insist upon.

 

Almost everything inside the box, and the box too, is recyclable. I won't argue that the Goulets have no choice but to use precisely the amount of packaging they use. But they aren't mailing fabric or cotton balls. With or without "FRAGILE" stamped on the box, fountain pens and glass ink bottles are fragile contents. I appreciate the Goulets going the extra mile to protect my investment, one that will have been paid for before I'm able to take possession, one that will have to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune in the violent world of the the package-delivery system. And to their credit, the Goulets don't maxi-package every item they sell. They don't package notebooks as bulkily as they do fountain pens and glass ink bottles. I don't either.

Edited May 16, 2016 by Bookman

[Feanaaro]

It's "recyclable" the way plastic is "recyclable", which is not really that much, especially considering the portion of the US which does not do recycling seriously.

If they used renewable materials in their packaging it would be better (still bad from a cost/benefit perspective, but better from an environmental standpoint).

[IrishEyes]

When I pay for something online that must be shipped to me I think I'm entitled to have the seller see to it that it arrive undamaged. That isn't convenience: that's getting what I paid for.

 

Almost everything inside the box, and the box too, is recyclable. I appreciate the Goulets going the extra mile to protect my investment, one that will have been paid for before I'm able to take possession, one that will have to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune in the violent world of the the package-delivery system.

 

I agree! Nothing is more frustrating and disappointing than having a package arrive with its contents damaged/destroyed. I'd rather pay a bit extra to have an item arrive intact than have to go through the time and hassle of having to have an item replaced that should have been packaged properly to begin with.

 

Oh, and we reuse their packaging materials all the time. That's also a time-saver for us, because we don't need to drive to a store or the post office to purchase bubble wrap, etc. We actually appreciate the time that Goulet spends to make sure our packages arrive intact.

 

As for the lollipops, we include them as part of the wrapping process at gift giving time. Except for chocolate ones. We eat those, ourselves .

[alextkeane]

I live across the country from my family, so to me, the Goulet packing materials are just "hey! I don't need to get bubble wrap from the store." I can definitely reuse bubble wrap way more than those awful peanuts my Notary embosser came packed in.

[snowbear]

We live in an apartment and have a common unit of eight mailboxes. The USPS puts mail into the units from the rear - a single large door opens up to reveal eight "cubby hole" mailboxes. The first pen I ordered from Goulet was placed into the box. Unfortunately, there is a 1/4" edge around the front of the box, where we take the mail out, so the door will close properly. The box was a bit too large to fit. I had to use a knife to open the box while it was still in there, to get the pen out.

 

I called the post office and mentioned it, and was told it would be taken care of. Yeah, right; pen number two was in the box, and just as stuck.

 

I've since asked Goulet to mark the packages "Please deliver to door" which they happily do. Love Goulet Pens, not so much USPS.

[Cryptos]

On my one and only order from the Goulet (a TWSBI 580AL) was packaged in a box. Within the box were two inflated pillows (large bubblewrap I guess you may call it), and the pen in its own packaging. That was it. I would hardly call that over packing!

[alextkeane]

On my one and only order from the Goulet (a TWSBI 580AL) was packaged in a box. Within the box were two inflated pillows (large bubblewrap I guess you may call it), and the pen in its own packaging. That was it. I would hardly call that over packing!

 

They are really generous with the packing when you order ink from them. Having had glass jars of jam break in transit and cover everything else, I'm glad they take care when shipping ink bottles.

[TSherbs]

For my last order with Goulet, I requested in the comment box of the order--as a poster here suggested that I do--that they NOT include any promotional products or edibles in my package and that they use as little plastic as possible.

 

Both requests were ignored. I am going to write the company and name the specific order handler, whose signature was included, who ignored my request.

 

They are, of course, free to ignore reasonable customer requests. It's their business. But I like how I can say at a B &M store, "Hey, keep the bag (sticker, bookmark, and lollipop) for the next customer who might need/want it. I am fine without it," and then they don't make me take it and recycle it for them (or throw it out, in the case of an sugary edible, which is better off in the ground than in someone's digestive tract or some unfortunate parent's upholstery of the back seat of the car).

 

Really peeves me.

[TSherbs]

Goulet packaging may be inefficient, in providing more care than necessary for the customer. I have a feeling that the extra materials used are recycled by a number of times by successive shippers. I use bubble rap all the time, and have never bought any.

 

Another example of inefficiency is the provision of two kidneys for most of us.

 

Efficiency is not always a virtue.

Indeed.

 

But our kidneys are not chemically toxic to the environment with interminable decomposition rates.

 

Virtually all plastic is headed toward dumping in the environment, either buried or burned into the atmosphere. Plastics do not stay in the recycle stream long, and only a small portion of it is ever re-used.

 

And efficiency is often a morally bankrupt approach (see Jonathan Swift for the famous example). Actually, Brian G told me that Goulet has investigated other options but plastic is most cost-effective. Of course, he means "costs" to his company, not costs outside of his business ledger (environmental, social, ethical). No one doubts that plastic is "cheap". It is even "efficient" as a means of binding.

Edited May 30, 2016 by TSherbs

[RMN]

For my last order with Goulet, I requested in the comment box of the order--as a poster here suggested that I do--that they NOT include any promotional products or edibles in my package and that they use as little plastic as possible.

 

Both requests were ignored. I am going to write the company and name the specific order handler, whose signature was included, who ignored my request.

 

They are, of course, free to ignore reasonable customer requests. It's their business. But I like how I can say at a B &M store, "Hey, keep the bag (sticker, bookmark, and lollipop) for the next customer who might need/want it. I am fine without it," and then they don't make me take it and recycle it for them (or throw it out, in the case of an sugary edible, which is better off in the ground than in someone's digestive tract or some unfortunate parent's upholstery of the back seat of the car).

 

Really peeves me.

 

Depends on what you call reasonable customer request.

Such a request disrupts a streamlined process.

Someone picks the order in a basket (in large stores like Amazon often done by robots) and delivers the basket to someone at the packing table, who then does the packing. If you have to check every order for that one in 1000 who wants it different that takes a lot of extra time.

I wonder how many boxes leave Goulets daily...

 

 

D.ick

[TSherbs]

 

Depends on what you call reasonable customer request.

Such a request disrupts a streamlined process.

Someone picks the order in a basket (in large stores like Amazon often done by robots) and delivers the basket to someone at the packing table, who then does the packing. If you have to check every order for that one in 1000 who wants it different that takes a lot of extra time.

I wonder how many boxes leave Goulets daily...

 

 

D.ick

dunno how many, but I doubt that they are staffed by robots

 

heck, the woman put her signature right on the packing slip under my request: why ask for it if you're not going to read it? Orwell has a snarky answer, but I am trying not to be that cynical about it....