How to pack and move electronics?

[bizarre]

Hey guys,

I wish to buy a fellow HFV member's full music system for my friend, however the biggest hurdle seems to be packaging and moving it. The items are located in Chennai and I'm in Mumbai. The seller doesn't have original boxes with him. I need help with the following:

1. How to pack the boxes? The music system consists of a CD Player, Amp, BS Speakers and stands.
2. Where to acquire hard cartoons, thermocol and bubblewrap?
3. What courier service to use? It has to be affordable otherwise the purpose of buying used stuff is defeated.

I called a couple of guys in Chennai, most of them are not willing to only package it. Packing and Moving is costing about 5k+. One person agreed to pack it for 500 bucks but he has only large cartoons and he says he will pack two items in one box. No thermocol but double bubblewrap!

Any help in this regard will be appreciated.

 

[Tracer29]

@Bizarre : 1)For CD player and BS speakers bubblewrap will do and for amp you would definitely need a carton with thermocol at the sides along with the bubblewrap if the weight is over 15kgs.
2)all packers and movers will help you with the stuff required
3)Blue dart should be able to courier it.
if any of your friend is coming in train it would really work cheaper.

 

[thevortex]

Any sort of packers and movers company are not to be trusted with such delicate electronics.

I moved from one part of the city to another. Still I did not trust the movers one bit. I lugged all the electronics - even the fairly tall floorstanding speakers - myself. Even if it meant 4 to 5 trips back and forth!

You have to see them throwing around bundles in their warehouse to develop a healthy aversion to them. They are like a necessary evil though. You do need them to transport your cot, your sofa, your almirah etc.

 

[bizarre]

I spoke to BlueDart and they gave me a quote of Rs.1291 for up to 40Kg and/or value worth Rs.40000. Rs.2050 with 40000 insurance cover.

Is the scene looking better now? If I go for the Insurance option, can I claim the damage during the transit? Any experiences around this?

I understand everything but I simply can't afford to go to Chennai and take the system along. I better buy a new system in that case.

 

[dinyaar]

Hey guys,

I wish to buy a fellow HFV member's full music system for my friend, however the biggest hurdle seems to be packaging and moving it. The items are located in Chennai and I'm in Mumbai. The seller doesn't have original boxes with him. I need help with the following:

1. How to pack the boxes? The music system consists of a CD Player, Amp, BS Speakers and stands.
2. Where to acquire hard cartoons, thermocol and bubblewrap?
3. What courier service to use? It has to be affordable otherwise the purpose of buying used stuff is defeated.

I called a couple of guys in Chennai, most of them are not willing to only package it. Packing and Moving is costing about 5k+. One person agreed to pack it for 500 bucks but he has only large cartoons and he says he will pack two items in one box. No thermocol but double bubblewrap!

Any help in this regard will be appreciated.

Well its not too difficult even if the original packing is not available.
Cartons can be bought in all sizes in Bombay at various places and am sure the same will be the case in Chennai.
Bubble wrap & thermocol too is available at most stationery stores.

Measure the size of the unit, then add the bubble wrap & thickness of the thermocol and make a carton accordingly.

Seal with packing tape.

I have been doing this with most of my gear that I sell and there have been no issues.
If packing both speakers in one carton make sure U STUFF DOUBLE LAYER OF thermocol as u dont want the two speakers touching each other. Some cdps come with clamps that are used to immobilize the tray during transit. If available it MUST BE USED.
Couriers is a tough call. Road is naturally cheaper but things can get a bit too rough sometimes and air is naturally expensive. I have used Blue Dart for valuables and have been happy so far. (Touch wood)
Rgds

 

[gobble]

Dont ship without thermocol!! Cut little pieces and jam them in all corners if you dont get the correct size. And use at least 1" thick pieces. Bubblewrap is must as well.

Try GATI - they ship by rail, avoiding all the pot-holes of India. It did not cost much to ship a pre-amplifier weighing about 20kgs from Delhi to Bangalore - less than a 1000/- maybe 700 If I remember right.

Regards

 

[santhosh]

Dont ship without thermocol!! Cut little pieces and jam them in all corners if you dont get the correct size. And use at least 1" thick pieces. Bubblewrap is must as well.

Try GATI - they ship by rail, avoiding all the pot-holes of India. It did not cost much to ship a pre-amplifier weighing about 20kgs from Delhi to Bangalore - less than a 1000/- maybe 700 If I remember right.

Regards

+1 to the instructions.

Also, GATI picks up from your door step and also offers a volume based option, where you buy a container and anything that fits into it, irrespective of the weight is a flat rate. I shipped a bulky part for my Jeep from Kolkata to Bangalore via GATI and my experience was good overall (except for some tense moments with tracking now working for almost 3 days due to Durga Puja celebrations in Kolkata).

 

[bizarre]

Spoke to Gati as well. The overall cost is coming at 1800 bucks. The problem is, even the Gati is not very sure, he says the items are too fragile to be couriered by Gati.

On the other hand the customer care woman at Blue Dart sounded very confident about Courier with Insurance option.

So, what is the recommendation? Gati or Blue Dart Surface w/ Insurance option?

 

[cmsajith]

Insurance is just an eye wash unless you get the insurance document which they wont be able to give. It seems the better option would be to go to chennai by train and pick it up by yourself.

 

[demigod]

Spoke to Gati as well. The overall cost is coming at 1800 bucks. The problem is, even the Gati is not very sure, he says the items are too fragile to be couriered by Gati.

On the other hand the customer care woman at Blue Dart sounded very confident about Courier with Insurance option.

So, what is the recommendation? Gati or Blue Dart Surface w/ Insurance option?

Recently i got a Marantz CDP delivered by GATI from Coimbatore to Pune and my experience is that - don't ever go to them. They don't stick to their delivery due dates. In my opinion Blue Dart should be better.

 

[bizarre]

I'm not worried about delivery date right now. It should reach me in good shape, I'm okay even if they take 15 days! My worry is safety right now.

Going by train is infeasible because I won't have three days at a stretch to spare and if I go by air, the entire calculation goes for a toss!

The HFV member is not able to find thermocol nor bubblewrap in his area in Chennai (Selaiyur 600073). Looks like this deal is not happening. I never knew that courier could be this big deal in India.

 

[cmsajith]

What about railway parcel service or parcel services from transport companies like Conti\Shama\Sharma etc. My speakers were send it through a transport service and it reached safely.

 

[sidvee]

Bizzare - In my experience shipping of heavy electronics (above 15-20kg)- without original packaging is risky unless packed with foam inserts/thermacoal, large bubblewrap and doubleboxed in double walled cardboard box. Also the unit has to be wrapped in a plastic bag completely, lest water gets into it. I have had a bad experience with a heavy amp. that was delivered without any outward damage to the box but the soldering inside had come loose indicating that the courier (pafex) had dropped the box (and this was in the original packing!). Light items - less than 10-12kg should be ok in theory because chances that the courier person will drop it are less. Regardless air shipment is the best option - and unfortunately the most expensive.
Hope this helps - and yes for any deal of used hi-fi in India, IMO the biggest stumbling block is the safe delivery of the product - courier options for which are like choosing between the Devil and the Deep blue sea.
Cheers
Sid

 

[gobble]

I had a horrible experience with GATI too, but they appear to be the only ones using Rail. I have also shipped stuff via EMS. It should be stitched in sack cloth and sealed with red wax.

My CDP came by GATI or Pafex, my largish speakers came by Bus from Coimbatore, safe and sound!

Regards

 

[TaureanBull]

1. Even if the seller gets the item to pack i think its not worthy because I think his responsibility would end with shipping. He wont take responsibility of item reaching you safe. So, to entrusting him with the responsibility of packing.

2. Dont go for insurance because the insurance is for a used item and during transit you may only loose a knob or some outer item (switches etc) sticking out. You will get peanut of an amount for that. The main cost of item is the internal electronics which would not get damaged during transit by most of the means.

3. Most of us have ordered items from ebay so such like sites many times. The items are fragile some times. Just imagine-dont people order electronics from 20north or ebay etc all the way from US!!! The idea is to pack properly with enough cushion and it does need a little bit of expertise.

4. Verdict : Go for any reputed courier company (w/o insurance) and you wont have any problem. Packing must be from a professional. Dont task the seller to do it himself!!!

 

[bizarre]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the help. Finally I lost the deal because of all this courier nonsense. The seller was very wary of packing it and all and he decided to sell it within his city itself. My bad.

Nevertheless a lesson learnt at the end of the day!

Thanks all once again!

 

[gobble]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the help. Finally I lost the deal because of all this courier nonsense. The seller was very wary of packing it and all and he decided to sell it within his city itself. My bad.

Nevertheless a lesson learnt at the end of the day!

Thanks all once again!

Never mind. Hope you find a good deal elsewhere. Be patient

cheers

 

[bizarre]

Yeah, patience is the key! I wasn't in hurry anyways because the system is sort of a gift to a non-audiophile. I was hurrying up because the system in question was a decent VFM.