More Irrational Games Limited Editon Items

[OneLetter]

Originally Posted by ZeeAussie

Now I've e-mail their support last week (Tuesday and got a ticket number) and yet to hear anything on the subject, pretty piss poor in my opinon and at the time of this type up I'll probably never purchase another thing from them until this gets sorted. Not holding my breath as it's probably $140 down the drain for me for something I was going to give my nephew for his birthday.

Ugh, I hate seeing those pictures. No money is lost though, so please don't feel that way. Obviously, we'll make this right and I'm sorry to see that the poster arrived in that condition. If you could PM me your support ticket number and your original order number, I'll make sure someone gets back to you soon from the claims section so the process can begin.

I should point out we're looking into new methods of shipping posters / prints. Some will still be in tubes, some will be flat packed (it depends on the stock, since you don't want to put a thick stock into a tube), but if it is flat packed, it'll hopefully be sandwiched by chip/cardboard.

Again, I apologize about the quality of the poster you received, but we'll make it right.

[amb6883]

You can pack thick stock paper in a tube. Most people just do not take the time to do it correctly.

Flat shipping can work, but I have had a lot more issues with prints being damaged from mishandling. Definitely prefer tubes, especially for anything over 11 x 14.

[SwiftDeath]

In my limited experience it goes something like this

If packed correctly, flat shipping is usually better

BUT

the chances of something being packed correctly Flat vs rolled is much lower

Hence tubes are preferred as packing it correctly flat usually isn't cost-effective

[MortalMonday]

If you pack flat, then you have to use either very solid boards like Masonite, or- if you're sticking with cardboard sheets- then you have to use many layers of cardboard sheets. Corrugated cardboard can be quite strong and resistant to bending, but only when you stack layer upon layer of the stuff. 6 sheets is what I usually use when I pack prints flat. Also have to make sure to use cardboard sheets that are bigger than the print on all sides by at least an inch and a half on each and every side. The print should also be centered on the cardboard sheet and taped down, so as to prevent it from rattling around. Of course, you want to first wrap the print in something like a sheet of plastic or craft paper, then put the tape on the wrapped print, not on the print itself.

[OneLetter]

Please note that we (IG) will not personally be hand packing these posters. They'd all be done by the company that prints them up, and they certainly know the best methods for packing / shipping.

All I'm doing here is letting you guys know that we'll be improving this for the future, since I can't stand seeing damaged goods. Take note that if it does get damaged, we'll always be sure to cover it (as long as we can).

[flatout]

I can definitely see why international flat is a bad idea... and actually flat through UPS is a terrible idea really as well, they are very hard on items from what I have seen.

I still think flat can be safe if done correctly. But it takes time and effort, more time then rolling and throwing in a tube. Tubes are good though becasue they are sturdy, but they come with their own issues, like lithos catching on the way into the tube... or space in the tube so the lithos can bounce up and down. Also shipping costs are much higher due to tubes weighing so much.

Originally Posted by SwiftDeath

In my limited experience it goes something like this

If packed correctly, flat shipping is usually better

BUT

the chances of something being packed correctly Flat vs rolled is much lower

Hence tubes are preferred as packing it correctly flat usually isn't cost-effective

I agree with everything bu cost. If the flat is not considered oversize then it would cost less to send then a heavy poster tube. The weight of poster tubes far exceed the extra weight needed to make flat safe IMO... this is just my experience.

[SwiftDeath]

Originally Posted by flatout

I can definitely see why international flat is a bad idea... and actually flat through UPS is a terrible idea really as well, they are very hard on items from what I have seen.

I still think flat can be safe if done correctly. But it takes time and effort, more time then rolling and throwing in a tube. Tubes are good though becasue they are sturdy, but they come with their own issues, like lithos catching on the way into the tube... or space in the tube so the lithos can bounce up and down. Also shipping costs are much higher due to tubes weighing so much.

Shipping flat correctly is far more costly than shipping tube correctly usually due to volumetric weight

Besides shipping flat correctly will often weigh similar or more to a tube

Read Mortal's post on it and imagine how much that would weigh and its size

Originally Posted by flatout

I agree with everything bu cost. If the flat is not considered oversize then it would cost less to send then a heavy poster tube. The weight of poster tubes far exceed the extra weight needed to make flat safe IMO... this is just my experience.

Again almost all flat shipped prints are going to be oversized

18 inches by 24 inches is a standard size for prints

Adding 2 inches at least in either direction makes it very very large and almost certainly oversize

[flatout]

Originally Posted by SwiftDeath

Shipping flat correctly is far more costly than shipping tube correctly usually due to volumetric weight

Besides shipping flat correctly will often weigh similar or more to a tube

Read Mortal's post on it and imagine how much that would weigh and its size

I was updating my last post when you posted... I disagree on that part.


Of coarse I am comparing it to the SUPER thick tubes that Treehouse uses.




A package has to be very big to be oversize... I have brought in a lot thinking it would get that rating and they were not even close. I sent bucking bronco flat and it was not even close, and Priority for it was cheap.

[SwiftDeath]

Originally Posted by flatout

I was updating my last post when you posted... I disagree on that part.


Of coarse I am comparing it to the SUPER thick tubes that Treehouse uses.




A package has to be very big to be oversize... I have brought in a lot thinking it would get that rating and they were not even close. I sent bucking bronco flat and it was not even close, and Priority for it was cheap.

I have been hit by the ballon/oversize restrictions at least 3 times

They ship it as if it weighs 20lbs

That being said the sizing appears to be length plus girth > 108" for oversize

So I think you could ship a 18x24 print flat for that correctly but I still think it would weigh more than the tube as you have to use 3 or 4 times the layers of cardboard to do it correctly

[flatout]

Originally Posted by SwiftDeath

I have been hit by the ballon/oversize restrictions at least 3 times

They ship it as if it weighs 20lbs

That being said the sizing appears to be length plus girth > 108" for oversize

So I think you could ship a 18x24 print flat for that correctly but I still think it would weigh more than the tube as you have to use 3 or 4 times the layers of cardboard to do it correctly

Never had that happen except for when shipping a HUGE truck visor through UPS.


I think girth would be depth.. correct? The flat poster box would have hardly any depth.


I still think that doing a flat correctly would not be more then a tube (might be around the same amount)... again I am comparing to the tubes used by Treehouse (not sure if you have seen these monsters and how much they weigh but it is a lot).