Anyone have any bad experinces with ordering online and damaged packages in the mail?

I try to buy stuff as much as possible in stores (you get it instantly, no waiting, refunds are painless, and on the spot, etc)

What i have had to order online, thankfully has came in one piece and working.

I viewed some videos yesterday on you tube of hidden cameras in USPS,UPS, and Fed Ex warehouses, i'm surprised at how badly they treat packages by throwing them, kicking them, stacking 20 big ones on top of little ones. One guy threw a package like a football at a bin located at least 15 feet away, and he missed. Then another man picked it up and pretended he "fumbled" the ball, and slammed the package in the bin and did a touchdown dance.

anyone here have any bad experiences with damaged goods via mail?

If I can't eat it or drink it, I tend to shop for it online. I find better prices than at brick and mortar stores, and I can make more thorough comparisons between competing products. Plus, I don't have to fight traffic or crowds, and the choices are far more numerous. For me, the lack of instant gratification is a very small price to pay for all of the benefits.

I've had a few damaged boxes, but I don't recall ever receiving damaged merchandise.

back in the late 70's, a buddy told me about his experiences when working for UPS. ... there were a few stories about intentional abuse of packages from a local mail-order place that sold a lot of audio equipment. It's a testimony to the packaging of that audio equipment that the mail-order place has not gone out of business (and they are doing well still).

More recently, I've heard a lot of unpleasant stories about people shipping bicycles or bicycle frames. It's important to do an excellent job of packaging the bike or frame, and insure it.

Maybe the bigger lesson is how people will behave poorly in an unrewarding job, and maybe you don't really want to get food from a fast food joint?

I'm a heavy mail order user. If the shipper hasn't expected bad treatment, they soon will. Most items in most packages will be fine and a place that won't replace damaged items isn't worth the savings. Just pay with protection and check everything when it comes in.