Monday, February 17, 2014

The Importance of Using Old-Fashioned Brown Paper: An Open Letter To (Well Intentioned) On-Line Sellers

Chronica Domus
Brown paper packages on their way to the post office
Photo: Chronica Domus


Dear On-Line Seller,

Thank you so much for mailing my porcelain tureen to me.  Yes, it did arrive safely, but only just.

You see, I was away from my office the day it was delivered and a kindly work colleague received the package on my behalf.  She quickly informed me via email that a frozen cake had arrived, and that said cake was now in the freezer of our work's kitchen.  She had attached a note to the box informing the janitors (who clean and empty our refrigerator/freezer at the end of the week), not to remove the cake until the date of my return, which was at least a week away.

I was now agog to know who would possibly send me a frozen cake through the United States Postal Service, and more importantly, why.  It was not my birthday, nor was it my wedding anniversary.  I was not celebrating anything to warrant a cake.  My head was spinning trying to extract the answer from my ever-failing brain.

Come Monday morning, bright and early, I settle into my office and soon remember the cake.  Down the hallway I trot, towards the kitchen.  I open the refrigerator door and there it was, my frozen cake, tucked into the little freezer compartment, waiting to be devoured.  I make my way back to my desk and attempt to open the icy box.  Upon closer examination, and to my utter astonishment, I quickly deduce that this is no frozen cake.  This  is my recently purchased item, delivered to me in someone else's frozen cake box.

Please, please, dear On-Line Seller, next time you choose to recycle (admirably) a frozen cake box to mail one of your sold items, do remember the importance of wrapping said box in plain old-fashioned brown paper.  That way, there will be no confusion on the receiving end of things.

In this case, no harm was done, and a good chuckle ensued between myself and my work colleague on relaying the story of the box's contents to her.  I can only imagine the disaster waiting to happen if anything other than impervious sturdy porcelain, that can withstand Arctic temperatures, was held within.

Yours,
On-Line Buyer

My French porcelain tureen
Photo: Chronica Domus


This is indeed a true story, and it happened to me just recently.  I thought you too would appreciate the amusement in this cautionary tale, and procure a roll of old-fashioned brown paper the next time you find yourself mailing an item in a cardboard box printed with instructions to "KEEP CONTENTS FROZEN".






10 comments:

  1. that's hilarious! i often re-use boxes to ship things in, but i always wrap them in brown paper (easily available in patterned rolls from the dollar store - including a gorgeous toile pattern!).

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  2. Hello PD, Glad to hear you appreciated the humor in this story. I did contact the seller directly to let her know what had happened.. She thought it was so funny that she shared it with her selling community on eBay.

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  3. "Brown paper packages, tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things!" I didn't know the PO still accepted wrapped boxes! I know "they" won't accept boxes tied up with strings, though. Thanks. I'll be sure to wrap the next box I send with good old fashioned brown paper... RD

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  4. Yes, I too love sting on boxes, but I'm sure the Post Office would not appreciate that! I console myself with using it on hand delivered parcels, bundling up packing boxes or newspapers for recycling.

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    1. I am mad for string, and we have many old fashioned metal and wood string dispensers at Darlington. I love tying up recycling and other things with string or twine, and find it a most useful and satisfying alternative to adhesive tape.

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    2. I used to enjoy tying packages with string. Haven't thought of it in years. Thank you for the good story and the memory.

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    3. Hello JW, nice to make your acquaintance, and thank you for visiting my blog and commenting. I hope you come back often.

      I'm happy to have awakened memories of tying up packages with string. I also enjoy those boxes from certain bakeries that tie their goodies with red and white bakers twine. Everything always looks so alluring done that way, don't you think?

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    4. Thank you for your gracious welcome. Yes, some bakery boxes are very alluring...particularly certain ones in Italy.

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  5. Thats just a wonderful story to have for your beautiful tureen!! I'm constantly saving boxes, etc. for things I sell on ebay and always wrap them in brown paper. I always think it makes it look like a gift too!

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    Replies
    1. Hello again AD, I wholeheartedly agree with you. Packages wrapped in brown paper always look like a gift.

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