Received New Rod Packaged in just a lightweight triangle box

[TotalNoob]

In a bit of a pickle about the status of a rod I recently purchased online. 

 

I purchased 2 rods from eBay during the 20% coupon they had a week or so ago. One rod was from SportmansOutfitters and one was from Overstock. These are the first rods I've purchased online. 

 

The SportmansOutfitters rod came in a heavy duty reinforced tube (quite a bit longer than the rod itself even). This is obviously rock solid and I have zero hesitation about the integrity of the rod during shipping. This is basically how I assumed all rods shipped. 

 

The other rod came in a flimsy, triangle shaped, very simple cardboard box. It was obvious upon first glance that the box had multiple creases/folds in the middle. When I pushed on the end of the box I could see how much the box had to bend to create the creases and it seems like quite a bit.

 

The rod itself shows no signs of damage but I feel unsure about how much stress it was under and for how long given the bending. I was reading in another thread where a company ships their rods this way but they weren't broken upon arrival so the poster felt fortunate about that. 

 

Below I've attached a couple pics of the box, one that shows the creasing in the middle (where it was obviously bent to fit in a UPS truck or otherwise bent  somewhere along the line) and the other pic showing how much bending the box had to go through to create the existing creases. 

 

For those of you who have received rods in these kinds of boxes, what were your thoughts on the state of the rod? Have you seen boxes with this much creasing? I'm concerned about the structural integrity of the rod having been prematurely stressed (if that's a thing), but I'm not sure to what extent the rods are designed to be under stress and still function normally. 

 

I'd have zero hesitation about returning but my concern is the fact that the rod isn't visually broken; that after the rod is inspected and no obvious physical or visual damage is found to it (assuming it makes it back in one piece) that they'll put me on the hook for shipping before refunding.

 

I feel like I'm in a pickle on this .. I want the rod but I'm worried about how it was transported. I'd send it back and find another one from another seller but I'm worried that if no damage is visible to the eye that it will be considered just a customer return ... and I bet the shipping on these is not cheap. I paid $72 for the rod total so if even 1/3 of that is shipping I feel like there's a cost-benefit thing to be considered here. 

 

Would appreciate any thoughts or feedback on this. At an absolute minimum, going forward I won't be purchasing rods from sellers who don't package them for appropriate protection during transit. 

 

 

Not sure if it actually bent this much (or for how long) but I'm not forcing this bend with my hand ... it folds fairly easily to about this point. 

 

[Choporoz]

Sounds like rod is fine.  Don't sweat it.  Last year, i got a rod costing three times that in a box that looked exactly like that.  No issues.  Whatsoever.

Check it over again... straight...guides have inserts....flexes fine...no cracks... you're gtg

[Stephen B]

Almost all ship in cardboard boxes or tubes which are not the best but they are more affordable and readily available. A lot of the times the carrier doesn't take appropriate care for the package but packaging it properly does help. I don't think it would be worth the hassle nor shipping cost for shipping it back if there are no obvious signs of damage.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

That's how I receive rod blanks. Common practice. Just flex the rod a couple times(not past 90* and it should be fine. 

[DINK WHISPERER]

With the amount of load they are put under while fishing I seriously doubt there is anything wrong with it from Shipping that way.

[grub_man]

Yep, as DVT mentioned, at least one well known rod blank vendor ships in triangle boxes.  Some of the ones I've received over the years have been beat up pretty badly.  But, as long as the blank/rod is in good shape and handles a couple deep flexes, it is just fine.  Don't lose any sweat over it.

 

Regardless of how nice your favorite tackle shop is, the rods arrive there the same way they arrive to you.  If it's a big box store, they arrive just chucked in the back of a 53' trailer with reckless abandon.  I spend a period of time working at a big box store unloading trucks when I needed to make a few dollars in between jobs.  It's amazing how much abuse the packaging can take and leave the rod/blank intact.  If you saw how TV's arrived, you would cringe.

[burrows]

I would be extremely irate if my rod showed up in a box like that. Your rod is fine but yeah don’t order a rod unless they provide a tube. 

[Stephen B]

51 minutes ago, BaitFinesse said:

I think that is a common rod box outside the US.  I ordered Megabass rod through a 3rd party and it came in a triangular Megabass box.  I've not seen a box like that from anything shipped within the US though.  Odd.

Definitely! I have seen companies use cardboard tubes, PVC, and cardboard boxes. I have also seen each of them fail atleast once. Ultimately, just hope the carriers employees take care of the package. 

[TotalNoob]

16 hours ago, Burros said:

I would be extremely irate if my rod showed up in a box like that. Your rod is fine but yeah don’t order a rod unless they provide a tube. 

Yes, I was quite upset when I saw the box it was shipped in. I worked at UPS last holiday season and I know how much they have to literally cram packages inside those trucks. 

 

The other rod came in exactly the type of packaging I expected. A reinforced, solid tube. This thing wasn't bent in any way whatsoever. It can't be bent under typical abuse! 

 

 

Well, I'll go ahead and keep this rod and use it for the first time later today or tomorrow morning probably. I know it "only" cost $72 but that isn't exactly nothing to me. A year and a half ago neither I nor the boss would have imaged me spending $72 on a single rod (and yes, I see what all is available out there). When I started to catch fish consistently and develop a true passion we both kind of became okay with stepping up in equipment. Point is, I just hope this rod is okay.  

 

I wonder if anyone would be interested in posting known sellers who ship rods in solid tubes, and/or known sellers who don't ship in solid tubes?

 

UPS/Fedex charge by dimensional weight for shipping, so a formula based on the LxWxH of the package is how they charge. In other words, the actual weight of the item isn't relevant (unless actual weight exceeds the dimensional weight formula). For the purpose of shipping rods, it would cost a seller exactly the same to ship in a cheap box as it would to ship in a reinforced tube. 

 

My Experiences:

SportsmansOutfitters: Reinforced tube

Overstock: Flimsy cardboard box

[DaveT63]

I've received a rod valued at over $500 directly from the manufacturer in one of those triangular boxes.  The box was a little banged up, but the rod has been fine.  Use it.

[MrFrost]

The triangle box, as mentioned above by a previous poster is common practice and a lot of well known and reputable brands ship to stores the same exact way.  I currently work for an outdoor chain and we receive a large portion of our rods direct from the manufacturer just like that.  

[rippin-lips]

Try waiting on one to arrive from Japan, knowing that’s what it’s being shipped in. Add in the fact it’s not made anymore and is a $650 rod. Talk about being worried. 

[JustJames]

I order a few rods from Amazon and they came just right that. So far all have been great, I only had to get one replace under warranty but I think it was my fault. 

 

[TotalNoob]

1 hour ago, rippin-lips said:

Try waiting on one to arrive from Japan, knowing that’s what it’s being shipped in. Add in the fact it’s not made anymore and is a $650 rod. Talk about being worried. 

I feel ya .. I'd be sick to my stomach. As things currently stand I could never fathom myself spending that much for a rod ... but I also know I've had that exact feeling about a lot of other things in my life and they often came to fruition. Definitely not anytime soon that's for sure!

 

Hope the new rod is awesome for ya ?

[new2BC4bass]

Tackle Warehouse ships in a long heavy duty cardboard tube.  Probably the thickest wall of any I've received in a tube.

 

I received a rod in a tube similar to yours.  Don't know if Pillsbury still sells dough in a tube that you twist to open, but that is exactly what my rod tube looked like.  I definitely was surprised to find the rod in good shape.

 

I've received a rod in a tube that was in perfect shape.  Opened the tube to find about 4 inches broke off the tip because the seller never put anything around the rod to keep it from sliding back and forth inside the tube.  Private seller.  To say I was upset is putting it mildly.  Anyone that has had a rod shipped to them should know better.  At least the stores put something around the tip to protect it even if the box it is shipped in is a piece of crap.

[haggard]

Triangles are strong and rods are built to bend. Assuming you see no visible damage to rod and eyelets I bet the rod is good. Packaging is designed to take hits and protect what's inside. It did exactly what it was supposed to do. Go fish

 

 

 

[WRB]

You are preaching to the choir. Send a complaint with photos to the seller.

Tom

[Junger]

Kinda funny, but I've had 2 tips break in those nice thick round tubes from Cabela's because they tape the tips to the rod case, while I've received over a handful from Amazon in the triangle boxes taped together at the middle with creases everywhere and none of them were damaged at all. *Knocking on wood for the future*.

 

Either way, buy from a reputable vendor and you should have no worries.

[burrows]

What were we talking about again?