Questions about box damage and tape seals

[Brynanm1213]

Is there any advice out there on how to keep seals in good shape. It seems like some are just destined to come loose or worst case off. I store my sets carefully in a room temperature area. I do not stack them really at all. Someone who doesn't really collect told me to put a thin layer of clear nail polish on them. I'm afraid to mess up though. But if its that or a seal coming off I guess I would have to choose the nail polish. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks!

[stephen_rockefeller]

Please don't put nail polish on seals.......that is just begging for a set to be devalued. I make sure when I hand pick any set that the seals are very tight. They stay better if they are tight to begin with. My suggestion is to handle them as little as possible. I think that a lot of the damage comes from people handling sets more than they have to. Side note........if I bought a set from someone on eBay and noticed the seals had been tampered with in any way (even in good faith) I would ask for a refund and they refused I would open a claim.

[Brynanm1213]

They seem at least some of them, over time to loosen up. I've had a few when I checked just be off on one side. On a couple it took up some of the print. Luckily the other was still good. Just didn't know if there was something preventative I could do to help out. It's a sns minority, maybe 3-4 percent but it happens. I was considering wrapping the sets on the seal side with plastic wrap or something. I don't know if anyone else has this issue. Thanks for the feedback on nail polish. I didn't think that was a good idea at all but figured I'd ask.

[comicblast]

Lots of people say to put them in resealable plastic bags. I think that it protects the boxes and seals from moisture and dust. Put them in a dark area and the box printing won't fade. :-)

[comicblast]

Take a look at this article by RickSilver: http://www.brickpicker.com/index.php/blog/view/protecting_lego_boxes_storage_bags

[stephen_rockefeller]

Our good friend jack from chowren toys vacuum packs his retired sets and sells them that way. It seems to be working for him. His very old retired sets he sells on his sight always arrive like they were packaged by Lego a few days ago.

[Brynanm1213]

Vacuum sealing sounds like a great option. Any help pointing me in the direction of what to go would be great!!

[azalon]

One important thing is to not let the larger sets sit on their sides or ends for an extended period of time. That will loosen the seals due to the natural settling within the box. If they are in a place like a top shelf in your closet, I would put a few layers of cardboard down, then place the sets on their sealed (flaps) ends and try to get them pretty tight and without room to settle. So far so good and I've had some sets sitting for years that way.

[dunkers97]

Take a look at this article by RickSilver: http://www.brickpicker.com/index.php/blog/view/protecting_lego_boxes_storage_bags

I read this and it's a awesome idea!!!

[Studebricker]

Is there any advice out there on how to keep seals in good shape. It seems like some are just destined to come loose or worst case off. I store my sets carefully in a room temperature area. I do not stack them really at all. Someone who doesn't really collect told me to put a thin layer of clear nail polish on them. I'm afraid to mess up though. But if its that or a seal coming off I guess I would have to choose the nail polish. Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks!

To me the issue of every seal being intact is overblown. I am as picky/crazy a Lego collector as anyone (I have always carefully opened and kept all the bags, and have been known to line up all the stud printing to read one way!), but if a seal has loosened over time on, say, a 2001 set, I don't have a problem still paying a MISB price. A random loose seal does not mean someone tampered with it, and I think most Lego collectors realize this.

I bought a 7163 Gunship years ago on clearance that had loose seals, but was able to verify everything was inside so went ahead and bought it. Because they're so rare now, I have no doubt I'll be able to sell it as if it were MISB -- just haven't decided if I want to sell or not.

[Ed Mack]

To me the issue of every seal being intact is overblown. I am as picky/crazy a Lego collector as anyone (I have always carefully opened and kept all the bags, and have been known to line up all the stud printing to read one way!), but if a seal has loosened over time on, say, a 2001 set, I don't have a problem still paying a MISB price. A random loose seal does not mean someone tampered with it, and I think most Lego collectors realize this.

I bought a 7163 Gunship years ago on clearance that had loose seals, but was able to verify everything was inside so went ahead and bought it. Because they're so rare now, I have no doubt I'll be able to sell it as if it were MISB -- just haven't decided if I want to sell or not.

I agree with this. Seals come off. Most MISB older sets are bought to build anyway, so the seals are not as important as contents or quality of a box. Seals can be reattached with a dab of super glue. With all the fraud in the world today, I think we are heading to the point where opened and content verified sets will become more valuable than sealed(or supposed sealed ones) sets.

[tyclin]

I recently won a bid on star war death star on eBay. On the listing, it states that the set is new, sealed in factory cardboard box. I also communicated with the seller as to the condition of the box. The seller rated 9/10 (10 being perfect). I trusted the seller and requested that the seller pack the lego box well and protected. The seller said the packing is overkill, would need a tank to damage it. When I received the package, it again was home-made box. I was concerned. After tearing down this home-made-tape box, the lego box surely was wrapped with bubble wrap. The box was ok and I would agree with 9/10 rating. Now, the problem showed up.... The box was not sealed. As we all know, there are four original tapes on the sides (two on each side). Two on one side were not sealed. The tapes have lost their adhesives with dust on them. Two on the other side were not either; furthermore, they were all adhered under the lid, meaning they were not taped on the top lid to seal the box. This means four tapes all failed. I can't imagine this could happen during the shipping. I would think the tapes have been tempered with somehow. For four tapes to fail at the same time, is it common? So I immediately contacted the seller with the pictures. I got reply: "we did not open the item and we did a great packing job. we went above and beyond to protect the box for you. have a good night" The packing job looks like a "joke" because it is home-made. Protecting the lego box is a must, why is it a "went above and beyond" thing? By making a statement, "we did not open the item", the seller has no more responsibility? Apparently, this seller has no intention of resolving my concern. What would be your suggestion about a box not sealed when received (but was stated that it was sealed) and the seller's attitude toward this? Thanks.

[StarCityBrickCompany]

I recently won a bid on star war death star on eBay. On the listing, it states that the set is new, sealed in factory cardboard box. I also communicated with the seller as to the condition of the box. The seller rated 9/10 (10 being perfect). I trusted the seller and requested that the seller pack the lego box well and protected. The seller said the packing is overkill, would need a tank to damage it. When I received the package, it again was home-made box. I was concerned. After tearing down this home-made-tape box, the lego box surely was wrapped with bubble wrap. The box was ok and I would agree with 9/10 rating. Now, the problem showed up....

The box was not sealed. As we all know, there are four original tapes on the sides (two on each side). Two on one side were not sealed. The tapes have lost their adhesives with dust on them. Two on the other side were not either; furthermore, they were all adhered under the lid, meaning they were not taped on the top lid to seal the box.

This means four tapes all failed. I can't imagine this could happen during the shipping. I would think the tapes have been tempered with somehow. For four tapes to fail at the same time, is it common?

So I immediately contacted the seller with the pictures. I got reply:

"we did not open the item and we did a great packing job.

we went above and beyond to protect the box for you.

have a good night"

The packing job looks like a "joke" because it is home-made. Protecting the lego box is a must, why is it a "went above and beyond" thing?

By making a statement, "we did not open the item", the seller has no more responsibility? Apparently, this seller has no intention of resolving my concern.

What would be your suggestion about a box not sealed when received (but was stated that it was sealed) and the seller's attitude toward this?

Thanks.

Is this the old or new death star? Are all the seals open (so you can verify the contents), or are some of the seals intact so you can tell that the box has never been opened?

[Anakinisvader]

Open a case with Ebay and Paypal. This was not "as described". Even if the seller doesn't have a return policy you will still probably win the case and get your money back. Contact the seller one more time and give them a chance to make things better. Don't threaten, just politely ask for a refund. If they wont do it, open that case.

[stephen_rockefeller]

Open a case with Ebay and Paypal. This was not "as described". Even if the seller doesn't have a return policy you will still probably win the case and get your money back. Contact the seller one more time and give them a chance to make things better. Don't threaten, just politely ask for a refund. If they wont do it, open that case.

This!!

[Darth Lego]

Open a case with Ebay and Paypal. This was not "as described". Even if the seller doesn't have a return policy you will still probably win the case and get your money back. Contact the seller one more time and give them a chance to make things better. Don't threaten, just politely ask for a refund. If they wont do it, open that case.

That is what I was going to say. The seller didn't describe the item correctly and they should be held responsible for that IMO.

[tyclin]

this set is new. the heavy one. there are four boxes inside the large box as you know with the instruction book. I have not taken anything out yet. None of the four tapes were sealed. And I have opened the claim on eBay once I got the seller' reply because the seller showed no interest in resolving my concern, just tell me "have a good night"...

[tyclin]

there are more about this purchase. The seller only shipped to east coast and I missed the info. Then I won. The seller reminded me but later offered to still sell me with increasing the shipping cost because he or she thought "I seem to be a nice person", so the shipping cost did not increase. Actually the shipping cost to me is exactly the same as shown on the listing, not extra.

[StarCityBrickCompany]

this set is new. the heavy one. there are four boxes inside the large box as you know with the instruction book. I have not taken anything out yet. None of the four tapes were sealed.

And I have opened the claim on eBay once I got the seller' reply because the seller showed no interest in resolving my concern, just tell me "have a good night"...

Ok, the UCS Death Star II 10143 - To be honest, the seals on that set fail more than not (maybe more than any other set I have dealt with). I have even had that set with the seals taped under the top (like you describe). But if the seller described it as sealed, then you certainly should be unhappy. Can you say how good a deal you got on the set? I have kept some unsealed sets (rather than returning), because it was still a great deal. If you paid a low, low price for the set - then you should still keep it.

[tyclin]

345 on this. I think it is a good deal? I am keeping all the lego sets I won bidding. Returning it is out of question. You have to pay return shipping cost. You have spent time on bidding and waiting and shipping and delivery.

[tyclin]

now, I just checked the four boxes inside. They are all sealed except box 1, there is one tape not sealed. So the four boxes inside are sealed. The large box is not sealed. Now what? Do I still have the case to complain about? However, when seller say sealed box, I would think the lego box is sealed.

[StarCityBrickCompany]

345 on this. I think it is a good deal? I am keeping all the lego sets I won bidding. Returning it is out of question. You have to pay return shipping cost. You have spent time on bidding and waiting and shipping and delivery.

Is this the 10188 or the 10143?

[tyclin]

10188.

[sadowsk1]

I agree with the above posters. It's worth opening a case if the item you get isn't as described and no disclaimers made to what you are discovering or adequate explanations given. Hopefully the seller has a change of heart and works something out with you.

[StarCityBrickCompany]

this set is new. the heavy one. there are four boxes inside the large box as you know with the instruction book. I have not taken anything out yet. None of the four tapes were sealed.

And I have opened the claim on eBay once I got the seller' reply because the seller showed no interest in resolving my concern, just tell me "have a good night"...

When you opened the claim, what did you state that you wanted (to return for a refund, etc)? Did the seller respond yet?